Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all,

Yesterday after I had gotten off work I came home and looked into My Sav's tank ( hatchling, 7" ) and I didn't see her.

I got close to the glass and peered into her shelters ( I didn't want to lift them in case she was hiding in her shelter ) and I didn't see her.

I didn't think there was any way she could escape, so I lifted both of her shelters and she wasn't there! I was freaking out. The top to her enclosure was still on when I had gotten there and the only person that had been here was the guy that came to fix the A/C.

Eventually I lifted her water dish, and she was there, burrowed in the mulch underneath it. I didn't know she would sqeeze into such a shallow space, and she seems to be fine, but I want to check whether or not this is normal, or if this caused by a potential problem with her enclosure.

Any info would be appreciated ( and I hope that it is normal; it looked like she wouldn't have even been able to move, but she was fine ).

Thanks,
~GK

that monitors like tight spaces(secure spaces)with no room on either side of its body, for thats when it feels totally secure. So yes it is normal for them. Knowing that i'd suggest adding a few small(tight) secure areas where it can retreat to when it feels threatened or give it what it needs to create its own i.e. dirt!! Good Day

Thanks a bunch. =)

Hi,

Virtually all monitors like to burrow, and Savs really like it. As juveniles in the wild they live a good part of their lives in giant cricket burrows. It is very important to give them plenty of substrate to burrow in.
I would highly recommend that you get Daniel Bennett's book on Savs - he recommends substrate 1 and 1/2 feet deep for adult Savs...might be overkill, but for all my monitors I give them as deep as I can of a substrate that will hold a burrow.
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Phil Black
www.VaranusWeb.com