Savannah monitor

[cornbreadandmilk]

So, I have always seen them around even cared for a few at an old pet store. I have never owned one though. Does anyone have any expience with them ? Did you enjoy them ...what level of intelligence did they display ?

 

[CMRetics]

So, I have always seen them around even cared for a few at an old pet store. I have never owned one though. Does anyone have any expience with them ? Did you enjoy them ...what level of intelligence did they display ?

I have a lot of experience with almost all varanid species. Niles, waters, savs, blackthroats, indicus complex, trees, etc. I enjoy them a good deal, they seem to calm down more than some other species like my niloticus, but they are for sure much slower. They are also very smart, I have a monitor who has figured out the mechanism to open her own cage. They can problem solve to an extent, they do know how to beg for food, they do recognize certain people, you'd be amazed at how smart a varanid actually is.

The care; however, surrounding a bosc is much more difficult than what a pet store will make it out to be. You need a big cage, a fish tank is NEVER suitable. You need a very high basking temp, a wide array of prey, deep dirt substrate, and you NEED a high humidity. Without enough humidity these things only last a year, and end up falling victim to gout.

Not an easy animal as most make it out to be, and the average varanid will eat as many mice/rats in the first year of its life as you'd feed a pair of corn snakes in 15-20 years. Not to mention the roaches and other food thrown in for variety...

I actually recommend a blackthroat over a bosc though. Spend the extra money to buy a BT. Better temperaments usually, a bit easier care, less strict diet etc. Although, they do get a good bit larger. I personally after having dealt with a few savs don't think they are that great of a monitor, especially not a starter monitor..

 

[Nanci]

If you search on here for savannah monitor, you should find several people who have kept them.

 

[Weda737]

One of my best friends has an asian water monitor. It's a shame he's not able to get online right now or I'd point you to him. They get large but from all the wonderful things he tells me, they are great companion pets, if not a little challenging, but what isn't if you actually want to get their care right? If I had the money to feed one I would be interested myself.

 

[CMRetics]

One of my best friends has an asian water monitor. It's a shame he's not able to get online right now or I'd point you to him. They get large but from all the wonderful things he tells me, they are great companion pets, if not a little challenging, but what isn't if you actually want to get their care right? If I had the money to feed one I would be interested myself.

Monitors are terrible companion pets, most want nothing to do with human interaction, and if a new owner cant realize they may never get to touch or hold their monitor - they should seek a dog, not a varanid.

 

[beautifullywild77]

Wow, I think you are giving Monitors a bad rep.. perhaps we need someone that keeps monitors to come here and correct you.


I have a friend that runs a reptile rescue in Nevada. She actually has a few monitors. They are great companion pets. She also adopts reptiles out to Veterans as therapy animals. She has a high success rate as well.

 

[BloodyBaroness]

Monitors are terrible companion pets, most want nothing to do with human interaction, and if a new owner cant realize they may never get to touch or hold their monitor - they should seek a dog, not a varanid.

So we can't be realistic on retics, but you can be heavy handed on monitors?

If you put the work into them, monitors can be great pets.

I've got a friend with a large collection of water monitors and once they reach a certain age they become great critters to have around.

Most people give up on them before they give them a chance. Get them from a show, from someone with experience, and you will have a neat pet. The ones at pet shops are generally worth steering clear of.

Do loads of varied research (ie; books, talking to people, and internet searches) that will give you a good broad knowledge base to build on.

 

[Lafresa]

I nave an savannah monitor. This is a male, he was just over a year. He is 52 centimeters (including the tail). As a child, was very shy and defended his tail and hissing. Now he is more relaxed.
But when he is hungry, he can indiscriminately catch everything that you hold in your hands (even empty tweezers). Compared with a bearded dragon who first smell at all unfamiliar subjects... But if you give him a little time each day - he is easy to contact and age is becoming calmer and wiser.

here is my monitor

 

[Lafresa]

*I have

sorry for the mistakes

 

[Zombiegirl]

Oh I love his little harness!!! Very nice

 

[CMRetics]

Wow, I think you are giving Monitors a bad rep.. perhaps we need someone that keeps monitors to come here and correct you.

I've successfully kept Bosc monitors, blackthroats, 3 types of indicus complex, water monitors, and nile monitors. I've helped set up tree monitors and croc monitors as well. I currently only have one monitor living at my home, the rest of my collection are with a friend including my now 6' water monitor.

Please, call someone who keeps monitors to come educate me.

I have a friend that runs a reptile rescue in Nevada. She actually has a few monitors. They are great companion pets. She also adopts reptiles out to Veterans as therapy animals. She has a high success rate as well.

Reptile sure- monitors not so much, and should not be therapy animals. Let me guess, she uses fish tanks and bark too? LOL.

So we can't be realistic on retics, but you can be heavy handed on monitors?

I'm not heavy handed. Retics are easy to keep and care for compared to monitors.

If you put the work into them, monitors can be great pets.

I absolutely agree.

I've got a friend with a large collection of water monitors and once they reach a certain age they become great critters to have around.

Water monitors and black throats are fairly simple and laid back monitors for the most part.

Most people give up on them before they give them a chance. Get them from a show, from someone with experience, and you will have a neat pet. The ones at pet shops are generally worth steering clear of.

Most people kill them before the monitor gets a chance.

I nave an savannah monitor. This is a male, he was just over a year. He is 52 centimeters (including the tail). As a child, was very shy and defended his tail and hissing. Now he is more relaxed.
But when he is hungry, he can indiscriminately catch everything that you hold in your hands (even empty tweezers). Compared with a bearded dragon who first smell at all unfamiliar subjects... But if you give him a little time each day - he is easy to contact and age is becoming calmer and wiser.

here is my monitor

What enclosure do you keep him in? Just curious, and what diet/humidity etc?

I'm not being harsh on monitors. You have no idea the amount of monitors I've fixed for people in the last YEAR. Some monitors just don't want to be around people, period. If you can't accept that a monitor is not for you. Monitors are not dogs, and shouldn't be treated as such.

 

[Weda737]

My friend has told me how his big buddy (asian water monitor) will come up and climb on him, reach out to be petted and get attention. He's always at the door of his enclosure when his owner gets home and is waiting to be let out. To be fair, my friend spends a lot of time with his pet and has only been bitten when Buddy was a little baby. Only been hissed at when he had to rescue a gerbil in an ball from Buddy's mouth. I believe if you do your research and are dedicated to your animal then monitors can be great pets, very intelligent.

 

[Lafresa]

CMRetics, Now I keep him in a cage 70 by 45 by 50 cm. I use hay and coconut chips (large chunks of coconut) as the substrate. Humidity is not specifically endorse. A large container of water does it.
Food variety - crickets, zoofobas, snails, chicken and chicken hearts. The main thing - do not overfeed.

 

[AliCat37]

I have met a few monitors that I'm sure *anyone* would agree were excellent pets who enjoyed human company. They would eagerly greet new people and crawl up your leg to be petted.

Now I have a feeling that cmretics may disagree because those monitors were being kept "improperly" and their temperments would have been different in a proper environment. This guy had his whole house set up for these mangrove monitors with huge tubes running from floor to cieling with giant places to hang out at over the living room. They also had a hot area with their lighting and water, etc. but they didn't really hang out there at all. They preferred where their person was.

 

[beautifullywild77]

Actually she has custom vivs for them cmretic but thanks for assuming. The is something to be said about those that assume. You sir are one of them

 

[BloodyBaroness]

Let me guess, she uses fish tanks and bark too? LOL.

That pompous chip on your shoulder is less than becoming.

You are not the only human in world educated in proper monitor care.

 

[CMRetics]

I have met a few monitors that I'm sure *anyone* would agree were excellent pets who enjoyed human company. They would eagerly greet new people and crawl up your leg to be petted.

Now I have a feeling that cmretics may disagree because those monitors were being kept "improperly" and their temperments would have been different in a proper environment. This guy had his whole house set up for these mangrove monitors with huge tubes running from floor to cieling with giant places to hang out at over the living room. They also had a hot area with their lighting and water, etc. but they didn't really hang out there at all. They preferred where their person was.

Max was a pretty laid back monitor, I saw the female a couple times after that and she never came around, still hates people. I admire the guys approach to monitors- especially with them being arboreal and all, although I've told him part of the reason he isn't getting as many eggs is due to humidity issues in the storefront... Needless to say he has produced a few viable eggs, and the guy he had incubating them killed them. Hopefully the next go round turns out better, as I'm first in line for a hatchling from him

There are a few pet monitors who greatly enjoy attention from people. Most of them not so much. My water monitor would climb up and greet me- but he was most certainly against handling, but my bosc and indicus where pretty curious. My niloticus is still wary, but has made great progress, but she is after all, a niloticus.

CMRetics, Now I keep him in a cage 70 by 45 by 50 cm. I use hay and coconut chips (large chunks of coconut) as the substrate. Humidity is not specifically endorse. A large container of water does it.
Food variety - crickets, zoofobas, snails, chicken and chicken hearts. The main thing - do not overfeed.

Replace the substrate, give him a deep dirt/sand mixture. I did this with my collection after I moved out and could afford to ruin some carpet and it helped the monitors for the better, way less work controlling humidity - and humidity is EXTREMELY important for a bosc monitor. Not trying to sound like an ass- but you're boy looks a little dehydrated. Perhaps you should speak with wayne (infernalis) who runs the bosc monitor care page.... He lost his beloved pet to terminal gout not long ago.

My friend has told me how his big buddy (asian water monitor) will come up and climb on him, reach out to be petted and get attention. He's always at the door of his enclosure when his owner gets home and is waiting to be let out. To be fair, my friend spends a lot of time with his pet and has only been bitten when Buddy was a little baby. Only been hissed at when he had to rescue a gerbil in an ball from Buddy's mouth. I believe if you do your research and are dedicated to your animal then monitors can be great pets, very intelligent.

Some end up like this, my salvator always wanted out, and to explore, to greet and climb on me, when I picked him up he just about tried to take my hand off.

 

[Nanci]

I had a porcupine like that, once...

 

[Lafresa]

CMRetics, The monitor is not dehydrated, I promise
He just constantly sheds and looks like a ragamuffin. As for the substrate ... I have tried all of its forms. My monitor sneezed when he was on a coconut crumb and his eyes were watering from the sphagnum (moss). Now, in the terrarium is a big layer of hay and coconut pieces - it holds moisture well and does not emit fine particles.
Not necessarily spritz substrate to maintain humidity. When the monitor is bathed and out on the land around it gets wet and without my participation.