Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got a savannah monitor last week. It doesn't seem to be doing to well over the past couple of days. It has been just laying in one spot. It threw up it's food 2 days ago. I have it's habitat at about 85 degrees and it has water and a half log for shelter. The guy I got it from said it was about a year old.
I am a little concern about it. I am hoping for some suggestions to get it back up on it feet running around again.

Alright 85 is to low, you want a basking spot of about 130 degrees, 90ish hot side maybe down to 75 cool side. How big is the "cage"? What substrate are you using, and how are you heating it?

It's in a 50 gallon tank and I have a 150 watt basking light. I have bark substrate but I was thinking of changing to astrotruf or in-door/out-door carpet. I haven't measured it yet I haven't wanted to stress it out being new. It's smaller than my water dragon by a couple of inches so I'd say it's about 10in (my water dragon is 16in snout to tail) I have to get a new thermometer the one I have only goes up to 85. My house is warmer than usual because we have 3 other lizards, a scorpion, a pacman frog.

He will out grow a 50 gallon pretty quick, but for the moment, a great substrate is sand and dirt mix, make sure he has some nice hide spots that are tight fits, thats why dirt is great so they can burrow. As posted below make sure he's not dehydrated. A vet visit may also be nice, there imported and probably have not been de-wormed. 150 watt is heavy dutty, most people would recommend some 75 watt flood lights that you can move close to an elevated basking area.

Thanks, How fast do they grow? It took my water dragon a year to grow out of the 50 gallon tank (that's why I had it handy). About how big of a tank should I get for him? I'm about to commission a new tank for my dragon so if need I can have on created for it. It was up and running around when I got home from work last night I am hoping that continues. I will take him to the vet though just to make sure. Thanks for all the info.

>>Thanks, How fast do they grow? It took my water dragon a year to grow out of the 50 gallon tank (that's why I had it handy). About how big of a tank should I get for him? I'm about to commission a new tank for my dragon so if need I can have on created for it. It was up and running around when I got home from work last night I am hoping that continues. I will take him to the vet though just to make sure. Thanks for all the info.

A tank..this it is the point that it is a cook box for lizards. You are gonna have a heat source in a 'tank' and it will dry out the monitor and turn it into a dehydrated mess. MOnitors just need too much heat to confine like that. You need heat, humidity and airflow at a better ratio than a screen topped tank allows.
That said......you are talking something in the HUGE range for a tank. Savs get 3-5 feet long.
Mine are in an enclosure that is 6X3X3 and I am upgrading it come spring to allow for more dirt depth and room since I have been given another sav. Thankfully my DH is cool with my taking part of the cellar.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

>>I just got a savannah monitor last week. It doesn't seem to be doing to well over the past couple of days. It has been just laying in one spot. It threw up it's food 2 days ago. I have it's habitat at about 85 degrees and it has water and a half log for shelter. The guy I got it from said it was about a year old.
>>I am a little concern about it. I am hoping for some suggestions to get it back up on it feet running around again.

My basic information, and what I would do, is go and get Bennett and Thakoordyal's book, The Savannah Monitor Lizard, and read it.
Until you get the book I would give you all the basics you should have had set up before you got the beast.
Hot spot of 130 ...Get a thermometer and measure where the lizard is laying, not some ambient guess. At one end of the enclosure should be cooler.
Some people soak their monitors and if it is vomiting and sick I would start there rehydrating it. DO NOT make it swim. Just nice warm, NOT HOT, water to it's chest. Better, wrap it in a soaked towel so it doesn't have to stress about drowning.
What was it eating? How big is it? Try bugs or earthworms. It is not going to impact at low temps on bugs. Or take the size animal it was eating and half it.
A vet check wouldn't be out of the question, though correcting it's husbandry should pull it around.
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Sonya

I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny

It's in a 50 gallon tank, I have a 150 watt basking lite, I gave him some super meal worms. I have to get a thermomitor that goes past 85 thats as far as the one I have goes. It's smaller than my water dragon who is 16in snout to tail. I haven't measured it yet because I don't want to stress it out handling it to much so I would say about 10in snout to tail. My house is warmer than usual because we have 3 other reptiles.

Your set is your problem. Everything about it is wrong.
I am assuming you have a screnn top.
If so, you have a lizard jerky machine, not a savannah cage.
Go do some reading at Proexotics.com and you will get a better idea on how to set it up.
Good luck

Scott
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Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.

It's not a fish tank, and no it doesn't have a screen top.

my ackie had the same problem. threw up and became lethargic. Took him to the vet and did some xrays and they told me that he was impacted! (even though the guy I bought it from said there was zero risk of impaction) I had to give him some special laxitives for lizards, which was no eazy task, especially for a little guy like he was. but a vet visit will benifit you sooner rather then later. it takes alot to make these guys sick, and even more to make them better.
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1.1 Ball Pythons (Morty & Boomba)
1.1 Beardies (Jenkins Frizzle & Lucy Frizzle)
1.0 Sinaloan Milk Snake (Dig-Dug)
0.1 Brazilian Rainbow Boa (Roylee)
0.0.1 Yellow Ackie (Koochooloo)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Gilberta)
1.0 Betta Fish (Sushi)

i really wonder if folks ever read the actual details...

WITH PROPER HUSBANDRY you won't ever see an impaction. that is a very important detail. if you have an impacted animal, that points to some serious husbandry deficiencies. usually based in temps and hydration.

we have never had an impacted monitor, but i don't doubt that someone could buy one from us and get it stopped up real good with poor husbandry.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

150w in a 50gal tank?

Hears a scenario, your lizard is impacted because he’s on survival mode, retaining lipids from food and allowing the colon to recycle water from waste is a survival tactic.
Not only is your cage to dry, but obviously your water supplying is at fault.

Clean water on a daily basis and lower your bulb wattage, read Robyn’s care sheet especially the part on accurately measuring temps, not simply guessing?