Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok so i got my lil man from a reptile show and he was doing really good he would tear up crickets he is still really small but some how he escaped from his tank( theres a lid on it now) but he was missing for four days now ever since i have found him he wont eat anything! i have been soaking him n warm water he is basking like normal but is getting kind of skinny so any sugesstions on what i could do or anything?? dont want to loose him

Try to decribe your cage as best as possible. The temps, humidity and surface temps are most important. Photos would help too.

the temp last night was around 95 i kno i need it to be around 100 110 so i put another light on there the humidity im not sure of but there is a water bowl n there at all times i would send a pic but at the moment im in class so when i get home today i will take a picture and put it on here there is a log tree thing in there so he can bask and get closer or farther from the heat if he chooses and theres a couple of tree like decorations my humidity gaguge is n an incubator with bearded dragon eggs so i guess i could take it out for an hour or 2 so try and get a acurate reading for you.

He needs a way higher temp basking spot. What kind of bulbs are you using? You might need to go get a stronger bulb instead of using a few weaker ones. and what are the other temps in the cage besides basking, like the ambient temps on the hot a cool side?

Is the water bowl the only source of humidity? Do you spray down the cage and what kind of bedding do you use? I have had a few rescue savannahs that would not eat when I got them, every single one started eating after a few days of the correct heat.

I personally think its just the fact that your savannah escaped was probably a bit scared and cold. Just keep the temps right and your savannah will eat again. Your savannah doesnt really know whats outside the cage but monitors are very curious creaturs. Once it got out it, it doesnt want to get eaten so it hides. Just let it acclimate again. Temps are important for savannahs but since they are more of a drier climate i dont think you need to worry about the humidity like some of the other monitor lizards.

You must provide correct temps.

You will absolutely need a temp gun. You can buy this at home depot. Without a temp gun you will NOT know the surface temps of the enclosure.

When you buy the temp gun, point it at the basking spot and if it isn't up to 130 then you need some adjusting to do.

Do NOT go the route of just one big bulb. It will reduce the ambient temps in the cage and you will have only ONE hot spot and the rest of the cage will be too cool for him to digest his food properly and he will not eat because of it.

Of course this all depends on what kind of enclosure you have for him. Is it a fish tank with a screen top? If so, DITCH IT. Build something for him before it's too late. Fish tanks kill monitors, simply PUT.

Build a 6x4x4 if you can and if you can't then have somebody do it for you. If you don't have the means to build a big cage then you should not have the monitor. Gotta man up and do things properly if you want a healthy lizard that will live past 2 years.

You should be aiming for humidity at a constant 50-60%. No higher, no lower.

The air temps of the cage should be between 85 and 77 degrees. Not much higher, definitely not any lower.

These monitors need to be able to get hot QUICK in their natural habitats. Staying out basking for too long = chances of being eaten by an eagle or other predator increase.

Of course they don't have to worry about predators in captivity but they still like to be able to get really hot really fast to START their day. Then when the air temps increase after morning they usually like to chill out somewhere away from the basking spot and rest only to wake up later to get really hot really fast again.

He won't eat if he is stressed out from being handled.

He won't eat if he is stressed out from a crappy cage.

That is why it's good to get them in a nice big cage as a baby AS SOON AS POSSIBLE so that they can get into a schedule with correct husbandry.

-WRC

ok the basking spot i got up to 110 with one bulb got a new 1 and started misting the bedding a lil bit with the water bowl still in there me and my boyfriend are going to try and build a cage but money is tight for every1 so we r gonna get that made asap but goood news! on my way home from work i picked up some crickets and TADER my savannah ate about 5! i kno that isnt alot but from not eatting for a week 5 would prob fill me up too so ill keep u all posted thank u for all the information o and ill get getting the humidity and a nother temp gague soon as well

Raising the actual surface spot(log, rock,etc.) Bringing it up a couple inches closer to the light will make the surface temp hotter without adding more bulbs if your ambient is already pretty warm. Provide a humid burrow.

Just make sure you've not used a screen top for the tank, you need humidity in there as previously mentioned of around 50/60%.

Deep substrate is the best way to go if you can provide it, to hot & dry is as bad as to cold & wet health wise, it needs to be somewhere near right.

here's a link for you & good luck >

Link

I use screen tops all the time. Just lay a piece of plexiglass over the top of the screen that doesn't have the light on it. For more humidity hug it closer to the light for less pull it back and let more screen show.

You can buy the plexaglass cheap at home depot type places.