Savannah monitor isssues...

We bought a savannah monitor on Jan. 2nd at the show in Pomona,Ca. He/She is about a foot long. It seems to have a good temperment, he hasnt tried to bite, tail whip or hiss at us but we cant seem to get him to eat. I was told that you could use low fat can dog food to get them started and ive put meal worms and crickets in his tank but i dont think he has really eaten them or the dog food. Ive also tried offering him pinkies a few times and he doesnt want anything to do with them. We also tried raw egg yolk with dog food. Does anyone have any other suggestions on what we could try? Please let me know if you do. We also want to build him a big enclosure so if any one has any suggestions about what to use and how to build it please let me know. Thanks

I don't know much about monitors, but are you you sure your keeping him at the right temperatures?

His hot side stays at about 105 degrees and the humidity is at 55 and when we mist the tank its gets up to about 85.

Does anyone else have any ideas?

have you seen a stool sample from him. I would guess a parasite load is causing him to not eat. That would be my guess, I am very new to monitors as I just bought a Savanna a few weeks ago. I am still in process of cleaning him up. Just throwing that out there.


Chuck

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Originally Posted by Chuck

I would guess a parasite load is causing him to not eat.

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I'm going to take a wild guess and say the monitor is in a screen topped aquarium with an inch or two of substrate, no cage decor, poor humidity, and a single basking lamp with a high wattage bulb. That's why your monitor isn't eating.

Also, please don't feed it dog or cat food. Please do some research so your animal does not suffer.

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Originally Posted by allergenic

I'm going to take a wild guess and say the monitor is in a screen topped aquarium with an inch or two of substrate, no cage decor, poor humidity, and a single basking lamp with a high wattage bulb. That's why your monitor isn't eating.

Also, please don't feed it dog or cat food. Please do some research so your animal does not suffer.

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You really shouldn't take wild guesses and assume that the husbandry is all wrong. Why not instead ask for a detailed description of what the set up is and then no assumptions need to be made?

You should bump that hot spot up to about 125.

Whats his cool side temp?

It was an import.

There is a 95% chance it is not eating due to parasites.

Have it wormed, flagyl and panacur.

Once the parasites are gone moving food will stimulate it. Try fuzzy mice. You can leave them in the cage alive with no problems. As they move about your lizard's appetite will be stimulated.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by allergenic

I'm going to take a wild guess and say the monitor is in a screen topped aquarium with an inch or two of substrate, no cage decor, poor humidity, and a single basking lamp with a high wattage bulb. That's why your monitor isn't eating.

Also, please don't feed it dog or cat food. Please do some research so your animal does not suffer.

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I didnt see this before.....


Your second post on THIS forum....and it sounds like this??


Your off to a GREAT start.