Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,
to those of you who read my earlier post I decided to get a savvanah monitor, perhaps in the future an Albig from Pro exotics.
I would be amazing to have myself a 5 foot sav and someone told me its very little based on genetics but rather tempratures and food intake
Is this true?
If so whats the optimal diet and temps so my sav can reach this size?
thanks
Josh

You should not believe someone. that someone does not know their bum from a hole in the ground.

Female savs mature at 20inches total lenght or so. And female savs can reach three foot.

males mature around two foot and can reach 4 foot.

As far as I know, no Sav, wild or captive, HAS reached five ft.

All animals have a genetic potential. But reptiles can easily be stunted and never reach their potential.

But the cannot exceed their genetic potential no matter what you feed them. You can give them MGH(monitor growth hormones) but if they exceed their limits they die. oh well.

Albigs, do exceed five feet. But I think you already knew this stuff.

I know albigs do,
but if I may say to my knowledge there have been several accounts of savs reaching 5 foot plus.

Hi, there are always exceptions to the rule.
No doubt, somewhere on the planet there may be a couple of 5 ft Savannah monitors?
I`ve found in captivity, they usualy get measured by "guesstimate". (I see that that so many times), very few people actually measure length/weigh their monitors (any species) accurately, or regularly.
They don`t seem to think it`s a good idea to pick them up and do that, the stress will be too much (kill?) the animal?? NOT true!
If you do all you can to support the monitor, it should reach it`s full size potential, that would be around 4 feet (males), perhaps a little over, in some cases....
You should have a temp range between approx 75f ambient (air), up to between approx 120 to 130f basking spot (surface temp), in the daytime.
Nights, no lower than approx 70f (though they may experience lower than that in the wild).
Humidity between approx 60 to 70%, it will be somewhat lower in the basking area, but that`s fine...

Show me an account of one a full five feet, then I too will say that occurs. But until then, have not seen it.

Daniel Bennett, looked at them in nature and was very surprised to see them reach three feet in captivity, as the wild ones were way smaller.

So please link me to something reliable that shows a five footer.

I am aware that at my Local reptile store, a man named Mike Barrera comes in often with a HUGE savannah monitor perhaps 4 1/2 to 5 feet long. Ima do a little searching on the web to see if I can find a detailed account, i understand you want proof in the pudding and i will do all i can to do suchh?
perhaps these 5 foot individuals could be hybrids with albigs or pure savs I jsut dont know

Cant seem to find a hundred percent concrete evidence but simply by putting in 5 ft savannah monitor on youtube you get plenty of results. Suposedly many individuals have been recoreded as such, the largest being 5'2

You can say anything anytime, I want to see a five footer. Thats all I ask, or even close.

Utube is totally meaningless, its like here, anyone can say anything they like and they do.

I am not saying I need an offical measurement, I just want to see one thats big, and have something to kinda measure it with, like tiles or a ruler etc.

I understand that, I am going to see what I can find officially. I belive the largest savannah montior to ever be recored was in the range of 5'5 but again I just dont have solid documentation of it. I will continue looking for such

I mean with all those five footers out there, there has to be a picture of one. Got anything? even a picture of one that looks five feet or is photoshopped to look five feet, anything???

The point is, reality. In order for one to be five foot, it must be REAL. If its real, someone could measure it and show it.

If fact, if it was real, I think someone would be proud to actually show it. Even if its close.

Keep looking and when you find it, please show us. Thanks

http://www.stingersexotics.com/sting1_008.htm

Massively wide as well, I think this is the largest I have ever seen.

This looks about the size of the one ive seen. So the largest specimen posted so far is 4'1"? Looks like we are still a ways away from the 5ft mark.

Just another balloon shaped Savannah monitor, unheathy, undoubtably undermetabolised, and will be very lucky to live to it`s full age potential.
Very sad.....

After looking around real well I think we might have a winnnner!
He is supposedly right at 59 inches so lets round it off too 5 feet.
I just need to know how to get it from my phone to the computer.

I bet it never makes it to the computer and if it does, there is nothing to indicate its anywhere close to five feet.

So if your going to do this, get creative and make it so we can tell its five feet.

You do know there is a program that can measure reptiles from pics.

I am wondering how to get it on herea! I am not doubting nor do i fear a programm that can measure reptiles.

Can you send picture text messages? Just put in your email address instead of the number and it will send it strait to your email. Unless maybe you have some super archaic phone.

Put a measure to it. I'd love to see a 5' Sav. Like FR, I'll believe it when i see it.

I had a beast of one years ago, and everyone would say, what is he, 5' long? But when put to the measure, he was only 40".

Pardon me for reminding everyone Gecko Tribe, but what happened to the 5 feet 2 inch one you mentioned a day or two ago
(shrunk in the wash, no doubt)????

It was back in 1993 in the pet store in the old riverside mall in Utica N.Y.. Oddly enough some stripper had owned it and sold it to the pet store. It was absolutely 5 foot . I have no idea how she got it that big based on what people knew about monitor husbandry back then.
It was definitely a sav and it absolutely was the largest one I have ever seen. I'm not arguing with you at all on their size it was an exceptional specimen.

Really on offense, but a five footer is really big. did you measure it.

The reality is one that is 4ft 2 inches is actually twice as big as one thats four foot. They gain mass in a much greater proprotion once they are that size.

Again we all have stories or heard stories, but so far these stories turn out to be either really big savs, around four foot, or albigs.

Again, I do not doubt you that you saw a big one, all I ask is some kind of actual proof. Not even exact proof, just something other then a big Sav.

I hope you understand, we should all need something more, in order to entertain the idea that five foot Savs do exsist.

I worked at a Reptile park that offered a reward for an 8ft eastern diamondback. There were lots of stories of larger ones, but fifty years or so, no one claimed that reward.

I will see what I can find...
In FL about a year ago they killed a 8 foot rattle snake and their is picture proof of that. I will post now.

http://graphics1.snopes.com/photos/animals/graphics/15snake.jpg
http://graphics1.snopes.com/photos/animals/graphics/15snake2.jpg
http://graphics1.snopes.com/photos/animals/graphics/15snake3.jpg

I belive it was 8 ft but im reading and it says 15 feet!

That rattler may only be 5' long but forced perspective in those photographs make it appear to be much larger.

http://www.kingsnake.com/blog/archives/345-Forced-perspective-or-Giant-Rattlesnake-shots.html

You obviously only read the urban legend part of the page you pulled these pictures from...If you go on to read the whole thing, you'll see the following:

"In fact the apparent size of this rattler has been exaggerated in the photographs due to forced perspective...and the diamondback measured only 7 feet, 3 inches - less than half the length described above."

So, you sort of inadvertently proved FRs point...he wants actual proof that a 5 footer existed, not just stories, not shopped pictures or shoddy camera work. I've found the same thing with big snakes...I don't know how many times someones told me they have an "18 foot burmese python" and when I see it in person, it's not even 12. Having friends that actually OWN snakes well over 18 and 19 feet, it's not something that just anyone who owns a big snake is able to accomplish/maintain/keep alive.

have you read the entire story?
LMFAO im trying to find me a picuture of a five foot long savannah monitor.
I am going to go to try to take a picture from one over at my local shop who looks to be about 5'2

You certainly have an eye for measurement if it looks 5ft 2 inches.
If it`s only 5 ft. 1 inch, don`t bother showing it (they`re a dime a dozen, I`m told)!
(Just kidding)....

Lmao

Why are you trying to look for a 5 footer if you can just go take a picture of one? I saw a sav once that was so big it blew my mind. And I had seen some really big ones. At first glance I probly would have told people it was 5 ft or crazy im shocked its so huge measurement. Really it was just over 4ft. In girth it was 2x the size of most adult savs (also probly an exaggeration from my short viewing) I had seen, it just wasnt that much longer.

Its kinda like those 8 or 9ft boas I always see on craigslist. You know the ones that are just shy of 6ft, if that.

Just trying to find a pic of one, most really big savs are in private collections or casual house pets. Ima keep looking around. Ask a few good people at expos to see what info they could give me.

I've seen this photo two or three times at talks at the central florida herp society. It is a picture of Tom Crutchfield and 3 or 4 other employees holding a snake stretched out that appears to be about 12 to 14 ft long. The first time I saw the photo I remember thinking to myself that the pattern on that burm is rather unusual. Then I realize that it is not an unusually patterned burm but a Boa Constrictor.
My interest in Boa constrictors has been with hoggs and argentines so I am not sure of the exact locale of the snake in that photo but I seem to recall it may have been from Guyana.

some individuals of the colombian redtails, the females may get to be 12

The only boas I have seen even near the 12 ft mark have been BCC, true redtails. A colombian or BCI is BIG! at 9ft. Anyone claiming a BCI over 9ft I would have to call BS until proven.

No I cannot prove it to someone at this point in time as it was a very long time ago. I can tell you that back then I could compare it to the known dimensions of the cage (which I knew back then) it was in a very easily knew it was over 5 feet long.
Yes I remember it well as it made an impression on me. At that time it was one of the biggest monitors I had seen and hands down it is the biggest savanna I have ever seen.
I mean even now I really think of them as being a 2 1/2 foot to 3 1/2 foot monitor.
I don't doubt you disbelieving me, if I had not seen it myself and someone else told me of it I would be the same way.
I just telling you that I actually saw it, in person and not on youtube or craigslist or something. I also have a good sense of measurement and I am not one of those guys running around with a penis ruler and claiming things are much longer than they are.

A five foot savanna? I don't know if its not possible but if it is at the very least its highly unlikely. The places Bennett was poking around in Ghana don't produce anything near 5ft. 99% if not all savanna's currently in the US come from this region or very near. These regions do not produce big savanna's.

You mentioned genetic potential. That's a huge part of it. I think its a long shot that someone could get a savanna that has the genetic potential to reach 5ft from one of these areas. Its true they reach maturity at 20" . I have seen them gravid smaller. At the right time of year you cant find a 20" female that's not loaded with eggs. These animals are designed for very high turnover.

The miscellaneous

8 ft rattlesnakes? Arthur Jones conducted the most intensive search for a legitimate 8 ft rattlesnake in history. No one could back up their claims.TOM CRUTCHFIELD once sold a diamondback that he said was 71/2 ft to I think it was Don Hamper. The snake was really about 5 ft. But that's CRUTCHFIELD.

10 ft "Colombian " for sure....true redtails get much larger. 14 ft or very close. I have seen a couple that size in person and owned one that mesured 13 and change but they are far and few in between.

ERNIE EISON
WESTWOOD ACRES REPTILE FARM INC.

I would say that a 5 foot Savannah Monitor is nearly impossible. I have raised a couple to maturity and the largest reached 52 inches and weighed 21 pounds. His growth rate was rapid to 51 inches and then had dropped to almost zero a year before he died. I have not seen a larger Savannah Monitor.

Hi dale3242,
do you have a few photos you can put up, I think you`re right, a Savannah monitor getting just over 4 ft is very good, it would be nice to see that animal.... Thanks!

Wow, 21 lbs at 51 inches! My 54 incher was 10-11 lbs. At the time I had a blackthroat that was 54 inches and weighed only about 14 lbs. A good firend had a 5ft WT that weighed a6lbs and felt much much more substantial than my 54 inch bosc ever could have.

OOPs mis-typed, I meant 17 lbs was the weight on that male whitethroat that was 5ft long. A bosc monitor that weighs the same as a whitethroat at the same size would be shaped like a balloon. This picture he was 5.5ft and 20lbs.