Post by igman on Oct 6, 2004 17:34:34 GMT -5
Common Name: Savannah Monitor
Latin name: Varanus Exanthematicus
Native to: Central to Southern Africa
Introduction
This monitor is not for a beginner you should have some experience in monitors before getting one. The average size of these guys is 3 to 5 feet long. They have very sharp teeth and very sharp nails they are good runners and they can dig. They can rip a piece of screen in a second.
Housing
For a young monitor a 55-gallon tank will be fine for a bet. Like 6 month then it will be time to either build an enclosure or purchase one at least 6x3x3 for and adult. By the way these guy can rip though screen like no ones business so the enclosure is best with out light screening.
Because you will come home one day and you will have to find your monitor. They are good at escaping their enclosures so you will have to make it escape proof. Now you should have some limbs in the enclosure so they can climb if they want and a bowl of water big enough for to soak in. Now they will need a place to hide once in awhile so a hide box or a cave for your monitor while work fine but put one at either end of the enclosure…..
Heating
These Guys come from a Hot and Dry climate. So if you live were it is colder in the winter time they may go in to a short hibernation but I think if you keep the temps up like in the day time 85-98F and 70-80F at night. The basking spot should be around 120F. The way you can do this is CHE heaters and bulbs. Your guy should do fine with these temps….
Lighting
Well I have read a lot on this and some sites say no UVB lighting and some say UVB lighting! Well I go with UVB lighting on this one they eat a lot of animal protein and I think (this is just me) that it is needed to get the vitamin D3 that they need to survive. So I go with UVB lighting in the basking area for your Guy. Plus make sure you have the temps up and this is always an experimental kind a thing. So if one bulb is not working for you. You may have to change to another…. Wattage that is.
Substrate
There is a lot of substrate out there well I have been reading like I always do butcher paper, newspaper, indoor outdoor carpeting, aspen shavings, or bark, I would chose the indoor/outdoor carpet or newspaper but that’s just me…
Now comes the good part Diet
Ok this is the part I really like for some odd reason these monitor like to eat and if they’re not taking food and not in breeding or hibernation then you have a problem and it should be seen by a vet! Ok as a baby monitor they will take Crickets, mealworms, king worms, and some times pinky mice. Now when it is about 2 to 3 month old it should be started on pinky mice, fuzzy mice and Crickets its good for them to chase it a round the Enclosure as long as they take them. Now a full-grown monitor you should feed mice to. Frozen of coarse make sure you defrost it be for giving it to your guy. Now at this time they will or should take crickets as well but try to stay away from canned dog food it not good for a healthy monitor and NEVER feed your guy Canned cat food!!!!
Well this is just what I have read and I really do recommend you do research on these guys before getting one!
These Guys come from a Hot and Dry climate. So if you live were it is colder in the winter time they may go in to a short hibernation but I think if you keep the temps up like in the day time 85-98F and 70-80F at night. The basking spot should be around 120F. The way you can do this is CHE heaters and bulbs. Your guy should do fine with these temps….
Lighting
Well I have read a lot on this and some sites say no UVB lighting and some say UVB lighting! Well I go with UVB lighting on this one they eat a lot of animal protein and I think (this is just me) that it is needed to get the vitamin D3 that they need to survive. So I go with UVB lighting in the basking area for your Guy. Plus make sure you have the temps up and this is always an experimental kind a thing. So if one bulb is not working for you. You may have to change to another…. Wattage that is.
Substrate
There is a lot of substrate out there well I have been reading like I always do butcher paper, newspaper, indoor outdoor carpeting, aspen shavings, or bark, I would chose the indoor/outdoor carpet or newspaper but that’s just me…
Now comes the good part Diet
Ok this is the part I really like for some odd reason these monitor like to eat and if they’re not taking food and not in breeding or hibernation then you have a problem and it should be seen by a vet! Ok as a baby monitor they will take Crickets, mealworms, king worms, and some times pinky mice. Now when it is about 2 to 3 month old it should be started on pinky mice, fuzzy mice and Crickets its good for them to chase it a round the Enclosure as long as they take them. Now a full-grown monitor you should feed mice to. Frozen of coarse make sure you defrost it be for giving it to your guy. Now at this time they will or should take crickets as well but try to stay away from canned dog food it not good for a healthy monitor and NEVER feed your guy Canned cat food!!!!
Well this is just what I have read and I really do recommend you do research on these guys before getting one!
Latin name: Varanus Exanthematicus
Native to: Central to Southern Africa
Introduction
This monitor is not for a beginner you should have some experience in monitors before getting one. The average size of these guys is 3 to 5 feet long. They have very sharp teeth and very sharp nails they are good runners and they can dig. They can rip a piece of screen in a second.
Housing
For a young monitor a 55-gallon tank will be fine for a bet. Like 6 month then it will be time to either build an enclosure or purchase one at least 6x3x3 for and adult. By the way these guy can rip though screen like no ones business so the enclosure is best with out light screening.
Because you will come home one day and you will have to find your monitor. They are good at escaping their enclosures so you will have to make it escape proof. Now you should have some limbs in the enclosure so they can climb if they want and a bowl of water big enough for to soak in. Now they will need a place to hide once in awhile so a hide box or a cave for your monitor while work fine but put one at either end of the enclosure…..
Heating
These Guys come from a Hot and Dry climate. So if you live were it is colder in the winter time they may go in to a short hibernation but I think if you keep the temps up like in the day time 85-98F and 70-80F at night. The basking spot should be around 120F. The way you can do this is CHE heaters and bulbs. Your guy should do fine with these temps….
Lighting
Well I have read a lot on this and some sites say no UVB lighting and some say UVB lighting! Well I go with UVB lighting on this one they eat a lot of animal protein and I think (this is just me) that it is needed to get the vitamin D3 that they need to survive. So I go with UVB lighting in the basking area for your Guy. Plus make sure you have the temps up and this is always an experimental kind a thing. So if one bulb is not working for you. You may have to change to another…. Wattage that is.
Substrate
There is a lot of substrate out there well I have been reading like I always do butcher paper, newspaper, indoor outdoor carpeting, aspen shavings, or bark, I would chose the indoor/outdoor carpet or newspaper but that’s just me…
Now comes the good part Diet
Ok this is the part I really like for some odd reason these monitor like to eat and if they’re not taking food and not in breeding or hibernation then you have a problem and it should be seen by a vet! Ok as a baby monitor they will take Crickets, mealworms, king worms, and some times pinky mice. Now when it is about 2 to 3 month old it should be started on pinky mice, fuzzy mice and Crickets its good for them to chase it a round the Enclosure as long as they take them. Now a full-grown monitor you should feed mice to. Frozen of coarse make sure you defrost it be for giving it to your guy. Now at this time they will or should take crickets as well but try to stay away from canned dog food it not good for a healthy monitor and NEVER feed your guy Canned cat food!!!!
Well this is just what I have read and I really do recommend you do research on these guys before getting one!
These Guys come from a Hot and Dry climate. So if you live were it is colder in the winter time they may go in to a short hibernation but I think if you keep the temps up like in the day time 85-98F and 70-80F at night. The basking spot should be around 120F. The way you can do this is CHE heaters and bulbs. Your guy should do fine with these temps….
Lighting
Well I have read a lot on this and some sites say no UVB lighting and some say UVB lighting! Well I go with UVB lighting on this one they eat a lot of animal protein and I think (this is just me) that it is needed to get the vitamin D3 that they need to survive. So I go with UVB lighting in the basking area for your Guy. Plus make sure you have the temps up and this is always an experimental kind a thing. So if one bulb is not working for you. You may have to change to another…. Wattage that is.
Substrate
There is a lot of substrate out there well I have been reading like I always do butcher paper, newspaper, indoor outdoor carpeting, aspen shavings, or bark, I would chose the indoor/outdoor carpet or newspaper but that’s just me…
Now comes the good part Diet
Ok this is the part I really like for some odd reason these monitor like to eat and if they’re not taking food and not in breeding or hibernation then you have a problem and it should be seen by a vet! Ok as a baby monitor they will take Crickets, mealworms, king worms, and some times pinky mice. Now when it is about 2 to 3 month old it should be started on pinky mice, fuzzy mice and Crickets its good for them to chase it a round the Enclosure as long as they take them. Now a full-grown monitor you should feed mice to. Frozen of coarse make sure you defrost it be for giving it to your guy. Now at this time they will or should take crickets as well but try to stay away from canned dog food it not good for a healthy monitor and NEVER feed your guy Canned cat food!!!!
Well this is just what I have read and I really do recommend you do research on these guys before getting one!