# Do Savannah Monitors make good pets?



## ChrisLeonard (Apr 27, 2013)

I won't lie and call my self experienced with Reptiles as to be honest, I'm not. Although I have always been fascinated by reptiles and wanted my own. I owned a bearded dragon for around a year who was very healthy and tame but ended up selling her as my room was to small and I did not really have the time to show it the care and attention it deserved due to me taking exams and college etc. I plan on moving out with my girlfriend within the next few years and we both agreed that Savannah Monitors were awesome and become obsessed with them. Days of research non stop and videos about how to care and feed them have almost literally filled my life right now. I don't find reptiles intimidating and would definitely be willing to handle it as much as it would take in order to get it as tame as possible. Money and size does not really concern me, what I want to know is if you think purchasing a Savannah Monitor would be a good idea or not and why! Thanks!


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## tremerz97 (Nov 30, 2012)

ChrisLeonard said:


> I won't lie and call my self experienced with Reptiles as to be honest, I'm not. Although I have always been fascinated by reptiles and wanted my own. I owned a bearded dragon for around a year who was very healthy and tame but ended up selling her as my room was to small and I did not really have the time to show it the care and attention it deserved due to me taking exams and college etc. I plan on moving out with my girlfriend within the next few years and we both agreed that Savannah Monitors were awesome and become obsessed with them. Days of research non stop and videos about how to care and feed them have almost literally filled my life right now. I don't find reptiles intimidating and would definitely be willing to handle it as much as it would take in order to get it as tame as possible. Money and size does not really concern me, what I want to know is if you think purchasing a Savannah Monitor would be a good idea or not and why! Thanks!


they can tolerate handling. i wouldnt say tame as such. the ones you see online that are 'puppy dog tame' are usually lethargic due to improper care. of course they get large and have a very strong bite and can take off your fingers. just a question, have you looked into anything else? ackies? tegus? ect ect?


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## Lushmush (Apr 26, 2013)

They can make very rewarding pets if cared for correctly but even when you think you have researched enough, research even more! 
Most videos on youtube generally show the wrong care so I wouldn't really trust them.

Adult size vivarium at least 8ғᴛx4ғᴛx4ғᴛ but the bigger the better.

Hot basking spot around 130F-150F, also allow for a nice cool end within the vivarium, around 80F and high humidity is also a must, so you will need to make the vivarium waterproof otherwise it will bow and fall apart.

They need a minimum of 12inches of substrate depth but deeper is better, personally I'd go for 24inches depth and a soil-sand mix is generally recommended to allow for burrowing but that makes it an incredibly heavy vivarium, so it will need to be well supported and on a ground floor, unless you can support the floor underneath the vivarium.

Ideally they should be fed a mainly insect diet which can be costly, so it's a good ideal to have a couple of large roach colonies but variety is always good in my opinion. Calcium and multivitamin supplements are generally needed too.

Here are some good reads.
- http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizards/841282-boscs-savannah-monitor-care-sheet.html
- http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizards/119922-so-want-sav.html
- Correct Savannah Monitor Care 
- http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizards/839589-monitors-temperatures.html
- http://www.reptileforums.co.uk/forums/lizards/839249-monitors-dehydration.html


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## ChrisLeonard (Apr 27, 2013)

i've had a quick look at Tegu's, but not enough to disregard them! I'll take a look, thanks for the reply


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

i have two boscs and they are amazing animals, my male is quite friendly and tolerates pretty much anything, especially if food is thrown into the equasion, my female is a terror, as alot of female boscs are, very fiesty, but can handle her if needs be, just have to keep hands and pretty much everything away from the business end, they are very rewarding animals to have, but very hard work and can cost alot food wise, they can eat a mainly rodent diet as long as they have the correct set up with everything how it should be, they tend to loose interest in crickets etc as they get bigger/older, mine mainly have locusts now with dubais and morio worms the mice,chicks,whitebait, and a egg each once a month.


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## KarlHowells (Jan 19, 2011)

to answer your question, no. They are a great Monitor, no doubting that! and are a lot of fun to interact with, feeding time for me, is brilliant! Mine has the best reaction to food out of all in my collection - closely followed by my gold tegu!

dont think the term 'pet' can be used though! they're when in good form, hard to trust 100%. Let a pal of mine feed mine, he's got one but only a young'en an the feeding response from mine caught him out, he nearly got a very very nasty bite!!! but you could put your hand into his enclosure and touch him, and most of the time, he's just investigate your hand, so it's swings and roundabouts really. 

if you provide an 8x4x4 with 2 ft of soil sand and a great temp set up, you'll love them no matter what as they'll be amazing to watch!!!


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## pippin9050 (Dec 20, 2011)

KarlHowells said:


> to answer your question, no. They are a great Monitor, no doubting that! and are a lot of fun to interact with, feeding time for me, is brilliant! Mine has the best reaction to food out of all in my collection - closely followed by my gold tegu!
> 
> dont think the term 'pet' can be used though! they're when in good form, hard to trust 100%. Let a pal of mine feed mine, he's got one but only a young'en an the feeding response from mine caught him out, he nearly got a very very nasty bite!!! but you could put your hand into his enclosure and touch him, and most of the time, he's just investigate your hand, so it's swings and roundabouts really.
> 
> if you provide an 8x4x4 with 2 ft of soil sand and a great temp set up, you'll love them no matter what as they'll be amazing to watch!!!


Could agree more! there are lots of reptiles I don't deem as pets.
Lots of people think cute and cuddly when the word pet is said.
The last thing you want to do is cuddle up to a nile!


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## KarlHowells (Jan 19, 2011)

pippin9050 said:


> Could agree more! there are lots of reptiles I don't deem as pets.
> Lots of people think cute and cuddly when the word pet is said.
> The last thing you want to do is cuddle up to a nile!


I don't think most reptiles are pets - but as we live in a world where we buy animals and they 'belong' to us, they get the names 'pets'.
I think you should be able to trust a pet, and I don't trust any of my 4, I NEVER take my eyes off them...apart from

Nile monitor 'Scar' darting for me (i was half asleep!!) - YouTube

that was just for 2 seconds...since them I'm like a hawk!!:lol2: so GREAT ANIMALS, SHOCKING PETS WHEN HEALTHY 

this is just my opinion...:no1:


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