Savannah Monitor as a first time monitor

[RyanLuvSnakez]

I was wondering, is it a good idea to have a savannah monitor as a first time monitor. I am not planning on getting one soon, but I am seriously thinking of getting one when I am adult and can take of one. I hear all these stories about people having bad experiences with savs and some who say it is easy to tame them. I want to know from sav owners, are they hard to care as babies temperament wise, and are they hard to tame. Food and caging is not an issue. I love reptiles and I am really thinking of getting a sav in the future, but is it okay to get one of these beautiful lizards as a first time monitor. If they are not, plz tell what other monitors are good to start out with.
Plz reply, all comments and replies r appreciated

p.s. I have lizard experience but not with monitors
thnk you

[qiksilver]

If you're asking about 'taming' a monitor, I don't think a savannah is the right choice for you. Maybe a puppy? Keep in mind you're talking about a wild animal here.

The go to first monitor recommendation is Varanus acanthurus with good reason. They stay a reasonable size, are forgiving of husbandry error and are surprisingly interactive. I just want to point out that interactive is MUCH different than 'tame'.

[Skiploder]

I was wondering, is it a good idea to have a savannah monitor as a first time monitor. I am not planning on getting one soon, but I am seriously thinking of getting one when I am adult and can take of one. I hear all these stories about people having bad experiences with savs and some who say it is easy to tame them. I want to know from sav owners, are they hard to care as babies temperament wise, and are they hard to tame. Food and caging is not an issue. I love reptiles and I am really thinking of getting a sav in the future, but is it okay to get one of these beautiful lizards as a first time monitor. If they are not, plz tell what other monitors are good to start out with.
Plz reply, all comments and replies r appreciated

p.s. I have lizard experience but not with monitors
thnk you

Stick to ackies and tristis as first monitors. The front page of this sub-forum has enough posts to get this point across to even the most casual reader:

Savs are not first time monitors.

Most people do not have bad experiences (compared to how the animal ultimately fares). People who don't do their homework, don't buy from reputable resources and don't do their due diligence and then end up completely underestimating the time and expense that goes into properly keeping these animals.






If I had a dollar for every one who claimed food and caging were not an issue..............

[babyknees]

Savs are not first time monitors.

Too bad Petco doesn't realize this. When I was there last night I saw a very limp and listless Savannah Monitor wasting away.

[Anatopism]

Too bad Petco doesn't realize this. When I was there last night I saw a very limp and listless Savannah Monitor wasting away.

I work at petco, and believe me, it's a constant struggle with management to not order specific animals. At least savs aren't part of the regular planogram, so stores are not expected to order them.

[gbassett]

Bad first monitor.They are all wild caught,and most have long term health issues that show up as soon as they are Set up properly or later in life.there are a few people breeding Akies,Tristis,and Argus.

Akies would be a better choice as they think they are a big monitor.They also are great to learn basic monitor husbandry from as the will do everything in front of you.


Greg

[mumps]

I've never owned an exanthematicus, but I wouldn't recommend them as a first monitor. Sounds like you're looking for a medium sized lizard that you can "tame". I'd recommend Tupinambis merianae for that.

If monitors are your cup of tea, however, certainly stick with captive bred acanthurus. Awesome little guys when kept properly.

Chris

[MMReptiles]

Wild caught and loaded with problems from the start. Needs a specified diet that will be costly and time consuming to either buy or raise yourself (all insects/inverts). Large size and needing a large cage to be housed properly. The need for very high temps/humidity. While you may be able to keep a sav alive in sub optimal conditions for a few years, he will probably end up just like the huge majority of captive bosc monitors- dead.

Bosc monitors are very specific animals, they require a lot more than people make them out to need. They are probably the most neglected varanid available to the hobby, I'd say far less than 1% ever even break 1-2 years of age. If you are set on monitors, look at ackies. Much more stable captives, more forgiving, and don't require as much as a sav does.

[Reps4life]

Bad first monitor.They are all wild caught,and most have long term health issues that show up as soon as they are Set up properly or later in life.there are a few people breeding Akies,Tristis,and Argus.

Akies would be a better choice as they think they are a big monitor.They also are great to learn basic monitor husbandry from as the will do everything in front of you.


Greg

Saying they are ALL WC is a little over the top. I have seen some reputable breeders with CBB Savannah monitors. People in the US do breed them but the majority of them are WC unfortunantly.

[gbassett]

Saying they are ALL WC is a little over the top. I have seen some reputable breeders with CBB Savannah monitors. People in the US do breed them but the majority of them are WC unfortunantly.

I highly doubt it.I only know of 3 captive breeding events in the last 8 years.I ravi,the guy who wrote the Savanna monitor book with Daniel Bennett.A 16 year old kid did it about 3 years ago.and then there was a guy in florda,who no one believed until he showed pictures of them coming out of the egg.Now I'm not saying it dose not happen,but unless they can produce pictures if them hatching out of the egg,they are probably lying.(and those ones from outbackreptiles don't count,that was just cruel)


Greg