# getting a sav



## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

Ok so I have a 5' by 2' tank just sitting around and i have been researching savannah minitors for the past few weeks. I think one would be perfect for me, i am going to start out with a small baby in my tank and when he gets larger build him a larger enclosure. I just wanted to here some input from you guys here on the housing and feeding and any general care, i always like getting personal feedback from people with experience.


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

1. dont hand feed him i did and now i cant rub him any more or he well bite me,, mine shitz in his bath water so i use it kinda like a litter box for him in 9 years he has never sh*t in his cage only in the water pan.. thay injoy sokin in luke warm water to help remove the dead skin,,,


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## bjmarche (Jun 30, 2005)

Good move, Savannah Monitors are very nice reptiles to own.
The reptile store about 5 minutes from my house had one, and everytime I was down there helping clean out the cages and whatnot, whenever I had their Savannah Monitor in my arms, he'd cuddle into me and go to sleep.
Well not everytime, but alot. So they can be very docile.


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

yea i work at a petstore and i can get them ordered for me, i can't wait to get mine, they seem like really nice pets. Think i should get a heat mat and a basking lamp or would just a basking lamp be fine ?


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

just a lamp if ya dont mind the light but when mine was young i had him in a 25 gallon for a year and a used a heat pad but he keep going under it to hide so it was a bitch i had to get the lamp.. get him a tissue box for a hiding spot,, thay like to crawl away in the evening,,


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

Ok, i just got the basking light, i got the biggesat lamp i could get, a 10" flukers clamp lamp. I got a 150watt bulb for it as well. Think this light is going to be fine for my sav ?


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

should be... i got a 100w for my dragon and that keeps the hot side at 105-110...


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## dumbass (May 28, 2006)

TimmyTeam said:


> yea i work at a petstore and i can get them ordered for me, i can't wait to get mine, they seem like really nice pets. Think i should get a heat mat and a basking lamp or would just a basking lamp be fine ?


No basking lamp they aint bearded dragons it wants a ceramic heater connected 2 a thermastate a tank that size place it hanging in the middle of ur tank with mayb some branchs going under it, around 10-12inch frm the branch so as the monitort can not touch it or it will be badly hurt, u can buy the stainless steal lamp shades for the heaters and place a wire mesh over the bottom if ur bothered or think that it mite be able 2 reach the heater.
It would also love some sort of cave for a hiding spot most are not very active unless there hunting,
I have 2 if with my 100gal at the mo but thinking of taking them out, u know that they can reach up2 around a meter in length and really fat.

Paul


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## CrocKeeper (Dec 26, 2003)

The species is a great first monitor. The use of UV is a great idea and will result in a healthier animal, ceramic emitters are good, but so is light. 
My only concern is that you mentioned starting with a baby, good move...but not in a 5 foot by 2 foot tank...start the baby off in a ten gallon.....
Food...crickets, cockroaches, mealworms (Zoophobas, and Tenebrio), pinky mice or chopped pinky rats....
Clean water should be available at all times...
move him into that monster tank when he gets well started!
Have fun.


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

alright cool..i have a 20g. But i want to set up my big tank so it looks natural, what type of things wood go well in this tank and how long with the monitor be able to stay in there ?


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

well get him off to the right start in the 20g... in the meantime while your learning about the animal you can be setting up his big tank for the future and be taking your time doing so... should work out good


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

yea ive done alot of research on the internet. I just like hearing info from actual owners.

Oh yea and whats the growth rate like on these guys...i will be buying one around 6-10"


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

mine was bout the same size when i got it but he out grew his 25g tank in bout a year or to then when he go tin to his new cage 5 by 3 he slowed down from 5 years on he hasnt grew much,,


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

ok cool, thanks alot for the info everyone. I think im picking him up today or tomorrow


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

lets see some pics of your monitor cueball- must be pretty nice being in your possesion for 9 years in all/?


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

haha its feeding time to night ,,, day old chicks are on the list and the batt.z are powering up ,,,,


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## brutusbeefcake (Dec 8, 2004)

pics?


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## pamonster (Jun 26, 2003)

mine is the meanest bitch on this earth....i love her

good choice


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## ESPMike (Mar 23, 2005)

I have been considering getting a sav monitor to get back into reptiles after a long time away from them. I pretty much know squat about them and have to do some research before anything else though. I have some 10 gallon and 20 gallon tanks laying around to start off a juvie, but the biggest enclsure I have for growing is a 90 gallon tank. Is that big enough for a permanent home or do they need something much bigger?


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

bigger prolly, im starting mine off in my 20g as suggested and am moving to my bigger tank when he gets bigger than am going from there.


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

here he is in full fury...lol i like him mean.,,,,,,,,lol


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

awesome i cant wait to get mine...tomorrow!!!


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

Alright i got my Sav, he is aweosme. He's about 7 inchs right now and as soon as i put him in his new home he chased around and downed about 7 crickets, he's pretty active and is exploring his cage right now.


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

pick him up as much as you can now if you can let him smell your fingers is important so right off the bat you dont want him gettin confused as to what is food and what is a finger,,


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

ya i held him at the petstore before i got him, he is still alittle squirmish but not too bad. I am going to let him settle for a few days before i hold him again.


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## TimmyTeam (Jun 20, 2003)

He is about 10 feet away from my computer and there is usually people pumping music down here and the sub is pretty loud, is this bad for him?


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## cueball (May 24, 2005)

aww he well get used to any thang i pump music in my room sometimes
it dont seem to bother him in the least bro. i hope ya get him tame brotha cuz thay are wonderful pets , i got a question for any moniter keepers,,,i gave my buddy a 3 week old pigeon chick that died the other day it looked hugh for him to get down after i put it in there but its gone this morning i wonder if thay got a jaw like a snake?? can thay snap it back in place..? sav. moniters are my fav, pet i have had him for almost 8-9 years and ive hardly ever had to go buy food for him i just toss in a few chicks a week . i breed bantam chickens just for this my girlfriend dont think much of it buy hey its bout as natural as his feeding can get.


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