new savannah

[medic2]

I just got a baby savanna and have a few questions. He is in a large tank with rocks to climb on, a water bowl large enough to soak in, temps 90-95 with a basking area. He eats a dozen large crickets every other day and also has canned moniter food on the days he doesnt get crickets. I take him out 3-4 times a day for 10-15 minutes at a time. He is a little squirmy at first but will settle down and go to sleep in my hand. He has not attempted to bite (yet). Does a good tempered baby have less chance of becoming a difficult adult? Am I doing what I need to for him to be healthy and happy?

[Kap10cavy]

Well congrats on the new critter.
You need to see if you can adjust the temps. Mine are at 90 hot side, 80 cool side and 130 on the surface area at the basking spot.
You just got it? Give it at least 2 weeks before handling. It needs time to adjust to it's new home.
I hate to be the one to burst your bubble but, it is not calming down, it is giving up hope on escape and hoping for the best.
To him/her, you are some big ugly creature that might want to eat it, thats why it squirms when picked up.
Fed it as many dusted crickets as it will eat everyday. Then as it grows move up to roaches, pinkies, fuzzies, hoppers and mice and chick peeps.
I stay away from the canned food.
Can you give us more info on the tank?
Humidity?
Substrate?
Lighting?
Type of tank cover?
Anything else you think is important.
A pic would be great.

Scott

[bassett524]

Kap is right about the settling down part. After a while though they do seem to trust their owner who handles them more. My sav will actually walk up on my hand if I put it in the cage. If anyone else walks into my room he will hide in his cave. They are very squirmy as babies, from what I've heard they settle down a lot as adults.
Keep feeding it all those calcium dusted crickets, when it gets big enough for pinks, if it's like mine, it will take some convincing to switch foods. You can crush the crickets and smear them on a pinky mouse. I don't use the canned monitor food, when I'm not feeding crickets I use ground turkey. You can force it into a ball and mix in some minerals, calcium, and vitamins. freeze it, and then thaw it out to room temp and try to feed it. Mine prefers that over pinkies.
Make sure when you do start feeding it pinkies you definately don't want to feed it untill it won't eat anymore. As babies it's hard to overfeed but as they get oler it can make them very obese. I only feed 1-2 pinkies a week, teh rest is turkey and crickets. They can get fatty liver disease quite easily. All the vets have told me that won't really kill them but it can lead to a lot of other problems that will. High fat/protien meals will all lead to problems if overfed. Ground turkey, crickets, mealworms, grasshoppers, snails ( one of their favorites) ar the best.
You can also feed raw or hardboiled eggs as a treat like once a month. I go with raw because it's quite funny to watch them run around behind half an eggshell with it covering their face. They'll go back and lap the yolk and whites up after they finish the shell.

[Anonymous]

In "The Savannah Monitor Lizard", Daniel Bennet & Ravi Thakoorgyai recommend that eggs and strips of meat never to be used. I'm also new to monitors, but according to my research whole prey items are best. So far I've only fed mine crickets and pinkies, I've tried to offer mealworms but he's not interested. Anything else I sould try to feed him?

As for handling, I've been told by experienced keepers that when we handle them, we should handle them until they calm down, i.e. not letting it go when it hisses, bites or defecates on your hand as it only teaches the monitor to "scare" you away. With all my reptiles, I wait until they are well acclimated before I handle them more than is strickly necessary (cleaning the cage, taking it to the vet, you get the idea).

Mark

[jay]

my best advise on the handling them. Do it as often as you can and make sure you let them know who is boss. Most of the time it's a bluff, but sometimes they mean it.(knowing from expreince...ouch tailwhip) As they get older believe it or not they will settle down. lol

[medic2]

Lizzie (or Monte, depending on the sex) is settling down pretty well. It doesnt seem to care if I pick it up anymore. He still squirms for a few seconds but still hasnt tried to bite. He loves to "hunt" the crickets. I put a dozen or so in the tank and he runs around catching them. When he catches all he can find then he starts exploring between the rocks and catching the one that were hiding. I guess the exercise is good for him. Then he climbs up on the rock under the light and takes a nap.

[sircat]

I agree on the handling...that's how I've always handled my reptiles...if it bites or hisses or defecates, I hold it until it sees that it knows I don't let it go just for doing those things...otherwise they'll know that's how you'll let them go

[medic2]

My child is having a fit to hold Lizzie but I havnt gotten that comfortable yet. I know if he bites her she will not have anything else to do with him. Maybe after he goes to sleep.....

[jay]

I would wait untill you are comfortable with him/her. Just remember he make at calm now, but he change his mind when ever he wants. My Mr.Creepy went threw a "teenage" thing. But now that he is older he is claming down. Just threws a fit every so often.

[medic2]

Mr Creepy? I like that! My child is great with most any kind of reptile or amphibian but is afraid of crickets. I know it doesnt make sense and she knows that too so we are working on controlling the fear. This is part of why she is so attached to the savannna. I think she just really enjoys that he is a cricket killer. He has become her best friend. LOL

[jay]

I love hearing about children being intrested in reptiles!!!! I had to get that out of the way first. lol

My Mr.Creepy is just over 22" long and has a big belly. :D I haven't had any real problems with him. He use to get a little testy when getting picked up or just pulled out of his cage. Now he gets a little wiggily, but that is about it.
When i first got him i had to deal w/ a respitory thing. But i got him at Petco so it was no surprize to have something wrong. I'm just glad that was all. :D

[medic2]

Hope I dont have to deal with any health problems. He looks really healthy. Bright eyes, alert, interactive, great appetite. I got him at the Repticon in Charleston. He was with several other babies and all appeared to be healthy.

[Anonymous]

Mine now recognises me as the provider of crickets & pinkies. When I get close to its enclosure at lunch time, he stands on his hind legs, begging for food. As I drop the crickets he jumps trying to catch them, I wish I could take a video of it LOL. If I drop a cricket besides the enclosure, he follows it, lifting his head from time to time with that "it's right there, bring it here!" expression. Likewise, when he doesn't catch sight of a cricket in the viv, I point it to him and he goes right in that direction to get it. And you should see him when he sees me put a cricket in my giant plated's cage instead of his LOL. Needless to say, feeding him is so much fun!

Lately, when I moved the digital thermometer probe, I discovered that it could play chasing a lure, a little like cats do, that is until he discovers it's not food. I'm thinking of doing this little game with f/t mice so that he still gets some exercise when he stops feeding mainly on crickets. I have to say that so far, I have handled it but little, yet I love the interaction I have with it. Day by day, I'm getting more amzazed at how intelligent and fascinating these creatures can be. I'm now trying to think of little tricks to teach him, I know it's not a dog but I'm sure that a few tricks is in the real of possibility. Any idea?

[jay]

I'm not sure about tricks, but i have read and heard that they have the same intelict (nice spelling huh? lol) as a dog. So i don't see why not.
Creepy knows when i tap on his food bowl that it's feeding time and it's a mouse. He knows that a blue cup means his water is being changed.
When i have more time i will tell you guys a funny story about my little freak! lol!