Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hi all, i am very interested in getting a sav.
the thing is housing it. how could i house one for cheap----any ideas for someone on a tight budget????
thanks in advance

Yea, stay away from monitors. Get a gecko. Monitors cost alot of money to feed and house properly. Read through the forums here and you will see the kind of enclosures these animals require.

i guess my budget isn't to tight and i know they need a big area--just wanted ideas for money saving ways

Check out some smaller captive bred species like Red or Yellow Ackies. They might cost more off the bat but the costs associated with husbandry and food should even that out in a couple of months. Its also nice to buy from a breeder rather then a poor import that might have some serious problems. Good Luck

I agree, ackies are a better choice for a first monitor. As far as housing goes stock tanks are great but you would most likely need the 10' for something as large as a sav. An ackie or a group of ackies in even a 6' stock tank is going to be a lot more fun to watch and interact with.

Hello Wisconsin,
If you do your research, you will have to try to avoid a trough to not see it as the most affordable and complete housing option. With a question of this nature, (unless you are just trying to spark up a new topic) you are probably not going to enjoy a longterm working relationship with a monitor... Best to you- Mike

Money should not be an issue with keeping monitors, as in, if you dont have money, you cant have monitors, but i think that is BS, there are definitely ways to pinch pennies here and there as long as you understand there are somethings that will require some money thrown at them, the biggest thing is feeding, there is no way around that, you have to buy good quality feeders, turkey, and other substitutes jsut dont cut it for some reason. Caging can be done economically friendly. You can start off raising a sav in rubbermaid tubs, yhou will have to modify them to be escape proof and put lights in other than that they are great, they have solid lids, hold heat and humidity well and best of all are waterproof and wont decay like wood cages ALL DO no matter how many coats of urethane you use. once they grow for a bit, you can then house a sav in a trough type set up, these can be very cheap as well, i've seen the 8 ft troughs sell for as little as 160 bucks, throw a plywood lid and some lights on top and presto you have a big monitor cage for under 250 bucks and it will last forever. You may have to change the plywood lid from time to time, but i've had plywood lids on my troughs maintaianing 50-70% humidity for almost two years now and the lids are still solid. there are ways to do things without going poor, just keep it mind that its not going to be pretty, but it will be functional.

I use FRP to line them, those cages never get wet, or rot, they are sealed inside, and are water proof like an aquarium.
In fact I know a guy who makes cages, his wife asked him to set up an aquarium for her, he turned an old ackie cage (plywood and FRP lining) into an aquarium by taking the door off, flipping the doorway up, and filling it with water. The thing held water for years, the last time I checked it was still working.
But then again I dont think Ive ever heard anyone who was looking for a way to save money on monitor care that was willing to gothe route of building a cage, lining it with FRP ($31 a sheet), sealing all the corners, etc.
Usually they are looking for justification to slap a big lizard in a tiny aquarium, you know, at least one person to agree that its ok.
People, if food is too expensive, you dont get a monitor..
If housing (the next highest expense) is too expensive, DONT GET A MONITOR.
The problem lies in petstore making available $5-$50 bosc, nile, etc for impulse buyers, especially bored kids who have nothing to do, and schools out. The petstores plan for certain times of year, they know what to stock. At reptile shows the experienced vendors do the same, they stock certain animals, in certain amounts before a show by the time of year, why, those things sell at that time faster.
If you have a petstore or you are a vendor at a reptile show and you tell people who ask about individual animals, the real truth about what the animal needs, and how difficult and or expensive it is to keep them, they look at you like your crazy..
You would never sell a thing if you told the truth to 99% of those who are interested.
I am completely serious, Ive helped friends with both venues, the customers twist their face up, stare at you like your nose is falling off, and walk away when they are given the truth. The same customer goes down the isle and buys from the guy who lies to him right after you told them the truth, so whos not too smart, the guy telling the truth and not making the sale, or the guy who believes the lies to buy something?