........or can pay for proper medical care once things go wrong.Originally Posted by mumps
Wrong diet + incorrect temps + improper humidity + lack of necessary veterinary care = dead monitor.
As Chris said, most savs are wild caught and come pre-ordered with a parasite load.
Can he be saved? Dunno - as has already been stated, once they begin to show symptoms, recovery becomes harder and harder.
If you are willing to put the time and money into giving it a shot, here's what you can do:
(1) First and foremost - get him to a vet. He is most likely dehydrated and paratisized. Only a qualified reptile vet can get him properly hydrated and diagnose/treat his parasite load.
(2) Get the husbandry requirements down. Get those basking temps up over 130 degrees. Provide him with a proper thermal gradient with a cool end temp in the 80s.
(3) If you can't get him in an enclosure suitable for a monitor, modify that glass tank by fitting it with a plywood lid that will ensure that humidity is retained. Change the bulb to lower wattage and give the animal the option of getting closer to the source via a retes stack (Google it). Cover three sides of the tank to give him an increased feeling of security and get him some proper hides.
A retes stack will not only give him some thermoregulating options, but will also provide him with additional security.
(4) Make sure he is properly hydrated and is eating a correct diet. Ground turkey and rodents are not a correct diet for a sav. For now, get him on a cricket diet.
Hydration is critical and it is imperative that if you two are going to give this guy a shot at recovery that he get properly hydrated. If he is severely dehydrated, the only way you are going to get him rehydrated is by taking him to the vet. After that, maintaining proper humidity, feeding him the proper diet and providing him with fresh water will maintain his hydration levels.
After that, your friend needs to ask herself an honest question, namely can she provide the proper care for the lifetime of this animal? He is not a turtle and the care requirements for a savannah monitor are on a level higher than almost all other captive reptiles. This is a large animal that will require lots of space and demanding husbandry requirements.
Reply With Quote