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she sneezes more often than any of my iguanas, i use topsoil, but the sneezing doesn't bother me, its this other kinda resipatory noise she makes, i've had her a year in december, she always been shy, not that active or aggressive, i got her cuz she was the very shy of the bunch, the other sound she makes that isn't sneezing she makes often, its like, i can only compare to my friend who had asthma, its like a sinus clearing noise, she does that often, nothing comes from her noise, but this noise other than sneezing kinda worries me
i've never had her checked by a vet, but i read that savannahs are real hardy and that they can go with minor respiratory problems for years before it gets serious, and then when it does its too late and its fatal...
she was a few months old when i got her, her est. age is 1-1.5 yrs
but like i said, its kinda like shes shy/depressed, after i taught her not to bite, i can just push her around, and annoy her and she will put up with it, i just hope this isn't a sign of an underlying health issue, she use to let the other savvys jump all over her, anyway, if anyone has any ideas, i'd appreciate it, i may just take her to the vet, thanks.

-Christian Hidalgo
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Christian M. Hidalgo
The Woodlands, TX 77381

Your monitor is sick. It likely has a respiratory infection. Your temperatures are too low, possibly too wet/cold in cage. check your temps. i bet they are and have been low for some time. it's never a good sign when a monitor lets you molest it and it just lies there. those animals need intervention asap or your next post may be, "OMG, my savvy died out of nowhere". good luck and up those temps today!

What are your temps? I also think they might be too low.

(12:16 AM)
with 50W floodlight
raised basking spot thermometer
temperature:102F
humidity: --%(under 30%)

have two digi thermos inside
one records 24 hr min/max temps & humidity
central cage floor thermo
temp: 88F
humid 56%

hmmm, should i switch to 75W?
thanks
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Christian M. Hidalgo
The Woodlands, TX 77381

didnt realize low temp caused respiratory infections, like i said she has ALWAYS sneezed since i got her... even in her smaller cage

just turned on 50W flood and its 100F rising.. 35% humid
later tonight im gonna try 75W "night" bulb on her 24 hr/7...

I had a 100watt basking spot on her once, but it LITERALLY scared the sh*t out of her, i found her in the corner farthest of the light

I have a ceramic heater on the iguana downstairs, but thats kinda hardcore..

I appreciate you guys, ill post more temps once it gets warmed up tomorrow, thank you.

-Christian
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Christian M. Hidalgo
The Woodlands, TX 77381

Monitors need heat! I have my basking spot around 135-140F.
Get her hot enough and hopefully she will be able to fight it off.

damn
thats what my ackies basking temp is, 130F
aghh, stupid 3 inch difference
ok 75 watt time
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Christian M. Hidalgo
The Woodlands, TX 77381

Good idea. Raise the basking spot if you need to as well. Let us know what happens. Hopefully it will work and your little guy will start feeling better.

omg
i used both lamps on her last night
and this morning she tried to tail whip the living crap out of me
hahah she hasn't done that in months
hahaha
her cage is a mess, she turned it upside down
hahahaah
omg
im gonna throw more substrate in there to raise her basking spot
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Christian M. Hidalgo
The Woodlands, TX 77381

Sounds like shes feeling a little more like a monitor! haha Better put your gloves on because it doesn't seem like she wants to be fondled anymore. heh
It would be nice if the sneezing went away too. Let me know what happens.

i was finally able to get good description of the "other than sneezing" sound she makes, its like a little pop sound, as if a tiny bubble were softly popping

ill pick her up, its like shes nervous, and she'll make like 5-10 of these continuous pops sounds, like you know when you clear your throat when its really dry or nervous, it reminds me of that, the action, so like i said its not sneezing

anyway im gonna stick a buncha more substrate into all their cages to up the basking temps
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Christian M. Hidalgo
The Woodlands, TX 77381

nevermind its only 1 inch difference vs. ackie cage

75 watt dropping temp to 94F, wtf?
Exo-Terra 75W
Night Glo "Moonlight Lamp"

why is it colder than my G.E. 50W Halogen floodlight?
the flood?
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Christian M. Hidalgo
The Woodlands, TX 77381

I don't really know too much about bulbs and why that could/would happen. Maybe one of the bulbs has a more focused stream of light/heat causing it to be warmer at a certain spot? Is there a way you could possibly use both bulbs or somehow add another means of heat? I have an 85 watt and by putting the basking spot closer to the bulb, I have been able to achieve the 140 degrees. Good luck

but hot temps can't reverse/cure a respiratory infection can they? should i pay a visit to the vet?

i put more substrate in both cages, raising the hot side by about two inches, i left the cool side as is

blah im going out of town for the weekend, she should have a stool sample for me by monday after this mouse
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Christian M. Hidalgo
The Woodlands, TX 77381

As far as I know, if a monitor has a strong immune system he can usually fight it off. It depends on how serious the respiratory infection is, since you say she's had signs for a while. Maybe wait and see if she gets better with the increased temps and take her if nothing improves? None of us can see your animal so its hard to give you perfect advice. If you feel your sav needs to go to the vet, take it!

i went and got some GE 100watt floods, and my savannah's spot is up to 120 F temp, cuz the thermo maxed out at 120, i switched out my ackies 50watt for a 100watt, her orig temp was 110F, now shes at 115F...

i need to get a temp gun as these thermos either maxx out or dont get the same readings as the maxxed out thermo
whats a good temp gun?

i think i will take my savvy to the vet regardless cuz she has a fresh stool for me, thanks, i also stuck a heat pad under her cage, altho there is 2-5 inches of dirt on the hot side, any suggestions?

hmm, and i was at the herp expo in san antonio this weekend, it was alright, they had a mangrove, timor, storri, and... supposedly an argus but i didnt see it/maybe was sold
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Christian M. Hidalgo
The Woodlands, TX 77381

I use a temp gun from proexotics.

If the heatpad helps keep the temps up, by all means, use it. I have been fortunate enough to achieve good temps with bulbs so I have not needed one.

Keep us updated with the status of your sav.

hahah
well she just woke me up, 3 am
scratching on the plexiglass trying to get out, she hissed at me, she has done this the last few times i have found her scratching
she dug up her enclosure made quite a mess, i think she is hungry
but i have been trying to stick to a minimal rodent diet
crickets 2-3 times a week, and a mouse once a week
but since i have been leaving the 100watt on at night along with the heatpads
shes been restless, oh, i took her to my vet (Dr. Doherty, vice pres. of ETHS; houston expos)
he checked her colon for parasites, found some protazoines (sp?)
he said all animals have some low levels, she had low levels that were getting a little high so he gave her something...

he checked her throat blah blah, he believes she is fine, he didn't actually explain what that sound is that she makes, to me its like shes nervous and clears her throat anxiously/loud

but its not an actual sneeze
i am planning to clean her enclosure tomorrow with bleach (1:20) solution, dump the dirt, put her in the ackies cage, and then put the ackies in her cage, so she will be in a bigger cage, now that i have plexiglass for the front to put behind the mesh screen front panel, haha no more open field grazing for the ackies, spoiled 6 month olds, heh

between trying to avoid obesity and an attempt to keep her from getting too large, i feed her the minimal rodent diet, often i feel bad and feed her several mice a week, but i also dust the crickets often, so im not by any means trying to starve her
haha well her tails is fat, she is fat...
shes like 1.5-2 yrs old, so.. her growth explosion is in its last half
i dunno, as i much as i would love to see her get 3-4 ft long, i don't need her eating me out of house and home any time soon
although her head size is starting to rivaling my female iguana's, but her body isonly half to 2/3 size; that said, she is afraid of the iguana, but they are great bathtub buddies

heres an image url:
http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b123/ahathejokesonyou/DSC02023.jpg

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Christian M. Hidalgo
The Woodlands, TX 77381