Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I always see the pics of the 'football' shape savs online and all over the place and have always been glad mine do not look like that, however my male is gaining ALOT of weight for some reason. I don't know what to do. They have plenty of room 8x8, plenty of rocks, hides, things to explore, plenty of heat and basking spots anywhere from 120 degrees to 150 degrees, there is a water container big enough for them to submerge in and a cool side. It's like they just don't excercise anymore. I have cut back on feeding a little bit, I probably feed 3-4 rats to the male every 2 days and 5-6 mice to the smaller female every 2 days. and I have even rearranged the enclosure setup, because it seems they get bored with the same thing and if I change it they will explore the new surroundings more, but now it's like they don't even care if I change it. Any suggestions?
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1.1 Savannah Monitors (Annah & Terrance)
1.1 Nile Monitor (Lyle)
1.0 Timor Monitor (Timmmmaaayy)
1.0 Blood Python (Kevin)
1.0 Ball Python (Martin)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Bella)
2.0 Bearded Dragons (Peter & Jack)
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake (Hector)
1.1 Kenyan Sand Boas (Wayne & Maude)
1.0 Dwarf Gecko (Little Girl)
1.0 Curly Hair Tarantula (Pube)
1.0 OBT Usumbara Orange Baboon Tarantula (Sin)
1.0 Emperor Scorpion (Ashoka)
2.0 D. auratus (Poison Dart Frogs)
1.0 Peacock Bass (Gary)

are you sure the male is the male. and the female is the female. not vice versa.

>>are you sure the male is the male. and the female is the female. not vice versa.

I dropped my male back to 3 rats ever 2 to 3 days and once a week instead of rats he gets either 2 chicks or an equivelant weight piece of fish (I use usually tilapia or finger size mullet) and he is very much slimmer and looks great.
(BTW he is a year old and 39 inches long)
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1.1.0 YBS
1.3.0 RES
1.0.0 red belly cooter
0.0.2 mud turtles
1.1.0 Savannah Monitor
0.1.0 Blackthroat monitor
0.1.0 Leopard Gecko
0.1.0 Mountain Horned dragon
2.1.0 Ball pythons
1.0.0 Bearded dragons
cats, dog, ferrets, rabbit, rats.

Hi,

I never had savs, but i think you are overfeeding them.
I have a pair of rudi's that are breeding and in good health and are probably bigger than your savs, at least the male.
I feed them about the same: about 5-6 adult mice a week!!!
The male is a lot bigger, but the female lays eggs so they use about the same energy.
I feed my doreanus(3 feet long) that are growing well about 3-4 adult mice a week.

Jasper

One possibility - savannas are inactive and fasting for about 2/3 of the year during the dry season. In the wet season they become active again and gorge themselves on food. Maybe your sav just thinks it is time to go inactive, but since you are still feeding him he is gaining weight.

Solutions to consider:
* drenching the enclosure to simulate rain storms.
* raising the humidity.
* simulating a dry season for about half a year and not feeding the savs during this time.

I don't claim that this is the answer, but something to think about.

Luke

Hey thanks for the replies. I usually feed less during the winter when it is cooler in the enclosure but usually by now they begin to be more active and eat more. Spraying the enclosure down is a good idea to maybe 'jump start' the process, thanks.

Dan
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1.1 Savannah Monitors (Annah & Terrance)
1.1 Nile Monitor (Lyle)
1.0 Timor Monitor (Timmmmaaayy)
1.0 Blood Python (Kevin)
1.0 Ball Python (Martin)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Bella)
2.0 Bearded Dragons (Peter & Jack)
1.0 Mexican Black Kingsnake (Hector)
1.1 Kenyan Sand Boas (Wayne & Maude)
1.0 Dwarf Gecko (Little Girl)
1.0 Curly Hair Tarantula (Pube)
1.0 OBT Usumbara Orange Baboon Tarantula (Sin)
1.0 Emperor Scorpion (Ashoka)
2.0 D. auratus (Poison Dart Frogs)
1.0 Peacock Bass (Gary)

When you get bosc monitors they are possibly from months to a few years old regardless of their size from the wild, so they will eat alot to take advantage and grow, but when they get a certain size they slow down alot.
Feed one every other day, if this continues feed 1 every second day. But feed less more often, if you need to adust up then do so at that point.
Heck my adult flaviargus eats once a week at 4ft long, a medium guinea pig, sometimes a few rare chicken peeps.