Our Savannah Monitor Chomper having a great day..

He spent nearly all day back by the creek eating slugs, snails and worms. (Since they are insectivores, and this is a major part of his natural diet, he was in heaven)

He threw a tantrum when we brought him back in the house, he was all puffed up and hissing at us. Soon as he got in his cage, he parked it right under the basking lamps and went to sleep.

Look close on his snout, you can see the orange slime from the big slugs he was eating.

http://www.reptard.info/sav/sav1.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/sav/sav2.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/sav/sav3.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/sav/sav4.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/sav/sav5.jpg

http://www.reptard.info/sav/sav6.jpg

Hes adorable!

sent from my EVO

Ahahaha thats seriously too cute. Gotta love those savs :gj: Now i want one again! lol

Great pics, does he mind the leash?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Big Dave

Great pics, does he mind the leash?

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Not really until he wants to go where I don't want him to go.

He walks me, The leash is only there to prevent an escape.

When we get down by the creek, I usually let go of the leash, the snails in the grass there are so thick, he has no desire to leave.

We loved your pics soo much we picked up a 5" baby Sav on the weekend:D He was in a tank with 8 other siblings. I stuck my hand in and he just crawled on no hesitation. It was love at first sight LOL

an excellent resource....... gospel.

http://savannahmonitor.org/

The enclosure plans are awesome..


Don't let anyone tell you to feed it mice!

Best of luck with your new monitor, and feel free to PM me if you need anything.

Updates.....

I just built him a new highly upgraded enclosure. Here is the bottom, complete and in place, The bottom alone is so heavy it takes 2 people to even move it.

The entire inside where dirt goes is paved in aluminum with vinyl undeneath.

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/bottom.jpg

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/Bflip.jpg

The back wall. Notice I used bolts rather than screws or nails...

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/back3.jpg

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/B3.jpg

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/frame.jpg

The frame nears completion..

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/closer.jpg

Adding more beams for even more rigid strength...

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/frame1.jpg

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/topie.jpg

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/cielin.jpg

Once I got the ceiling installed, I sealed up the gaps.

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/glue.jpg

Then I installed all the insulation except where I need to wire it for lights.

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/insulate.jpg

Then installed the hooks to support the lights

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/hooks.jpg

Went to home depot, picked up a bunch of nuts and bolts, washers, boards, and stuff, and went back to work....

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/RAs.jpg

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/slats.jpg

I installed an outlet, so if I ever need to hook up inside, I can... It's way up, too high for Chomper to ever get at it.

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/outlet.jpg

The center light is on a conduit, so it cannot "wind chime" into the outside lights and shatter...

http://www.rockyroost.us/Enclosure/lights.jpg

Just took these..

http://www.chompersite.com/2011pics/log1.jpg

http://www.chompersite.com/2011pics/log2.jpg

http://www.chompersite.com/2011pics/log3.jpg

http://www.chompersite.com/2011pics/log4.jpg

http://www.chompersite.com/2011pics/log5.jpg

He really seems to like the maple log.

http://www.chompersite.com/2011pics/chompdot.jpg

Whenever I open the front door, it reminds me of opening an oven.

http://www.chompersite.com/2011pics/digital.jpg

Wonderful!! It looks awesome Infernalis! Has he started "rearanging" yet. Sambuca has turned out to be a constant digger.

Wow that is one truly pampered Monitor. Great job on the enclosure.

He has not had time to rearrange much yet..

Always great to see a Savannah make it beyond hatchling size!

Holy cow, that is an amazing enclosure! And you get extra points for using old road signs.

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Originally Posted by Pickenprod

Holy cow, that is an amazing enclosure! And you get extra points for using old road signs.

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The only down side to the road signs and DOT vinyl, it kills flash photography, The reflective properties blind the camera.

Anyways, added a bunch more dirt....

http://www.chompersite.com/2011pics/dirt.jpg

http://www.chompersite.com/2011pics/dirt2.jpg

So awesome ! I hope to have an enclosure like this one day.. Hes a spoiled lil guy

I think you just answered the question in the PM I just read...:cool:

He sure is spoiled, I just bought these for him today, Certified chemical free, organic farm raised and NOT in china, these monsters are huge.

they were $17 a pound!! I don't even eat that good. listening to him crunch the shells was awesome. The seafood place I get my organic trout from (for the garter snakes and water snakes) called me this morning to tell me they just got a shipment in.. so Dorothy and I drove right out and picked up some yummies for the animals.

http://www.chompersite.com/husbandry/shrimps.jpg

I had to take that log out, it was growing mold on the bark.

After I finished sealing up all the little cracks, The humidity level went up quite a bit, I just checked and it's reading 80% humidity.

That in turn brought up ambient air temps to 101 on the hot end and 82 on the cool end.

http://www.chompersite.com/husbandry/wet.jpg

Holy! I didn't realize how big that enclosure was until I saw the pic with someone sitting inside it! Beautiful monitor :)

Next time when you use a piece of wood from the wild I would treat it. There are two methods I would recommend and I've used both, but only one is really necessary. I've done both and my logs have no issues with mold.

You can soak it in bleach for 24 hours, then fresh water for 24 hrs, changing the water every 4-6 hours and then let it air dry for another 24 hours.

If you want you can also bake it at 150F for 2-4 hours. Then air cool for 24 hours, remember the core will be hotter than the exterior of the log.

Also :gj: on the DIY cage. Would love to have a monitor in the future.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lupe

Holy! I didn't realize how big that enclosure was until I saw the pic with someone sitting inside it! Beautiful monitor :)

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Two people sitting in it...room for 3 more.
http://www.chompersite.com/husbandry/two.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by cmz1234

Next time when you use a piece of wood from the wild I would treat it. There are two methods I would recommend and I've used both, but only one is really necessary. I've done both and my logs have no issues with mold.

You can soak it in bleach for 24 hours, then fresh water for 24 hrs, changing the water every 4-6 hours and then let it air dry for another 24 hours.

If you want you can also bake it at 150F for 2-4 hours. Then air cool for 24 hours, remember the core will be hotter than the exterior of the log.

Also :gj: on the DIY cage. Would love to have a monitor in the future.

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Ever try that with a 60 pound log that is 3 feet long?

Took these back in October..

As we were preparing to drive back there, Chomp sees himself in the mirror and has to get a closer look.

http://www.rockyroost.us/Chomptober/chompie.jpg

Once we arrived at the base of the hill (mountain, or whatever you wish to call it) we let him out of the truck... He was drawn to the water, as always.

The boiling springs ensure a fairly regular flow of crystal clear water. (Same water that feeds my habitats)

http://www.rockyroost.us/Chomptober/chompie1.jpg

http://www.rockyroost.us/Chomptober/chompie2.jpg

http://www.rockyroost.us/Chomptober/chompie3.jpg

His sense of smell never ceases to amaze me, he knows just where to look. He will dig, flip rocks, roll logs out of the way, just to get a juicy worm or slug.

http://www.rockyroost.us/Chomptober/chompie4.jpg

Just look at the muscle tone of that beefy front leg, combined with his digging talons for toenails, it may make people think a little. Monitors can get pissed off and lash out at their handlers. Chomper has drawn blood on me more than once.

Now look at the intensity of his focus, there was a lone worm about an inch under that dirt, he dug it up and ate it.

http://www.rockyroost.us/Chomptober/Chompie5.jpg

Always looking for snacks...

http://www.rockyroost.us/Chomptober/chompie6.jpg

This guy can dig, he tears up a spot in seconds...

http://www.rockyroost.us/Chomptober/Chompie7.jpg

He burned some serious calories. ;) Thing is once he got all wound up, he did not settle down right away when I brought him in.

http://www.storeria.com/10911/chompcorn.jpg

In this picture, I am doing my best to keep up and photograph, Lack of focus of the ground and the blurry front foot should give the general idea, he was scooting right along at a brisk space.

http://www.storeria.com/10911/chompcorn1.jpg

One of the few times he stopped to investigate the surroundings.

http://www.storeria.com/10911/chompcorn2.jpg

The back drop for this day out.... The moon, No people, a flock of geese and orange trees with a cloudless sky. Couldn't ask for any more.

http://www.storeria.com/10911/geese2.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoddbTDcTjE

Before anyone asks, NO I would not have let him eat the snake..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ab-Rohb7L4

Awesome pictures and awesome monitor!!! He looks truly spoiled! Thanks for sharing. :gj: