savannah monitor humidity?

[Thunder Kat]

I have and am still reading many many caresheets and books on Savannah Monitors and the only thing they are not consintent on is humidity. Each one has a different answer for humidity any where form 20%-70%. Some one has to be wrong. I was hoping that some one here could give me the right answer please.

[daniel1983]

Read this caresheet and I would suggest getting the recommended book:
http://www.proexotics.com/care_savannah.html

Humidity is a funny thing with monitors......I don't check it in any of my setups, but range of different humidities are provided via the deep soil substrate.......other things are much more important so get the rest of your husbandry and care squared away first.

...and monitors are not really 'caresheet' animals.....they require much more than a caresheet for success...

[Thunder Kat]

I've got every thing else squared away like I just said humidity was the only thing I couldn't find a concisent answer on, I've heard any where for 20% - 70% one care sheet said 40% during the day and 70% at night. I just wanted to know what you guys who have Savs keep yours at. If all goes well my baby will be here Wednesday, the encloser I have now is 3' long 1' wide and 2'deep I'm almost done building a wood and plexiglass encloser 8' long 4' wide and 4 1/2' deep it will be done before December, I have an entire room to devote to the monitor (I'm turning my office in to a monitor room). I'm going to use soil as subteraine and a ceramic heat light, I've got every thing but the crickets and of corse the Sav. Like I said because of all different caresheets saying some thing different about humidity, humidity is the only thing I'm confused on.

[daniel1983]

I've got every thing else squared away like I just said humidity was the only thing I couldn't find a concisent answer on, I've heard any where for 20% - 70% one care sheet said 40% during the day and 70% at night..

Like I said....MONITORS ARE NOT CARESHEET ANIMALS.....if you try to stick to what you read off of a caresheet, you will have limited success...

With humidity.....I said that I don't measure humidity. Why? Because I provide a range of humidities to my monitors...a gradient just like you would do with temperature. The soil substrate is important because it allows you to do so. When you setup the enclosure, make sure you have enough soil so that the monitor can burrow into it completely. Keep the soil on one side of the enclosure moist (not wet) and keep the other side of the enclosure dry. Provide access to a range of humidities, and let your monitor choose....it will know what it needs.

If all goes well my baby will be here Wednesday, the encloser I have now is 3' long 1' wide and 2'deep I'm almost done building a wood and plexiglass encloser 8' long 4' wide and 4 1/2' deep it will be done before December, I have an entire room to devote to the monitor (I'm turning my office in to a monitor room). I'm going to use soil as subteraine and a ceramic heat light, I've got every thing but the crickets and of corse the Sav. Like I said because of all different caresheets saying some thing different about humidity, humidity is the only thing I'm confused on.

Sounds like you are preparing very well. Again, I would recommend just using a 'caresheet' as a guideline.....then adapt your keeping to what the animal needs....if something does not work well...change it.

Here is an interesting read that was published in a new online journal concerning monitors....This guy had success in breeding savs...something you rarely see....on page 30...

http://www.nabble.com/file/p12269708...o1-low-res.pdf

[Pork Chops N' Corn Bread]

My experience with monitors is do what works best, same as snakes. A care sheet MAY help get you in the general direction but they don't cover every angle possible.
My best advice is experiment. Savs will tolerate a lot of experimenting with no ill effects. Once you find what works best, follow it.

My biggest problem when I had my sav was keeping humidity high enough for good sheds.

[Thunder Kat]

Thanks guys for all of the input , I just like having ALL of my bases covered before I get any animal. The way I see it is if they are trusting me with their life the least I can do is learn every thing I can about the animal before I bring it home. Speaking of which I feel I'm ready and I've ordered my sav (suprising I was able to find a ccb sav! ) he will be here Wednesday . I'm sooooooooo excited I'm now counting down the min!! Sorry but I always get over excited when I know a new family member's coming home (except in the case of my little brother ). When my dog was born I was there that day and picked her out and paid for her, and every one I saw (even people I hardly knew) I said "my puppy's coming home in 6 weeks!" Again thanks guys, every one here has been a great help! Oh yeah when he settles in I will post pics.