I have an acquaintance who has been very involved in the reptile world for ages. Today, he was telling me that Savs often do not live more than 6 years in captivity. Is there any truth to this?
O
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Savannah Life Expectancy in Captivity
orinoco
Sep 07, 2007 10:35 PM
Replies (4)
t3h0wnerer
Sep 07, 2007 11:26 PM
You're right, they don't live more than 6 years......... under crappy care that is.
I've heard that with proper husbandry, they can live over 20 years.
-Dean
HappyHillbilly
Sep 08, 2007 08:00 AM
If cared for properly they can live 20 years or more; if cared for properly.
Sadly, the reality is that it's widely believed most die with 1yr. All due to lack of knowledge, proper care, husbandry.
If one makes it past 1yr, I personally feel that it's next milestone would be in the 4 - 6yr range. That means that what "t3h0wnerer" said is pretty much right on. Unfortunately for savs.
Take care!
HH
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Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American
shawnh
Sep 09, 2007 08:37 PM
I've heard that many captive monitors die from becoming obese. Resulting from being in too small a cage and being fed a rodent only diet. I'm sure that other factors are also contributing in many cases. An obese lizard can die from liver problems.
Sonya
Sep 10, 2007 01:43 PM
>>I've heard that many captive monitors die from becoming obese. Resulting from being in too small a cage and being fed a rodent only diet. I'm sure that other factors are also contributing in many cases. An obese lizard can die from liver problems.
Sorta right. They become obese and die from improper husbandry. I see in the pet trade the tendency of owners to either under heat entirely or overheat entirely. You can talk about a heat gradient and cool end til you are crazy but some folks never get it. A HOT SPOT.....120plus and a cool end in the room temp range. DIRT to hold enough humidity and get us out of the lizard oven thing. Humidity is another chief killer I think. People that see savannah as DRY and forget about humid burrows. That seems to be the chief mistakes that kill any lizard (monitor or beardie) too young. I think I see more geckos and beardies get killed from eating particulate substrate (sand) and impact or some foreign bit. Had a beardie last fall with a chip of bone in it's gut that perforated. Figure he found it while out loose 'playing'.
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Sonya
I'm not mean. You're just a sissy.
Happy Bunny
