Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok this is the first time I ran into this problem...My Juvinile Savanna Monitor is not eating like she used too....she used to eat 2 dozen crickets per week and 2 mice per week and now she dont hardly eat at all...what should I do?...should I worry?...any help at all would be greatly appreciated!

-Rob and Beth

if i were you i would explain my husbandry (how you take care of your animal) to a tee. then, since we like pics, i would post a pic of your setup. finally i would post pics of your animal after you have taken care of the problem. we all like to see pics of healthy animals like these:

andrew

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Varanus Creations

Ok I will love to post and describe the husbandry but I need some help...I am new to the board so the question would be...how do I post pictures?

-RobandBeth

It could be alot of reasons. One of which could be the husbandry. Or it could be your animal getting older and slowing down it's food intake. Or it could be that this time of year african varanids slow down. They may or may not go into a type of brumation.

If your concerned about the health of the monitor, I would suggest seeing a vet.

Good luck,
Jody

And a few mice a week more than that. Sounds like a temperature problem to start, and some or many other problems adding together. Give condition of ventilation of the top of cage, size of cage, size of animal, basking temps (surface), cool end ambient temps, warm ambient temps, availability of hide places, depth of substrate and type of substrate, etc.

Ok here is the best that I ca give on its husbandry...

CAGE:4 foot length
2 foot width
1 1/2 foot height
The cage is made of plexiglass and 100% silicone adhesive, the cage has a open screen top for ventilation.

SUBSTRATE: Is 1/2 playsand about 3 inches deep
1/2 potting soil about 3 inches deep
3 climbing rocks
large cat pan for water/bathing changed daily(I just changed the water before I took the picture, she is kinda messy)

HEAT: 1 60 watt dayglow bulb with a heat lamp.no other heat source...

TEMPS: are at 85 degrees basking and 75 threw out the whole cage..now it might be warmer in the cage cause the whole reptile room stays about 80-85 degrees

MY THAUGHTS: I know I dont have no hides....shoud I provide one?
I know the tempature is not ideal, so would it be best to put my 100 watt halogen back in the heat lamp?
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here is a up close picture of hydra....

Hydra and Tape Measure....

Good luck with your critter.

thanks for the pics rob or beth or whoever you are.

your setup will ultimately need to be a bit bigger, if i have a proper understanding of the needs of savannah monitors, which i think i do.

also, savs are not desert monitors. it does not look like you keep your sav as such, but it does have some shedding issues.

most fish tank type setups do not properly allow the monitor its humidity needs. savs are not tropical either but need atleast good burrowing abilities to help with their humidity.

i would probably bank a couple bulbs (ie put two 45's or two 60's together side by side over one side of the cage). you will need to bring the basking up to around 130ish. and the overall cage temp would be good at around 84-85ish or around that area, but not 75 as you said.

your sav is bigger too, there is no need now to keep on feeding it insects. fuzzy mice or adult mice will be fine. savs have a tendency to become obese, so 4 a week would be fine for your sav.

my .02,

andrew
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Varanus Creations

Your basking area needs to be upped to around 130-150 either do this by adding a larger watt bulb, or moving it closer to the floor. Be sure it is not close enough to burn your animal and use a flood bulb not a spot bulb.

The animal itself looks in bad health. If it is a recent purchase it is probly a fresh import. Which should be taken to the vet. it needs to be rehydrated, and may or may not have some parasite problems.

See a vet first and for most, have a fecal ran, and then change the husbandry.

Good luck
Jody

well we have had her for about 4 months and after we purchased her we found out the petstore naglects their animals...anywho she was at the vet once (We will be taking her again) for skin infection and we got spray for her but like I said its permanent scaring but as for the dehydration....do you think she looks dehydrated?...she does look skinny and all....

-RobandBeth

dehydrated, immaciated, malnourished, skinny, all of the above. I would take her in for a fecal as she looks like she has never shed off her wild skin yet. Get a 100% health check first and foremost. then get your husbandry problems fixed.

Has she looked this way for 4 months? or did she look worse better before?

Then dispose of the screen top. Next get rid of the sand it does nothing for your monitor, monitors are not desert animals, use dirt preferably a foot deep if you can because dirt holds moisture holds a burrow etc.
Next get rid of the reptile bulb they do nothing but cost alot and burn out fast. Use an outdoor flood of 45 watts mounted about a foot away or so to get a 135-180 degree basking spot (thats a surface temp measured by an infared temp gun on the hotspot of the basking board or rock under the bulb), with about 70 ambient (air temp) on the other end.
Id use a small water dish that he can drink from because if he soaks frequently hes escaping heat the only way he can and needs a lower cool ambient temp.
Yes, a hide is needed on the cool and also warm end.
Id suggest a bigger cage to start, then add the rest.

you have a long way to go by looking at that animal. check out our Sav/Ionides caresheet at our site, and follow it closely, do what needs to be done, and hopefully your animal will get turned around.

and definitely see a vet. probably a different one : )

best of luck.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

OK we will get a Vet appointment set up soon (like maybe tomarrow) but as for Jody....We baught her and she has had one hell of an attitude and an excellent appetite and had some fat to her but it seams like she is goin down hill this is why I came to this board to seek help and advise...Thank you all

-RobandBeth

The next step would be to correct your husbandry problems.
I am sure the cool temps have something to do with it going down hill, but it may also have some parasites messing with it too.

Good luck with the little one
Jody