16' x 6' x 3'

[Tamizan]

good luck

[V.hb]

Has anyone who's said the bigger the better actually tried to do that?

Sometimes monitors completely freak out when given alot of room. They feel insecure and highly intimidated. You would need so much cover for the animal in order for it to feel less intimidated. I personally wouldn't give a pair of savannahs anymore than an 8x4x4 enclosure.

[chuck911jeep]

Sometimes monitors completely freak out when given alot of room. They feel insecure and highly intimidated. You would need so much cover for the animal in order for it to feel less intimidated.

What's you describe have a name...it's call freedom, they feel free. The same way as some "freak out" when you take them outside to the sun...What you recommend for this? Sun hurt them. Don't let your monitor see the sun?

[Tamizan]

I think i would get some plywood, and then slowly make it bigger.... then they wouldn't freak out?

[Steve]

Getting a larger cage will NOT make it freak out. I only see pros(except for the original setup which will be harder)...you savs will be more active. I have my tegu a addition to his cage and he simply LOVED it. As for finding food, montiors will always find it without any prob. I see no cons really to getting a larger cage, could even make it easier for breeding since you don't need a seperate nest box(if you can't supply enough substrate to burrow in, in the cage).
Just make sure about the heating and humidity. With a cage that size you could even install a misting system on a timer. You could have anywhere from 1-20 nozzles which are set for certain times. With this setup humidity would not be a problem.


ps...i just found a con....its harder to find their poop in a cage that size

[V.hb]

er, what I said is obvious... Too much room with an improper setup will cause stress. a 16 foot enclosure will be incredibly difficult to setup properly.

And umm, yes I do take my monitors outside, and they don't freak out.....

[beanersmysav]

I acctually didn't plan on having any glass, maybe that will make them "freak out" less? The feces shouldn't be an issue he has never gone anywhere but his water dish, and he does that on a daily basis. I have plenty of substrate for the enclosure I use dirt and I have perfect dirt for them in my backyard which I have 2 acres worth so the dirt wont be a problem. I understand this may be a hard set up to maintain but trust me I wouldn't do it if I wasn't planning on proper up keep. I feel somewhat offended by the comment "too much room with improper setup" but hey believe what you want I guess.

For the rest of you I appreciate your input and backing on this subject. I was thinking about the misting system myself.

I'm going to try and find some people who have bred Savannah Monitors on all types of scales large and small, to talk to about this enclosure and get alot of ideas together before jumping into it. I'm not going to waste an enclosure this big by doing it wrong.

[Steve]

heres is the site for a mister company...i have never used them before, but have heard many good things about them
http://www.agselect.com/

[chuck911jeep]

obvious, obvious, obvious....it's like bla bla bla.
chuck911jeep

too big too big....this is never too big if you can give him good Tem. and humidity

v.hv

Too much room with an improper setup will cause stress. a 16 foot enclosure will be incredibly difficult to setup properly.

little cage with improper setup will cause the same stress, but anyway...thank's for your good advice. I will go with smaller cage ...just kidding

[V.hb]

..For Beaner , What I meant was, its much easier to setup a smaller enclosure. Like Jungle Shadows said, it's what they can use that's important.. a 16 foot enclosure would be very difficult to setup, i mean even filling a 16 foot enclosure with adequate substrate would be incredibly difficult, unless you've got access to a dumptruck . Setting up a large enclosure inadequatly can lead to animals not eating, regurgitating from stress etc. If you can setup a 16 foot enclosure perfectly, go for it! because obviously that is the way to go, but not many people can achieve this as too many factors are against them.(Which are not at ALL related to their own personal husbandry practises) Even the ambient temperature of a house can make it more difficult to heat properly. Personally; I feel a properly heated, ventilated, and setup SMALL enclosure fares far better than a large one that's only setup to about 70% of its potential. Stress and everything that accompanies stress certainly isn't natural; so I would be cautious on what you do.

I'd e-mail Ravi@themonitorspot.com, or checkout his website : www.themonitorspot.com he successfully bred savannahs and wrote a book on it with Daniel Bennet.. he is also very helpful. You may find the book useful... I also don't think Ravi used anything more than an 8x4x4

[chuck911jeep]

Hi! ...Why you didn't said this in your first reply eather then saying bull$hit. "freak out" at first and now setting up. Daniel and Ravi will probably talk about you in the next book for the quick learned people can do in husbandry technique

[jungleshadows]

One thing thats being confused, it's not about a small cage it's just about a smaller cage.

Small cages would mean it is inadequate and to small for the monitor to begin with. You do not want this either. However I do not think anyone is using the term small cage with this meaning.

Simply a large cage is great gives your monitor more room. However be prepared to put in alot of work. Keeping temps in a larger cage is not as easy to do as a smaller cage. Anyone that cannot see this has never used a huge cage before.

Most of us have the floor of the cages off the ground to prevent to cool of substrate. Now to lift the 16 foot floor off the ground and then have it still hold all the weight of the dirt is not going to be easy. Temperatures etc. everything is going to change in a larger enclosure compared to a smaller one.

Again I do not think anyone here is against offering your monitor lots of room. I for one am not I simply want to offer advice from experience with larger setups and to make sure your prepared for it. As it will not be the same as setting up your smaller setups.

Another thing is with this cage will you be able to seperate them if needed? Sometimes the female will not tolerate the males in with them during nesting. When she nests and covers it in this large cage do you have the experience to know she laid and where she laid them? Or will you be in the cage all day digging for eggs? All of this racket of you digging etc. is stress on your monitor. Even if you remove her during this time.

There is alot to think about. Talking to breeders is a great idea and will help you alot with your goal.

Good luck to you

[V.hb]

Thanks for that much needed clarification Jody.


As for Chuck; you remind me of someone, soo similar.. Gee, I wonder......

[beanersmysav]

Yeah I have read about Ravi's he used that size cage, but he said this is just what I used personally, the bigger the better. I will get in touch with him however and see what he says.

But please let me clarify if you've followed the conversation this is the thrid or fourth time I've mentioned this. Not to be rude but please make note to this. AS I've said I plan on knocking a few feet off the length probably down to 11-13' and just adding to the height. I don't think it will be much harder getting the temp. and humidity right when I'm used to an 8x3x3. However I'll put both monitors in here to begin with and see what becomes of it. If I find that they seem to stress eachother out I will move into a bigger enclosure.

As for the seperating part, obviously I would keep this tank available when the male needs to be seperated and I'm sure he will have nothing against moving into his old enclosure which will still be set up for him.

I'm not lashing at anyone because I enjoy and appreciate the cristicism both good and bad, pros and cons, even though I've thought about most of this it does help me think a little more in depth and to have more oppinions of different monitor keepers. Don't think anyone should jump down anyone elses throat for what others have said to me if we weren't allowed to give oppinions we'd probably be in Cuba

[V.hb]

Good luck man!! post pic's when you've completed the project