Savannah Monitor Care Sheet
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Scientific Name: Varanus
exanthematicus |
Lizards
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Description |
Savannah Monitors
are one of the easiest monitors to care for and keep.
Beginners to reptile husbandry should never start with
a monitor however, as they are extremely strong lizards.
For more details about their characteristics, read
about the Savannah
Monitor In The Wild.
Take a look at these Savannah
Monitor Pictures in our Lizard
Pictures section. |
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Captive
Care Information |
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Food &
Water
Your Savannah Monitor should be fed a
very mixed diet of insects, rodents (frozen then thawed),
and goldfish. For insects, provide crickets,
mealworms, silkworms,
butterworms,
superworms and earthworms, all gut-loaded and dusted with
a multi-vitamin supplement. Frozen mice and rats can be
offered, once thawed. You can give them live rodents as
well, but they can seriously injure the lizard, so watch
it at all times while hunting and eating the rodent. Adult
monitors will need to eat once or twice a week, while
juveniles should be fed 3 times a week. You must provide
a sturdy container of water for the Savannah Monitor to
bathe in, and drink from. Replace the water each day.
Lighting, Temperature & Humidity
Provide a 12 hour light cycle, using a full spectrum
flourescent bulb. The UV rays are essential for breaking
down and absorbing vitamins. Use an incandescent bulb
or ceramic heat emitter to create a heat gradient ranging
from 75 degrees F to 100 degrees F. The monitor will
bask in the location that gives them the heat level
they desire.
Housing
You need a very large enclosure for a Savannah Monitor.
5' x 3' x 3' should work, but the larger the better.
Provide a peat moss, bark, soil or wood chip substrate,
and lots of branches to climb over. The monitor will
also need a large enough place for them to hide. |
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