Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So i just got a baby sav and its in a 4x3x2 wooden enclosure till it gets larger the humidity is being kept at a constant 75 with a increase at nite. has about 6 inches of sifted backyard dirt.the little guy seems to be eating fine but he seems to just bask all day long and he will ocasionally just sit there looking up at the heat lamp, i even came in my room and he was just sitting in the dark staring up at the lamp. he has 2 basking spots one at 120 and the other at around 130 he uses both and has many hides. i dont know if i should bump up the basking temp spots or what. maybe this is normal but ive heard if they bask all day its because they are not getting up to the proper temp to go walking around so please give me your input guys. thanks

Hi, first, I`d like to ask what you`re using to measure the temps (analogue or digital thermometer/hygrometer), because if the basking area has a hot spot of between 120 to 130f, that should be fine, especially for a baby, which will gain heat very quickly. One basking spot is o.k if the monitor is housed alone, why do you have two, it might make a difference to the ambient temps in a relatively small encosure (I`m not saying you can`t have more than one, just wondering)?
A humidity of around 60 to 70% is o.k, can you tell me the range of ambient temps both during the day and through the night, from cool to warm side, and do you have a few pics you can put up, both of the monitor and the enclosure? Thanks!

to measure the temps im using a digital temp gun. for humitity it is an analog gauge. the warm side is about 90 going down to 75 on the cool side and the temps drop to 85 hot side to 75 cool side at nite. Ill try and get some pics up soon. but for now its a 4x3x2 wooden enclosure with glass sliders it has 2 50 watt floods over a raised 1X3 tile platform and a heat emiter in the center of the enclosure hes on about 6 inches of soil and has a large water bowl hes been eating well im just not sure what with him holding his head straight up like that i dont know if he came with a possible repritory infection of they digest like that or whats going on

Hi again, it`s very difficult to say much about why the monitor`s behaving that way without even as pic ((even then, you really need a vet to take a look, if you`re worried).
You cannot measure ambient (air) temps with a temp gun, that only gives the surface temp as in the basking spot, the analogue types can be quite innacurate, you really need a digital hygrometer, and you can get them quite cheaply; try ebay.
Is the monitor actively hunting the prey (insects should form the bulk of the diet just now)?

yea im going to try to get some pics up for you but ill look into getting a digital hydrometer. he does go and hunts down the crickets and is eating 5 to 7 a day. and yes hes eating all insects ive given him crickets and super worms but he doesnt seem to be interested in the worms

O.k, try to get some pics up, and the digital hygrometer really is a must, asap!!

The advice your getting while not wrong is well, odd.

FIrst, what kind of cage? does it have a screen top, or large vents, is so, cover them.

Get rid of the heat emitter. Use a regular lite fixture in the cage. Place the fixture so its about six inches from the nearest surface. Usually the top of a hide, Retes boards, etc.

Measure your hot spot there. I would hope the cage is in a room, if so, room temps are perfect. Part of the cage at room temps, on the otherside, under the lamp, 130F or a little hotter.

I think you mentioned dirt as a substrate. All you need is for part of the cage to be NOT DRY, humid is all. Like misting half the cage is all thats needed with a closed cage.

Then feed the beans out of it. Including pinkies and insects.

If its holding its head up, that is not a good sign, high heat may take care of that quickly, If not, to the vet it goes.

A temp gun is all you need. All that other stuff is, well just other stuff.

In case you don't already know, I have raised up hundreds of monitors successfully.

The actual point of good husbandry is to keep it simple and make it easy for both you and the monitor. You provide some things, the monitor will provide the rest.

The key is allowing air movement. Because of high basking temps, that can cause lots of air movement and that causes dehydration. You only need the minimum wattage to create a basking area with the temps mentioned above. any more is a waste and causes dehydration.

So, KISS, keep it simple stupid. Hey, I did not make that up. but it works here.

After you have it simple and working, you them make lots of fun out of it. Cheers

It's a wooden enclosure I made with glass sliders the humidity is good and there are no vents he's been eating well the heat emmiter is only for nite his basking spot is raised up under a 50 watt flood. I just don't know why he keeps looking straight up

What temperature is the room the cages in?

The temps during the day are about 80 and go down to 73 at nite in the room. He also has a nite time heat emmiter to keep those temps a little higher. He started sneezing today so I'm guessing he has a cold now. great