what size tank can i keep a savahna monitor

[Michelle.C]

So, this Rhasputin character knows his rats. That's wonderful, and I'm sure rat keepers are glad to have him/her as a resource.

Rhasputin does not, however, know his/her varanids. He/she has one, and it's been telling him/her for five years that things are not right - and nothing is done to make things right. I have only seen references to the terrible setup offered, nothing about temps/diet/humidity.

My guesses are:

1. It's too cold. It doesn't have access to the proper temperatures to make it want to be a sav. So it lays around waiting to warm up properly.

2. It's fed an improper diet. I recall roaches being mentioned, which are great, but nothing else regarding variety/frequency.

3. It's small. This is just reinforcement to my first two guesses.

Rhasputin - Your monitor is not happy. It is dying a slow, agonizing death. It needs heat, proper diet and husbandry. You say there is no way in your current circumstances that you can construct a proper enclosure. You better remedy that pretty darn quick. You say you have a new job. Don't they pay you? I go and buy reptile food the day after payday BEFORE I go grocery shopping for myself.

Chris

There's no doubt that what you are saying is 100% spot on. I've agreed with others about the same things you just mentioned. There is simply no way you can provide proper basking temperatures in a glass aquarium. Nor can you provide proper humidity.

I have always bought/built enclosures BEFORE I bought the animal. Not just hatchling enclosures, but at least a sub-adult enclosure even if the animal is a hatchling.

We also buy food for the animals, and get things taken care of at our vets before we buy things for us as well. It's nice to see someone just as dedicated.

I had a friend that was very happy over adding an Ornate Monitor to her collection. I think it was around 3-4 years old when it died. Anyway, she considers herself rather advanced in reptile keeping, but mostly just snakes. Well, I found out she had it in an aquarium around a year ago, among a few other husbandry mistakes. I messaged her a little over a month ago and found out it died a while back. These Monitors can appear perfectly normal, very healthy and then die quite suddenly if proper conditions aren't met.

My point is, a healthy appearing individual kept in improper conditions is just hiding symptoms. And not to point someone out in the crowd, but if you have a Monitor and it isn't doing "Monitor things", this is a symptom something could be wrong. Monitors are not individuals, they are a species. They follow instinct.

[MMReptiles]

Oh, and I thought I'd mention. In the grand scheme of things. If you took a weekend to build a proper enclosure. You would probably actually end up being able to make money from selling the 125 gallon tank to a fish enthusiast and building a proper tank. I've seen several 125s sold for $200, and I can throw together a monitor enclosure (it won't look super pretty) for around $100 or less if I work at it.

Just sayin.

[Maixx]

My point is, a healthy appearing individual kept in improper conditions is just hiding symptoms. And not to point someone out in the crowd, but if you have a Monitor and it isn't doing "Monitor things", this is a symptom something could be wrong. Monitors are not individuals, they are a species. They follow instinct.

This is the case with most reptiles and other wild animals. The natural predation of the weak and infirm has caused many creatures to evolve to hide their injuries and illnesses. While I have no experience with monitors I can guess this is the case. If I am wrong I apologize.
This is also why I always advise a vet trip when someone "thinks" something is wrong with their animal, for it to be bad enough for us to see it, it is probably already in dire condition.

[ball python 22]

ive decided that im not ready for one

[CatandDiallo]

Seriously, I was one of the first ones to jump on MMReptiles for his rudeness, but Jesus Christ, Rhasputin! Use your brain!

These people are trying to HELP out you and your your monitor! They are damn right justified to be rude to you because you HAVEN'T listen to their advice ONE BIT.

Why do you still completely 100% insist that your husbandry is SPOT ON when they are POINTING OUT that there are specifics signs indicating that your monitor is in fact not doing well!? These signs are not to be ignored!

I don't even have the words right now.

[apple2]

ive decided that im not ready for one

You might want to consider getting a different type of herp. Maybe later on when you've owned a few and have more experience you will feel ready to get the savannah.

-Apple2

[Skiploder]

Many people make the mistake of thinking that since they have cared for a snake or a lizard or another exotic that a varanid is a logical progression.

It's not.

To keep one properly and provide for it correctly is not only time consuming, but requires a commitment on a higher level than just about any other pet -with the exception of perhaps a dog.

Varanids, even the smallest ones, require space. They require custom enclosures. They require frequent feeding and acute attention to all husbandry parameters. They are intelligent and inquisitive and they interact with their environments in a way that no other reptile does.

After many years of owning them, I no longer own any. I have a whole building full of snakes. I have two dogs and I have a wife and two kids.

At a certain point I made a hard assessment of how much time I had to spend on my varanids. My long term sav had been put to sleep and my old dumerilii was also showing signs of having to deal with the imminent reality of mortality.

I found a committed person to take my ackies and decided that when my dumerilii went, I'd be done with varanids.

This last December I went into the snake house and found my old dumeril's dead. I owned him for almost 12 years (I have no idea how old he was when I got him).

After owning varanids for so long I am still amazed at how much easier my reptile regimen is - even with almost 30 snakes.

Varanids are not for the casual keeper and they are not an impulse purchase. They are intelligent animals that need owners who are willing to make sacrifices in order to keep them.

For many of who own or who have owned them, hearing that one is kept improperly is tantamount to animal abuse in the worst way. I have seen how stoically these animals will hang on in the worst husbandry conditions, living lives of abject misery.

Hearing that someone is claiming that a sav exhibiting abnormal and unhealthy behavior is somehow acceptable is very upsetting to a lot of us. Rhas - at this point this is not an attack on you. It's now a plea for you to do the right thing. Ditch the aquarium and provide for that animal the way it deserves to be provided for.

[mark and marley]

wow.
i learned alot about savannah monitors,witnessed the stubbornness of pride in a certain individual.
i think i can go die in a fish tank now.

[mumps]

Many people make the mistake of thinking that since they have cared for a snake or a lizard or another exotic that a varanid is a logical progression.

It's not.

To keep one properly and provide for it correctly is not only time consuming, but requires a commitment on a higher level than just about any other pet -with the exception of perhaps a dog.

Varanids, even the smallest ones, require space. They require custom enclosures. They require frequent feeding and acute attention to all husbandry parameters. They are intelligent and inquisitive and they interact with their environments in a way that no other reptile does.

After many years of owning them, I no longer own any. I have a whole building full of snakes. I have two dogs and I have a wife and two kids.

At a certain point I made a hard assessment of how much time I had to spend on my varanids. My long term sav had been put to sleep and my old dumerilii was also showing signs of having to deal with the imminent reality of mortality.

I found a committed person to take my ackies and decided that when my dumerilii went, I'd be done with varanids.

This last December I went into the snake house and found my old dumeril's dead. I owned him for almost 12 years (I have no idea how old he was when I got him).

After owning varanids for so long I am still amazed at how much easier my reptile regimen is - even with almost 30 snakes.

Varanids are not for the casual keeper and they are not an impulse purchase. They are intelligent animals that need owners who are willing to make sacrifices in order to keep them.

For many of who own or who have owned them, hearing that one is kept improperly is tantamount to animal abuse in the worst way. I have seen how stoically these animals will hang on in the worst husbandry conditions, living lives of abject misery.

Hearing that someone is claiming that a sav exhibiting abnormal and unhealthy behavior is somehow acceptable is very upsetting to a lot of us. Rhas - at this point this is not an attack on you. It's now a plea for you to do the right thing. Ditch the aquarium and provide for that animal the way it deserves to be provided for.

This is probably the best post I have read in a long time.

Thanks skip; you've earned my vote for "Post of the Year"; if there were such a thing.

And you're so correct. With 20bps, 4 tortoises, 2 SD retics, a yellow anaconda, a burm, a tomato frog and a cal king as well as my 2 ackies and an ornate, I spend a whole lot more time on the varanids than anything else; thankfully the girlfriend takes care of the torts.

Chris

[gbassett]

Wow I could only read though 3 pages of this.

Its has already been answered,but fish tanks suck for varnids.You can use them for baby monitors with some modifications,like filling the tank halfway with dirt sold wood top,and the light inside the cage.But you will run into the problem with it over heating and if you use anything less than a 55 gallon,you will cook the animal.And if you have them set up right they grow so fast they will out grow the tank in a matter of weeks.So its better to make your own.

Someone else said there Savanna doesn't dig.If you offer 2 feet of dirt and your Savanna doesn't burrow,it could be because he dose not recognize it as dirt.Not all dirt is the same and not all monitor like the same type of dirt.This is something you will have to play around with,and most of it will be trail and error.


Now to you mmmreptile.I kind of find it funny how someone who can not take constructive criticism,can definitely put it out.This was this guys first post and you jumped all over him because he could not spell or have proper grammar.My spelling and grammar suck.Dose that mean I should not own a monitor?When someone has there first post,you help them not bash them.No one will learn from this.They will end up getting the lizard,but wont ask for help and the lizard suffers for it.

Now this was posted by you on another site

I pretty much dropped off the face of the earth for awhile. When I first got him, I put a lot of work into him, and he grew pretty well, however life ended up smacking me in the face and I spent 4 months doing next to nothing with him, including feeding. I'm not going to lie, I was a horrible horrible keeper and the poor guy suffered a great deal because of my negligence.

Now in that same 4 months you also purchased a Salvator.

Now which is worse?The guy who has no clue how to take care of a monitor,or the guy who dose and still neglects his animal.Now I do understand the things happen,and you already explained it.But the point is stuff happens we all make mistakes,Ive made a few in my day.If you live in a glass house don't throw stones.Help people we have all made mistakes.

Greg