# Lizards > Monitors and Tegus >  Do you have an ADULT Savannah Monitor?

## Jerhart

Is it me...or does nobody have an adult Savannah Monitor. 

Although one of the more common monitors seen in the pet trade...they are probably one of my favorites.

You seem to always see hatchling/juvenile imported specimen.  I have seen some threads here of individuals showing off their juvie savs....but I dont think I have seen anyone on here with an adult sav?  Where are all the adult savs?

So if you have a big fat sav...show'm off!!!!  :Smile:

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## Denial

More then likely there dead. Not many make it to adulthood. Poor husbandry

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## Lucas339

two of the people in my herp club have adults.  one of which is 13 years old.  you really don't see adults though.  its sad!!  they are cheap and people buy them and never really take good care of them.

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## Skiploder

> Is it me...or does nobody have an adult Savannah Monitor. 
> 
> Although one of the more common monitors seen in the pet trade...they are probably one of my favorites.
> 
> You seem to always see hatchling/juvenile imported specimen.  I have seen some threads here of individuals showing off their juvie savs....but I dont think I have seen anyone on here with an adult sav?  Where are all the adult savs?
> 
> So if you have a big fat sav...show'm off!!!!


By the same token how often do you see large constrictors or other large monitors?  Not saying that there aren't some out there but certainly not enough to keep pace with the people posting about their new "cute" purchases.

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## mumps

Sad but true.

A $30 baby sav/Nile/water imported into the country is quite appealing to the "I'm gonna get me a big ass lizard" types who know nothing about the proper husbandry requirements of these amazing intelligent animals.

Besides being stressed, starved and parasitized, they are kept in deplorable living conditions, get photos and vids pasted on YouTube, and are then dead shortly thereafter.

There are, however, many excellent keepers of varanids and teiids out there, who invest the time and money required to properly care for these awesome creatures and reap the rewards in their relationships.

Don't have a sav, too small for me, but here's a pic of our male Argentine tegu...

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## FragginDragon

Yep, sure do, he's a rescue named Lucky, and he is perhaps the greatest pet I have ever had.  It was a challenge to get him back to health, but well worth it.  His actual age is unknown, but i would hazard a guess that he is at least 5 years old.

When he was first brought to me in October 2008.


Late October during his recovery.



During a 4H event nearby back in March.
YouTube - John and Lucky

He's still doing great!

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## mainbutter

> By the same token how often do you see large constrictors or other large monitors?  Not saying that there aren't some out there but certainly not enough to keep pace with the people posting about their new "cute" purchases.


I see pictures of larger constrictors more and more often now that I pay attention to morelia  :Very Happy: 

I also see many more large constrictors than large lizards(no savs, but some rhino iguanas) at the places I purchase my feeders from.

I definitely think that it's an issue of not many savs making it to adulthood.

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## Jerhart

Wow John!  He looks great!  I love that clip!  I love Savs!

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FragginDragon (06-18-2009)

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## Skiploder

> I see pictures of larger constrictors more and more often now that I pay attention to morelia 
> 
> I also see many more large constrictors than large lizards(no savs, but some rhino iguanas) at the places I purchase my feeders from.
> 
> I definitely think that it's an issue of not many savs making it to adulthood.


I think people who buy amethystines or even large liasis (think olive pythons) have to go a bit out of their way to find their animals.  As a whole, it think it lends itself to the buyers being a bit more discriminating and perhaps prepared.  

I think a lot of monitors in general do not make it to adulthood.  It's a combination of many things - wild caught animals, parasites, and the inability of many people to provide them the room and husbandry conditions they need to thrive.

Large snakes generally do not have the same issues health-wise, but many are forsaken because people often buy them without realizing the full extent of the care they are going to need.

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## wolfy-hound

Moggie is a blackthroat instead of a sav, but I've had her since she was little, and now she's adult.  I love her, but having kept her so long, I do understand how folks get in over their heads buying a lizard that will get so large.
They aren't cheap to feed properly, and of course having/buying/building a proper sized enclosure, all the cleaning, the discovering that they generally are not 'puppys in scales' in behavior, it all tends to add up to the lizard just ending up neglected, given away or dead.  The large monitors are not for the hesitant! If you wonder if you can/should keep a adult one, then you probably should not.

I'll state, I was advised Most Strongly NOT to get a blackthroat.  I was told when I got her anyway, that I would be contacting them within a week saying "Come get this thing!" and although I cannot say that I've NEVER regretted getting Moggie, I certainly am glad that I DID get her.  She's a wonder and a joy! And she is NOT a "pet" and not a puppy-dog tame lizard! She's a typical grumpy monitor! You just have to be a special person to appreciate monitor lizards that can eat your face!

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## Simpson Balls

Use to have a female and well just decided to sell her. There amazing pets though.

Daniel

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## gbassett

99.99999999999% of monitors do not make it past their first year.Most people who buy them are kids looking to get a cool pet and you see these tame monitors on youtube (like kaffer2) who claim that these animals get tame like there dogs.I don't know how many times I have seen the water monitor in a pool or a Nile eating out of a dog bowl in someones kitchen.So people buy them and throw them in a fish tank and feed them caned cat food and most die 

 I have been keeping monitors for 5 years now and I do not own a savanna I do have Nile and a black roughneck monitor the Nile I got back in September he was about 12 inches 
















these pictures where taken back in march when he was 36 inches he is now just under 4 feet


greg

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## _Venom_

I bought a baby a couple months ago.
Pre-meditated.

Get back at me in a couple years and I'll still have him.

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## FlowRock

One of the BEST questions i have read here so far and one that makes me proud off myself again that I had the willpower to not buy that cute little sav at the last expo...
 There are way too many cared to death critters of that species... :Sad:

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## mumps

Nice nile.  I had one, lived for 16 years (I got him as a hatchling in '90).

I have a CB ornate, 10 months old and around 4 feet, and a pair of ackies (among other things).

Monitors are the ultimate for those dedicated to them...

Chris

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## gbassett

mumps thank you.I would love to see some pictures of you ornate 



greg

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## mumps

> mumps thank you.I would love to see some pictures of you ornate 
> 
> 
> 
> greg


I need a better camera, all I have now is my Crackberry Storm lol.  And for some reason he attacks it whenever he sees it... hahaha.

I'll see what I can do.  I've got a guy from work with a nice camera coming to take pics of my hatchling balls, I'll get him to take pics of everything!

Chris

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## h00blah

i want to touch  :Good Job:  awesome monitor

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## DragonBalls

> "cared to death"(


Unfortunately, that's a great quote.

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## Custom Exotics

I don't have an Adult Sav, but will eventually, I rescued a sub adult a month or so ago, very agressive due to poor husbandry and being aggrivated by the previous owners.  I can now put my hand in the enclosure and up to the side of its head and it doesn't bite, just slaps his head against my hand, just to show he still isn't quite warmed up to the idea, its alot better than the biting stage where he was when I got him.  I still pick him up on a regular basis and he gets better and better all the time, hopefully soon I will have a nice adult Sav to show off!

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## lisafoster2510

Old thread but I was hoping for pics.

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## johnlebel97

i got a couple...

the large one is a rescue he weighed 10lbs an was onyl feeding on wet dog food with calcium powder an was kept in a book shelf on its back with a flood light for heat about 8in over his back and he couldnt walk... sad site but now he is on a better diet of superworms chicks rats mice and he has to wor for his food and chase it around the house.. he is now at 7lbs
this is him day i got him



and heres my other sav hes a fast little monster

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## MikeV

My Savannah monitor is an adult. A small one, but an adult none the less. 

He is approx 2 - 4 years old and 2 foot (and maybe around 5 - 10 inches longer than that)

I would put up pictures, but I dont have any new ones. Outside pictures to come asap though  :Smile:

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## johnlebel97

my small male is 3ft large is almost 4ft

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## IceColdCuban

Unfortunately I no longer have my Large Male Savanah, He was 8 years old 4ft, 5inches...
staple diet of large African roaches, and brown or green anoles with treats of sardines every so often...never fed on mice or rats. never fed on none whole foods sources. Yay first post. Just signed up today. Ima try and get some pics from his new owner I no longer have any.

I have a couple of african roach colonies brewing aswell as brown and green anole breeding tanks. saves me money, and boy does my tegu and water monitor just love them anoles.

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## MMReptiles

I have an adult male I pity purchased from my local herp shop. He's around 3 feet give or take, considering he's missing several inches of tail.. He had bad mouth rot and missing claws/toes but he's doing great now, very fun.. Also have a 4 foot water monitor, 3 foot mangrove, and 40" nile. Monitors are amazing animals, who are 100% under appreciated.


-Mike

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## purplemuffin

I have a vet friend who works with monitors..he said most of the savs who died had fatty liver! Usually over fed mice, dog food, rats, whatever. The next most common were mbd and dehydration!  :Sad:  poor savs!

I personally won't get a sav unless I have several colonies of feeder insects prepared far in advanced!! As well as the cage set up!

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## IceColdCuban

> I have a vet friend who works with monitors..he said most of the savs who died had fatty liver! Usually over fed mice, dog food, rats, whatever. The next most common were mbd and dehydration!  poor savs!
> 
> I personally won't get a sav unless I have several colonies of feeder insects prepared far in advanced!! As well as the cage set up!


Thats what I don't understand about todays husbandry, the information is there, the trial an error due to bad or creative husbandry has been done ten times over. We know from studies that Savannah monitors dont feed on an all rodent diet, yet people continue to do it. Its like if they dont care and are content that their pet monitor only lives to see middle age and thats only if the rest of the husbandry is spot on aside from the food intake.

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## Jackal

I know what you mean, I got into it a few weeks ago with a guy trying to sell to me that his sav could eat mice all the time as long as it exercised...
Thats like saying a person can live on bigmacs deepfried in butter as long as they go for a walk every day. Fat on your body and fat on your organs is different, only a healthy diet will keep healthy organs.

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## Reps4life

YES! I have about a 3-3.5ft savannah named tiny! One of the greatest temperments ive seen. He really is "puppy dog tame". I would post pics but i don't have any yet lol. It is sad most don't make it to adulthood.

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