Questions about Savannah Monitors.

[Icis]

Hi there. So I have a couple questions about Savannah Monitors. I'm currently thinking about getting one and have viewed several care sheets about them.
First question: What is the growth rate? How long would it take it to reach full length?
Second question: They need higher humidity, so what would be recommended? I was wondering if a reptifogger would work well to maintain the high humidity or if there is something else?
& finally my third question: how much do they really eat?

[Adrenaline101]

one of the best things I can suggest is something like this site http://www.savannahmonitor.net/
There is a ton of valuable information in there and some of it learned the hard way unfortunately.
1: Every monitor is different but on average you can see 1-2" inches of growth a month, sometimes slower. I cant answer exactly about full length but you can expect a 3-4 foot monitor in 3 years+.
2: A reptifogger is not a good solution to keep up humidity, a custom built wood enclosure with front openning doors is ideal. One of the big things about terrestrial monitors is their need for deep substrate, for a sav nearly 2 feet is recommended. The sealed enclosure along with the deep soil substrate will keep the humidity up naturally without the need to saturate the enclosure constantly.
3: A lot, ideally a young sav will eat 2-3 times a day if given the opportunity. A varied diet of whole prey is recommended, the larger part will be taken up by crickets along with some superworms, horned worms, earthworms, whatever safe food you can provide. The second part of the diet can be mixed between the occasional whole mouse ( size varies by monitor) and other whole items such as shrimp, fertilized quail eggs and even baby chicks when the size allows.

[RyanGSP]

When they burrow into the soild this will provide them with humidity as well from the moistur trapped in the dirt.

Check out Reptiles Canada there is a guy who built a nice enclosure for his 2 savs Cera and Little Foot.

[Farva]

I'm actually just about to build a 8x4x4 tank for my sav as well as an 8x4x3 ontop of it. I will try and get some pictures up as I build it.

[Icis]

I have looked at that website. Great read. I was thinking of getting a Juvie. He's pretty small right now and I currently have a Zilla critter cage I was planning in housing him in until I needed to have one built. The enclosure is 3 feet in length 2 feet in width and 18 inches high

[Adrenaline101]

I honestly cant recommend using that for any age of sav. You would need to custom build a top for it to seal in the humidty and mount the lighting in it. Also hoping for at least a foot of dirt no matter what it wont leave you with much room at all especially for creating a basking site without putting the monitor too close to the light source, especially if you plan on also including a uvb lamp where the recommended distance is around 12" away from the animal at the least.
I personally feel bad having a dwarf monitor housed in a glass terrarium with custom lid, even with modifications they are never ideal.
There is no case in which a monitor cant be housed in its adult enclosure from the get go, I would recommend building the adult enclosure before getting one, there is unfortunately always a surplus of cheap savs out there.

Also I would suggest reading over the monitors section on herpcenter.com there are some excellent write ups and a lot of people who have asked similar questions and got answers.

[RyanGSP]

I'm actually just about to build a 8x4x4 tank for my sav as well as an 8x4x3 ontop of it. I will try and get some pictures up as I build it.

How are you building it?

I want to do something larger for some tree monitors and am looking at ways to build them. Im thinking 48"W x 30-36"D x 48-60" Tall.

[Farva]

Basically frame it out with 2x4's 12" on center for the floor and walls and because I'm stacking it same for the roof. Use 3/4 plywood sealed for the floor and thinner OSB for the walls and roof. Outside covered with what ever the wife likes the most. Hang three or so lights from the roof for a hotspot run through a dimmer.

All in It should be around $6-700 for both the 8x4x4 and the 8x4x3 depending on how I'm doing the windows. I'm trying to find some cheap 3x2 windows to use two on each.

[Adrenaline101]

Farva I would highly suggest taking a look at RONA, they have had 4x8 sheets of 3/4" birch for $35. Makes it heavier but its sturdy, seals really well, looks really nice and takes to staining, etc really well.

[RyanGSP]

How come your going 2x4 instead of 2x2 with walls that thick?

I was thinking the same idea as you but using 2x2 and 5/8" plywood.

Either that or going without the framing and 3/4" plywood.