Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi i have a savannah that is about 7 iches long he eats well and is fat, he hisses and puffs up and acts like a normal sav. my only problem is that i have a water dish in there large enough for him to soak and swim in, but he stays in it untill he goes limp and i have had to save him 5 times. i have put many different things in the dish to take up sapce and help him get out but he goes under them or doesnt use them. i have no idea why he does this has anyone had this problem or does anyone have any ideas....other then a smaller water dish

I would address the humidity issues within the enclosure, as it seems as though the humidity is insufficient to your savanah monitor. Excessive soaking is a key indicator that something is wrong with your setup, which is most likely the humidity.

Your monitor isn't trying to committ suicide, it is telling you to fix the conditions you are offering it.
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Treemonitors.com

n/p

i have already put a smaller dish in ther i was just wondering why he would do this...also the humidity is good he doenst soak excessivly, he uses the whole cage and doesnt spend all his time in the water dish..i was just wondering why ...thanks

In my opinion (and this is only my opinion because I do not have enough information about your set up) his temp is dropping too low when he is in the water. Raise the temp in the cage, at least in part of the cage and I think this behavior will stop. Desert lizards rarely have the oportunity to soak so I really don't think you need that big of a water dish.

Good Luck,
Jim

Define what "his humidity is "GOOD" " means, exactly... Apparently something is off, if he keeps returning to the water to soak("kill himself". Savanah monitors are not a species which is going to be regularly soaking itself/lying in water. To me, this behavior you are whitnessing is a sign that humidity levels within the enclosure, whether it be ambient conditions, or conditions within the hide spots/burrows, are not "good".
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Treemonitors.com