Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just rescued a baby savannah monitor. He's about 4.5 inches long. He has a very fat belly and isn't very active. I have him in a 20 gallon long tank with newspaper on the bottom and a few boxes to hide in and a basking temp of 105. He hasn't wanted to eat anything yet.

Any suggestions on what else I should do? Once he poops, I'll take a fecal sample to the vet. Maybe the fat belly is full of parasites?

Someone also suggested the fat belly could be from being kept too cold. Is this true?
-----
2 RES
1.1 Argentine B/W Tegus
1 Iguana
1 leucistic texas ratsnake
1 Knight Anole
1 mountain horned lizard
4 Egyptian dune geckos
1 albino burm
1 Western Hognose
1 Madagascar Hognose

Get the basking temp up to 130 degrees (F), cover all sides of the tank so it can't see you & vice-versa, cover the majority of the top with aluminum foil, garbage bag or something soild to help keep humidity in, get humidity to 60 - 75% and forget it's there for a day or two and then offer it a few crickets or a pinkie.

In a 20-gallon long tank with a dome reflector on top, a 45 - 50 watt flood light aimed at a rock, piece of bark or some other basking platform that's about 2 inches high should get you close to 130 degrees. Adjust from there. Keep tank misted and keep it in a low traffic area.

I brought one home last week from a pet shop due to it not improving over the last month. Within one week of doing what I just told you to do this mean lil' booger is ready to go back to the pet shop to bite the heck out of some unsuspecting newbie. And I guar-ran-tee you this lil' booger will bite, even chase ya. Mean as mean can be. Woohoo!!!

Lil' sucker latched onto my hand the other day and held on for 12 dang minutes. I think it was PO'ed about sumthin'. Hahahaha!!!

Yours will come around if you give it what it needs.

Hang in there!
HH

Keep us informed.
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Thanks!

I covered the sides of the tank with newspaper and put foil over the half of the cage that doesn't have the heat lights.

I also put in a hide box with misted moss in there so he can "burrow" if he feels the need.

I need to go out and get a tight beam heat light; I'm using a household 60 watt bulb and a 75 watt black light but its only getting it up to 105.

What temp should I be aiming at for night time?

Also, do you have any recomendations for a temp gun?
-----
1.1 Argentine B/W Tegus
1 Iguana
1.2 leucistic texas ratsnake
1 Knight Anole
1 mountain horned lizard
4 Egyptian dune geckos
1 Western Hognose
1 Madagascar Hognose
1 orange eyed armored skink
2 frog eyed geckos

On covering the top with alum. foil, leave about 1 inch uncovered on the cool end to help with good air flow.

Yeah, you'll probably need to get a flood light, not a spot, but a flood. It can be hard to get basking temps right with household incandescent bulbs without getting the cool end too hot. The cool end should be around 75 - 80.

I'd leave the basking light on 24/7. If you need to turn 'em off low 70's is the lowest I'd let the temperature get.

As for temp gun recommendations, I can't help ya there. I'd say check out ProExotics.com. I was the last hillbilly to get a computer and I'll probably be the last idiot to get a temp gun. Ha! Ha! I've managed to keep reptiles for 40 yrs without one but the time's a comin'. I'll be orderin' one soon.

Hang in there!
HH

-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

Yum yum, people meat . He liked the taste of you better than the pinks?

Quig
-----
Don't interupt me when I'm talkin' to myself

Ha! Ha! I don't know if it liked the way I tasted but I do know that it was out to prove a point.

Ever heard the ol' "softshell turtle bite" wive's tale that says when they bite, they won't let go 'til lightnin' strikes? Well, that's exactly what I thought of. And there wasn't a cloud in the sky at the time. Hahahaha!!! I sat down in my office chair and figr'd I was in for the long haul, and I was.

What gets me is this lil' booger will actually charge me sometimes. Beats all I've ever seen.

Catch ya later!
Mike
-----
Due to political correctness run amuck,
this ol' hillbilly is now referred to as an:
Appalachian American

finally a sav that looks meaner than mine!