Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I aquired my first reptile in YEARS in the form of a young savannah monitor aproximatley 10" long. I have a little experience with monitors back in my teenage years. I am excited to get back in to the hobby, and to be able to provide better than I could then.

Tuesday when I introduced him to his set up, he was exploring and basking on the corkbark I have provided. He ate a lot of crickets that day as well, maybe 30-40 total. Since then I have backed off the crickets a bit and introduced a bowl of gutloaded/dusted giant mealworms. He NEVER comes out now. Hides all day on the hot side under his corkbark basking spot. Late in the second day I saw he defecated in his water bowl, so I had proof he came out. Since then he has pooped twice near the entrance of his hidespot rather than venturing out any further.

I understand that young monitors are going to be hiding a lot until they trust their surroundings, but what I don't understand is how come the first day we got him, he was out and about no problem with my girlfriend and me watching? Now he is a total recluse. That seems backward to me.

Hi, I have a total of 2 weeks experience with this species. But I wanted to let you know that we experienced the exact same thing here. A week ago I put him into the semi-permanent setup and he was out and about eating and exploring while I watched almost all day. Then he disappeared for 4 days... same as yours, he pooped in the water dish one day but that was it. TODAY he has decided to bask half in and half out of his hot hide. When I come in the room he backs up but then seems to be coming back out with a little bit more confidence and even took a roach from the tongs. So I dunno if this is typical or what but mine is pretty much mirroring yours.

Carole
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www.reptilecare.com

Absolutly normal. A baby sav spend 90% hide.
But setup is the key.
How is your?
Some photos please.
And how are t° ?

Thanks for the replies guys. I expected them to be shy, but I was thrown off by the lizard seeming so comfortable out in the open the first day, and then going in to non stop hide mode later that evening. Makes me feel like I did something wrong, I have handled the lizard for short periods (3 minutes tops) each day, I know that is not suggested.

Temporary set up should be fine. It's a 20L tank for now, while I'm in the process of setting up a 5 foot enclosure. 115 degree basking spot (plan on raising that a bit soon). Cool side is around 75. Cypress mulch for bedding. Water bowl in middle. I have a half cork bark tube under heat lamp which is where he spends all of his time hiding under.

I'm going to take a hands off approach, maybe offer food from some tongs for a week or two and see if that gets him a little more willing to leave his hide.

They get less shy as they mature. Especially during feeding time. You have to watch your fingers when feeding monitors...they sometimes mistake humans for mice.

I once spilled some water on the carpet while my female sav was walking around and I used a white towel to soak up the water. She must have thought the towel was a giant mouse because she came running over full speed and sunk her teeth into that towel as deep as they would go. LOL.

Yeah that's the thing... I want to respect his privacy, but I also want to start working with him as soon as I can, because I do not want a 4 foot aggressive lizard on my hands. The food aggressiveness I expect though. I'll be watching my toes when he's bigger!

I have a black throat. And he was the same when I first got him. Give him a month to settle down. Only change water bowl and feed him, but dont bother him too much. After a month u can start introducing yourself by feeding him by tongs. This way you can create some trust. Don't bother him while he is in his hide that only makes it worst. Don't pick him up or anything just feed him with tongs every day and he will get use to your presence. After three weeks put one hand in the tank while you feed him with the other. This gets him used to your hands. And do this every day till he is not nervous anymore. Then lure him into climbing into your hands with the tongs. Little by little he will trust you and you will have a very nice tame monitor. Time and patience is the key.
I have had my black throat for three months and with this method I can go in the cage and pet him whenever and pick him up and he doesnt hiss or tail whips anymore. He is totally chilled now. Now I put my hand in the tank n he sometimes climbs on my hand. I guess thinking am giving him food.
By the way don't push him too much. Do everything on the monitors time.

I recently moved a few things around in my monitors cage man did I take two steps back as far as getting the little guy confident, good advice above. Im gonna have to pretend the little guy doesnt exist its so hard not to want to check up on them, peek into there hides