savanna question

wens savy · #1 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 07:06 AM

Can two savanna monitors be housed together if they were not raised together? Also if so is it best to house male and female or female and female together? Or not at all. I am being given many different answers to my questions and cant seem to get an honest on....Please help.. Also the enclosure is brand new. I just built a 6ft x 4ft x 5 ft enclosure becasue my savy is growing and I wanted her to be comfy..I washoping I can get her a friend,...

Dachande · #2 (**permalink**) 02-02-2006, 06:22 PM

they prefer to be solitary. i wouldn't put them together unless i had plans on breeding. and even then it would only be for as long as mating occurs, then seperated again. if you do want another sav, plan on building another cage. even 2 females will fight and try to assert dominance over one another. you would have to be prepared for this should they not get along. and being raised solitary with no other monitors to interact with will most likely pose problems once they are introduced. the only monitors i know of that can live together full time are ackies. and even then it is best if they are raised together.
if you really would like to acquire another savannah, i would suggest another enclosure. and slowly introduce them outside of the cages. then, if you are lucky and they get along, you may be able to place them both in the same enclosure. keep an eye on them to make sure they don't fight and any signs of aggression should mean the immediate removal of the new monitor and place it in the other cage.

wens savy · #3 (**permalink**) 02-03-2006, 05:05 PM

wow thanks for the detailed response. I appreciate it. So even though my savy right now looks lonely it is ok? Probably just my imaination...

Dachande · #4 (**permalink**) 02-03-2006, 06:04 PM

...is the term used when one places human qualities onto an animal. they aren't like us in those senses. they don't get sad, angry or lonely. they do get scared and wether they get "happy" is beyond me. fear is a natural programming in their instincts to keep them from danger. monitors don't get mean, they are just scared. it's safe to say all animals know fear, or else their species would be extinct.

you have to know that monitors do not enjoy interaction with each other. they are not social by nature. the only thing that draws them together in the wild is mating and sharing of carcasses or kills (which is definetly the case with komodos and water monitors). komodos nearly always gather at a large kill or carcass, but even then i wouldn't say they "enjoy" the company of other monitors.
they are territorial. even females will set up a home area and defend it should another female approach, (or male if it is not mating season). the closest social skill they have is exerting dominance over other monitors to prove they are superior to the others. ackies will do this as well, and they are the most social of monitors. which is why many people keep pairs and trios, but in those cases the groups are also raised together. and even with ackies the introduction of a new cagemate will result in dominance behavior, so supervision to ensure the "newbie" doesn't get stressed out to much from the alpha's aggression is needed, like with any other monitor.
worst case scenario, the monitors are introduced and the dominant of the group will kill or harass the new one to death, keep it form eating or drinking, and prevent it from using the best basking spots and hides. the stress alone is enough to send the healthiest animal down hill.

some have introduced and kept monitors together in extra large enclosures to accomodate both animals. there's always friction at first. and they have to set up basking spots for both should they get territorial within the enclosure, and hides for each to use by itself. this means a very large cage. but a seperate enclosure for dividing the lizards is a necessity should they begin to fight and it comes to that alot of the times.

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