# My Sav.



## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

Hey guys, i did tons of research on savannah monitors before i got one. BUt i know there are a few pro's on here that have had experience with sav's and i want to make sure i am doing everything right. I have read the articles debating whether they should have mostly insects or rodents. So as of now i am feedings mostly crickets (sometimes with the cricket dust). And about one pinkie a week. I am going to start feeding him the monitor food you can buy and meal worms as well. How does the diet sound. Right now hes a little guy only about 7-8" long. I know crockeeper suggested i started him off in a smaller tank but that plan fell thru as i no longer have the smaller tank. For now i have a 150w bulb heating one side of my tank (4x2', i thought it was 5' but i remeasured) i was thinking about getting a heatmat but wanted to make sure it was neccary, i think the lamp provides plenty of heat. I have a hide on each side of the tank and a rock under the light he can lay on to digest his meals. I also have a farly large log he sometimes likes to climb, this also gets him closer to the light. I feed him everyday to fatten him up a little because he is scrawny from shipment. After that i will adjust diet because i know they are prown to obesity. Anyways i just want to make sure im looking after the little guy right, will keep you guys updated.


----------



## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

diversity in the food is always good, so crickets, mealworms, waxworms, chopped fish, pinkies....as you mentioned canned foods (not dog or cat foods on regular basis) are all good things....As you are stuck using a larger enclosure...get thermometers in there and determine your actual temps....that will tell you if you need additional heating....if it is really thin (and that is unfortunately all to common with the imports) use some pedialite for a couple of days in its water dish....help rehydrate the little guy....

Have fun, and keep us posted.


----------



## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

Update:

My Sav. is doing great and has a plump little belly now, so i am going to cut back on feeding, does once every 2-3 days sounds good, because i was feeding him everyday before. Also i have read that soil is the best substrate, at the moment i am usuing reti-bark and want to switch to soil. What would be the best soil to use...obviously not soil from outside due to pesticides. Would going to a local nursery and buying a few backs of topsoil be fine? Also is there any plants hat would be safe to grow in the terrarium with him?

Thanks alot,

Tim.


----------



## studmuffin992 (Feb 27, 2006)

show some pics of him i have 2 bosc monitors of my own. will get ome pics sorted.


----------



## bigboi (May 3, 2006)

The bark is fine I wouldnt put any plants in there as they are tanks and will just destruct them.As far as feeding goes when they are young it is ok to feed more often as it gets older every 2-3 days sounds good. I had a sav for 12 years she was my baby due to a move had to get rid of her they are great monitors but very neglected.


----------



## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

What type of soil would be the best to put in though, because i have read soil is the best substrate?


----------



## bigboi (May 3, 2006)

I dont know that it is the best I never kept mine on soil mostly bark with some of that rabbit bedding they sell worked good for me.


----------



## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

If you use soils, make sure you sterilize them in the oven or in the microwave....also realize that when the water bowl gets spilled you have mud......

you can purchase bagged humus from walmart/lowes/homedepot, etc...pretty cheap, and it works well...

Plants are a tough issue with large bodied monitors, as they are hard and destructive on cage furniture....although natural grapevine wood is always good looking and can be drilled through for attaching in custom wood enclosures...

I do think that a naturalistically well set up enclosure faroutweighs the artificial turf/newspaper/aspen route....


----------



## cueball (May 24, 2005)

TimmyTeam said:


> What type of soil would be the best to put in though, because i have read soil is the best substrate?


i would use peatmoss i am bout to by some my self soon
dont feed him to much thay can get over weight ,, in the 9 years ive had mine ive put him on 2 or 3 diets ,, it seems in the winter he well get to fat,,
o and dig up some earth worms at that size mine loved um,,can you pick him up noow with out it freakin out,,? 
heres a tip
take a 5 inch layer of peatmoss and put a paper towel roll place it on a downword angle and he well back up into it and hide 
it well save on a hideing box;s space.
plus be more natural,


----------



## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

i have logs, those ceramic "rock" hides and hollowed out rocks, he has plenty of hides. And i only fed him alot off the get go due to he was very skinny coming outta the petstore. Yes he still hates getting touched and will tail whip me and hiss everytime. But i am working on getting him calmer i know these things take time.


----------



## bigboi (May 3, 2006)

Was it treated for parasites before you got him? I always treated my reps with flagyl. Just handle him everyday mine was the same way when little sometimes would sh*t on me too it will calm down,also I found putting mine in vision cage was better then a tank because coming in from the top of the tank sometimes spooks them opposed to being level with them.


----------

