First, Savs are grassland animals, not raparian. So all this wet/damp stuff is foregin to it.



They live in burrows, its there they conserve humidity. In otherwords, soaking is not what they do, soaking indicates, extreme dehydration. While its fine to soak a monitor in rehab. Please learn to prevent dehydration so there is no need to soak.



With the amount of heat your applying, my bet is you have a screen lid and the lights are on top. That is BAD, that is exactly what causes dehydration. Your neating air, because of the high heat required by monitors, that hot air is raising out of the cage and dehydrating whats in the cage, Substrate, water bowl, and the animal. Fix that, cover the lid, place the heat lamps inside the cage, USE LESS HEAT THAT WILL NOT BURN THE MONITOR and all will be well.



Savs are monitors, they eat anything thats available. Wild or captive. From the smallest to the largest, all have a wide wide range of prey items they will utililize.



What you feed really depends on what your hoping to accomplish. If your monitor has a full heat range to utilize, then rodents are best. OF course insects can be included if you like. Again, if your conditions are good, monitors attempt to eat anything and ask questions as to what it was, LATER.



A healthy sav will attempt to consume mice, birds, fish, logs, toyotas, coke cans, and you, and do so on a daily basis. That is, eat their fill daily and be starving the next day. IF CONDITIONS ALLOW



So,

1. prevent dehydration, limit air loss, allow burrowing etc.

2. provide a fairly wide range of usable temps, 70F to 150F and the ability to use them while basking and while in/under.

3. don't worry about what its eating now, if you do 1. and 2. it will soon return to acting like the world is its dinner plate.



Of course, a vet visit is recomended. That way, you can start with a level playing field. best of luck

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