Savannah Monitor shedding question

Toothless · 03-21-13, 02:10 PM

Good day everyone,
I was wondering if anyone else's monitor fasts during the first few days of a shed? The past few sheds (which are about once a month now), I find he hides in his burrow and refuses to come out for 3-5 days. When he was shedding more frequently he never displayed this behaviour, but since his growth has started slowing down a bit, he seems to prefer staying in his burrow until the majority of his back sheds off. Once he comes out he immediately wants to eat and displays normal behaviour while the rest of the shed completes.
He's around 10 months old and 27 inches ToL. Humidity is 75-80% on the cool end, and 55-60% at the basking site.
Also, when do they stop growing? I know they start to slow down around this age, but was just wondering how long they continue to grow for until they reach their adult size?

murrindindi · 03-21-13, 02:20 PM

Hi, in my experience Varanids usually don`t stop feeding at any time during the shedding process. Perhaps there`s another reason the monitor is staying below ground for days on end other than shedding, especially if it`s happeneing once a month?
Can you tell me what the temps are (surface and ambient) throughout the enclosure, and do you have a few very recent photos?

Freebody · 03-21-13, 02:46 PM

my sav would eat during his sheds, would not stop eating for anything. they should grow for the first 3 years at least, at a pretty rapid rate till they hit 2.5 to 3 feet, then they slow right down to next to nothing, im not sure 100% but I don't ever recall reading that they actually stop growing through out their lives. whats your temps like maybe hes just conserving energy because the temps are too low? I had a hot spot for my sav that was around 120d and and cave under that platform that was around 90-100 give or take, and the tank stayed at 80+, so he was always nice and warm even in his burrow. or caves. always very active when I came around the cage, ie the guy who brings the treats lol

smy_749 · 03-21-13, 02:48 PM

Sounds like hes going down for humidity, to aid in his shedding no?

Pirarucu · 03-21-13, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smy_749

Sounds like hes going down for humidity, to aid in his shedding no?

This was my first thought as well.. Try bumping the humidity, that will probably do the trick.

Toothless · 03-21-13, 04:22 PM

He only does this during his shed. When he disapears, the shed hasn't started yet, but when he comes out, most of the shed off his back is off, and the rest of him is starting to peel. I just figured it was related to his shedding since this is the only time he shows this behaviour- what else could be causing this?
Ambient temp on the cool side is 75 and goes up to 95 on the hot end. His burrow is on the warm side, under the basking platform, and I'm guessing its at least 80 there, but can't be sure. Humidity ranges from 80-55 usually (I never let it drop below 75% on the cool end and its usually 80% on the cool end and 60% on the hot end). He has a hide on the cool side of the cage, but doesn't use it often.
He's very active when out of the burrow, running around and leaping out of the enclosure when the doors are opened.
I just wan't to make sure something is not wrong with him. He defecates once or twice a week, and is fed mainly mice and roaches, with fish, grasshoppers, hornworms, and earthworms as a treat.
No recent photos, but I have a video I took last week that I'll upload in a few minutes.

Pirarucu · 03-21-13, 04:25 PM

Sounds alright, probably just an individual behavior.

Freebody · 03-21-13, 04:30 PM

best to take out the mice from his diet, a treat rarely at best, but I cant see this causing what your describing, switch out the mice and add crustaceans ie shrimps and whatnot.

Toothless · 03-21-13, 04:36 PM

Ok, here are the videos, If you need any specific photos, let me know.
I forgot to mention in the last post, but his basking temp is 155F directly under the lights, and 130F off to the side.
Don't mind the talking in the second video, my friend was trying to come into the room when I had him out, and he will attack anyone besides myself if they come too close to him. He has a weird fasination with his enclosure doors for some reason...lol.

VID-20130316-00007_zps94655bc5.mp4 Video by gothicangel_69 | Photobucket
VID-20130317-00011_zps73697b5a.mp4 Video by gothicangel_69 | Photobucket

Freebody · 03-21-13, 04:43 PM

im guessing its just his personality, sounds like your setup is good. video reminds me of my sav, about the same size and was always up against the glass like that when he seen me on the other side. I just got rid of him a few months back because im planning on moving to Calgary or Edmonton very soon.

Toothless · 03-21-13, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebody

best to take out the mice from his diet, a treat rarely at best, but I cant see this causing what your describing, switch out the mice and add crustaceans ie shrimps and whatnot.

Thank you for the advice. I am aware of the rodent debate

and have chosen to add them to his diet after much research. He gets two mice a week, and roaches or other inverts the other 4 days (sometimes I switch the mice up for fish or the roaches for earthworms, grasshoppers or other).

Yes, he does have a very quirky personality. lol. Its truely amazing how intelligent these guys are. This evening he actually scaled the wall of his enclosure to try and grab the roach container out of my hand- I'm not quite sure how he managed to dig his claws into the wood enough to get a grib...apparently I wasn't fast enough handing out the roaches.

Freebody · 03-21-13, 04:52 PM

that's to bad, but to each his own. I never fed mine rodents at all, just roaches and insects and crustaceans, and I sold him and my colony only to someone who felt the same way about it that I did, I turned down a few buyers. I know baby rats are better for snakes than mice are because of better meat to bone ratio, maybe something to look into if your going to feed rodents.

Toothless · 03-21-13, 04:57 PM

I'm actually getting 6 free gerbils this weekend, so figured I'd give a go at breeding those as they stink less and are a bit larger than those tiny mice you get from the pet store (also will be much healthier if I look after them myself).

Toothless · 03-21-13, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebody

that's to bad, but to each his own. I never fed mine rodents at all, just roaches and insects and crustaceans, and I sold him and my colony only to someone who felt the same way about it that I did, I turned down a few buyers. I know baby rats are better for snakes than mice are because of better meat to bone ratio, maybe something to look into if your going to feed rodents.

I was originally planning to only feed inverts, molluscs, etc when I first purchased him, but after his food bill started getting up around $80 per week, I figured I needed to re-visit his diet. I did a bunch of research, and came to the conclusion that poor husbandry, rather than a specific diet (i.e. vert vs. inverts) causes most of the problems we see with savs.
I do respect both points of view, and figure if you're able to feed strictly no-rodents, then why not?

Freebody · 03-21-13, 05:02 PM

maybe, but rodents are no good for savs anyways, so I don't think its going to be much better :P I would feed it rats as its the best meat to bone ratio. just my 2 cents.