SCIENTIFIC NAME: Varanus Exanthematicus

ORIGIN: Africa, Northern Angola

GENERAL CARE: Savanna Monitors' popularity have been on the increase for the past few years. The reasons for this are very understandable. They are a tame and trusting animal,have reasonable intelligence and are fed a relatively easy diet. They are not noisy and therefore will not disrupt your family or neighbors. In captivity,Savannah Monitors usually reach an average length of between three and a half feet and five feet,most staying in the smaller range. Their body is flat-oval in the mid section and the head is broad. They also have a rounded snout in contrast to the pointed snouts of most other monitors.

Being a greyish tan in color Savannah Monitors blend easy into their surroundings and find this helpful when stalking their prey. When small they prey on insects and when larger they seek out rodents if they can catch then as well as insects. See nutritional requirements for your reptiles needs as there are options available if you would prefer not to feed live food. Their long tail is used as a balancing aid when walking and running,as their midsection prevents them from being streamlined. Another use of the tail,for the Savannah Monitor is as a defensive weapon. In the wild when threatened they will quickly whip their tail out in the direction of the danger. Depending on the size of the monitor the destruction is dealt. I have seen a very large Savannah scare away a dog by the use of its tail. Though this is a trait used most often in the wild it is never forgotten. When frightened,expect your lizard to use this as a natural means of defense.

Savannah Monitors love to swim or bathe.When placed in a large pail or tub of warm water,they will enjoy staying there for some length of time. Monitors are capable of swimming in water over their heads,although they should be supervised when doing so and never just put into water and left alone. A weak or frail lizard may have some need of your assistance. Most will eventually learn to go to the bathroom in their water after a while.That, needless to say, makes cage cleaning much easier.

These particular lizards are mostly bottom dwellers,though occasionally will climb on trees or branches provided for them.Savannah Monitors tend to do well in social housing. There is usually not a problem keeping more than one Savannah per habitat,as with any animal one may become a little more aggressive than the rest but this is uncommon with the Savannah Monitor. They are a pleasant addition to any reptile collection and make very nice pets.

HABITAT: An aquarium or reptile enclosure will make a safe and comfortable home for your lizard. The size of your Savannah Monitor will dictate the size of its habitat. As your lizard grows so should his environment. Try to always have the length of its habitat be two and a half the length of your monitor. The width of its home should be at least one to one and a half times your monitors body length. These guidelines will assure proper comfort for your pet. It will also provide enough room for growing at its normal growth rate.

Substrate is a matter of personal choice with the exception of sand not being recommended as it tends to cake between the reptile scales. There are many substrates available on the market today to choose from. I usually use either aquarium pebbles as they are easily rinsed or reptile bark as my choices. Many times I will use then both in combination as the bark retains the heat better than the pebbles. Also if driftwood is placed in such a way,they can use it to climb closer to the heat lamp if they feel cool.

For maintaining the correct temperatures you should place an under the tank heating devise on one side of the habitat and allow it to remain on at all times. This allows the monitor to go to either the warmer side or not as it chooses. At night you will notice that your Savannah Monitor will choose the cooler side,as they would naturally be cooler at that time in the wild. After a meal,however your lizard will lie its body on this primary heat source to aid it in proper digestion. Another addition for this purpose is a "hot rock" though it should not replace the under tank heater. Daytime temperatures should be between eighty five and ninety degrees F. Night temperature is fine at normal room temperature as long as it does not fall below sixty degrees F.

Reptile covers are necessary with lizards and should allow ventilation into its habitat. Good air flow aids you in keeping your pet healthy.On the cover you should have a heating lamp and it should be placed off center slightly,aiming into the warmer side of the environment. This heat secondary heat source may be turned off at night.

Since your lizard is being kept indoors,you should add uv lighting to allow your monitor to synthesize vitamin D3. Only natural sunlight and UV lighting can do that. A good photo period for Savannah Monitors is roughly twelve hours or light and the same for darkness. All reptiles need a photo period,not doing well in a constantly lit cage

NUTRITIONAL REQUIREMENTS: Juvenile Savannah Monitors will thrive and grow on a diet of crickets, snails and mealworms, with added vitamins They may also be fed canned or dry reptile food especially balanced for meat eating reptiles. Cooked beef is also another option, though it does not contain all required nutrients and we usually reserve beef as a treat. Feed the beef in small pieces that your monitor will have no problem eating in one bite. As your Savannah Monitor grows its appetite will grow in proportion to its size. Often in a pinch, we will feed canned dog food and have had no ill effects from doing so.

Live food is often chosen by owners to be the main staple of Savannahs, though in the wild they seldom eat rodents as they are usually to slow to catch them on a regular basis. If feeding live food, be sure to add vitamins also, as even live food does not contain all needed vitamins.

Eggs are a favorite food of the majority of Savannah Monitors. The eggs should be cooked well and only given once a week, shell and all, or they may decide that eggs are all they will eat and then deficiencies will result. Monitors tend to be gluttons, eating all that you give them . Please exercise caution not to overfeed, as an overweight Savannah is far from a healthy one.

CAPTIVE CARE: The Savannah Monitor is totally dependant on it's owner to care for all its needs, as is any reptile. Owning any animal requires a fair amount of time out of your daily routine, but the rewards you get in return are well worth it.

They depend on you to keep their temperature correct and their habitat warm and clean at all times. These are things that they cannot control themselves. If your schedule keeps you busy there are timers available to monitor the temperatures and lighting for you. However do not forget to get into a routine of checking your thermometer on a daily basis, as your lizard can not leave if it is too hot or cold. The correct level is between eighty five degrees F to ninety degrees F during the day. Turning off the nasking light in the evening allows the cage to gradually cool down to a night time temperature that remains not lower than sixty degrees F. Sixty five being the preferred nighttime temperature.

One of the factors often overlooked in a closed environment is ventilation. Reptiles need fresh air, just as all living animals. Poor air quality opens the door for illness and health problems in your Savannah Monitor. There are many ways to assure a proper air flow into your reptiles habitat. One way is to add side vents. When added in conjunction with a screen cover there is sufficient interchange of air to keep your pet from breathing stagnant air.

Keeping all food and water bowls clean is very important. This prevents bacteria from growing in them and causing other types of illnesses from beginning. The food bowl should be washed a minimum of twice every day. Water bowls require more attention as reptiles tend to defficate in them. These should be checked and changed usually about 2-3 times a day.This may be required more often if you are housing several reptiles together in the same habitat.

TEMPERAMENT AND HANDLING: Most all Savannah Monitors usually are mellow in temperament. They are rarely ever nasty, and actually seem to enjoy being held by humans. I cannot think of another monitor that is as even tempered or as safe to handle as the Savannah. Just do not make the mistake of assuming all monitors are like this species.

Savannah Monitors are easy to handle. In the beginning do not hold your lizard while it is eating. Let your monitor get used to your hands and learn that they are different than food. Then the more they are handled the tamer they get.

Pick up your monitor by putting one hand under its belly and the other hand on its shoulder, applying just enough pressure to prevent escape if attempted. Then gently raise your lizard upward and out of its cage. Once supported only by your hands, you may release your top hand if your monitor appears comfortable. The first few times you do this make sure that you are sitting low to the ground in case your Savannah takes a short leap off your hand. As they are reasonably slow reptiles, they are very easy to catch when loose.

However if you aquire an adult of any size that has not been handled, we recommend the use of thick leather gloves. Once he or she is used to you and is comfortable the gloves should no longer be needed.

Many large Savannah Monitors have easily gotten used to wearing a harness. This enables you to take them outside for sunning and basking for short periods of time. Always allow your reptile access to shade when out side and never leave them unattended.

Overall, Savannah Monitors make a wonderful choice for people wanting a reptile of some size that is friendly and easy to handle.

HEALTH ISSUES: Savannah Monitors can develop a calcium deficiency if not provided the proper amount of calcium. They are also prone to getting some mites and should be kept clean and watched for this. if mites are seen they are easily eliminated by numerous reptile medications. When caught early, mites are not a danger for your reptile, however if left unattended you may be forced to seek a vets assistance.

THINGS TO WATCH FOR: Savannah Monitors are not expensive to buy, but it is important that you realise you are getting a healthy animal. Your monitor should be free and clear of any mites or ticks. Check it over to make sure there are no lumps, cysts, or sores visable on the reptiles body. Look for broken claws or damage to their tails, though neither of these means a health hazard to your reptile, they would be considered discountable specimens. Take the time to find out what the Monitor has been eating and feed the same diet until your reptile is accustomed to its new environment. Then make sure your pet is handled every day to assure that it remains tame and calm.

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