Please help, this dude is crazy!!!

blueragekennel · #1 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 05:30 AM

I just recently got my first savannah monitor about a week ago, he is 1yr. and 2 months old. Well atleast I call him a he, I don't know for sure of the sex. But I bought him from a local pet shop, and the owner said he has had him for awhile and he has always been cranky, but should be fine in a new environment, and not in a pet store. But here it is a week later and this guy is off the chain!!! Every time I stick my hand in the cage he goes nuts, start tail whipping, and hissing like crazy, and will not stop. It doesn't matter if I try to stick my hand in there 150 times a day he still does it every time. The pet store owner told me when picking him up to just put my hand about a foot from him, and just grab him really fast by putting my thumb and pointer finger around his neck, and keep them there after I pick him up so he can't bite me. I think that this has to be very unpleasent for him, so does anyone else have any ideas on how to go about getting out of his cage without harming or upsetting him, and still being able to keep all of my fingers?? I use leather gloves right now, and I can't say he has ever tried to bite, just hiss alot and tail whip. But he also has not been given the chance because I am really cautious, (borderline terrified of him). But I think given the opportunity, he would definetly bite. Also just so I have an idea, he is 1 foot 7 inches long right now, and can someone give me an idea of what to expect if he does happen to bite me without gloves on? I mean are we talkin stitches at this age, or just pain. Thank you very much for any help I might recieve.

Pork Chops N' Corn Bread · #2 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueragekennel

I just recently got my first savannah monitor about a week ago, he is 1yr. and 2 months old. Well atleast I call him a he, I don't know for sure of the sex. But I bought him from a local pet shop, and the owner said he has had him for awhile and he has always been cranky, but should be fine in a new environment, and not in a pet store. But here it is a week later and this guy is off the chain!!! Every time I stick my hand in the cage he goes nuts, start tail whipping, and hissing like crazy, and will not stop. It doesn't matter if I try to stick my hand in there 150 times a day he still does it every time. The pet store owner told me when picking him up to just put my hand about a foot from him, and just grab him really fast by putting my thumb and pointer finger around his neck, and keep them there after I pick him up so he can't bite me. I think that this has to be very unpleasent for him, so does anyone else have any ideas on how to go about getting out of his cage without harming or upsetting him, and still being able to keep all of my fingers?? I use leather gloves right now, and I can't say he has ever tried to bite, just hiss alot and tail whip. But he also has not been given the chance because I am really cautious, (borderline terrified of him). But I think given the opportunity, he would definetly bite. Also just so I have an idea, he is 1 foot 7 inches long right now, and can someone give me an idea of what to expect if he does happen to bite me without gloves on? I mean are we talkin stitches at this age, or just pain. Thank you very much for any help I might recieve.

My boy is over 2' and his bite leaves a nice mark but its the preasure of the bite that hurts. If he is like mine and hangs on, i recomend you have some vinager near by to get him to release. Just keep on handling him for 10-20 minutes a day and he should tame down. I've has my boy since he was a hatchling and he is still mean. Never really did calm down.

RevMojo · #3 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 05:35 AM

First of all, welcome to RTB. I don't know much about Sav's, but I've found with my Beardie that going for the fast scoop does seem to work better. That may well be apples and oranges though. Stick around and be patient, before long, someone knowledgeable will show up. I'll get the preliminaries out of the way by trying to rule out environmental stressors: Tell us a bit about how you're keeping him. What size cage, what temps, etc.

HavocovaH · #4 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 05:36 AM

not sure if this will work with a monitor but i know they are more closely related to snakes than other lizards and if you wear a shirt, get it all stanky, put it in the cage with a snake, and leave it there a few days the snake will get used to your scent and calm down around you...may work for a monitor but then again i don't have any experience with them and i dunno if they will try to eat it or not...if you know that it's safe though it may be worth a try. (just remember not to use a good shirt) hope you get him calmed down soon. *edit* and have you tried flogging him mercilessly? nice sig btw Rev.

blueragekennel · #5 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 05:45 AM

He is kept right now, (temporarily until I get his cage built,) in a 55gal aquarium. I have his temp. at about 82-86 degrees during the day and about 74-78 degrees at night. Those were the temps I was told to keep from the pet store owner. The 55 gal. tank I know is to small but it is just temporary, but it still has to be alot better then the 10gal. that the pet shop owner kept him in. I also went ahead and bought another Savannah today a 1 month old, and even that little s*#t hisses at me when I put my hand near him.... I think all reptiles must just hate me

... I bought the little one hopeing to be able to tame him alittle easier. Don't get me wrong the bigger one I am keepng as well.

blueragekennel · #6 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 05:46 AM

What do you mean by flogging him?

Pork Chops N' Corn Bread · #7 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 05:47 AM

First off give him a basking spot of about 110-120 degrees. Feed him all thr bugs he will eat now and just keep on trying. He won't become tame over night, it will take some time

HavocovaH · #8 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 06:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueragekennel

What do you mean by flogging him?

lol, that part was a joke bro =P, but the part about the shirt was serious it's worked with many snakes and if you know that he won't try to ingest it i don't see how it would hurt to try it with a monitor.

blueragekennel · #9 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 06:04 AM

Thanks for all the help so far guys!!! keep the ideas coming please, all advice is helpful!!

RevMojo · #10 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 06:23 AM

The very mean side of me says "Oh, just take a bite and see" but you ought not listen to him. That's the same side that once took 5 bites from an Ammie trying to get a decent pic of it.

Razaiel · #11 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueragekennel

He is kept right now, (temporarily until I get his cage built,) in a 55gal aquarium. I have his temp. at about 82-86 degrees during the day and about 74-78 degrees at night. Those were the temps I was told to keep from the pet store owner. The 55 gal. tank I know is to small but it is just temporary, but it still has to be alot better then the 10gal. that the pet shop owner kept him in. I also went ahead and bought another Savannah today a 1 month old, and even that little s*#t hisses at me when I put my hand near him.... I think all reptiles must just hate me

... I bought the little one hopeing to be able to tame him alittle easier. Don't get me wrong the bigger one I am keepng as well.

They don't hate you - they're just being monitors - they are scared of you.
I'm not an expert I've only ever had one Sav (he's a year now) I got as a 4 month old (1 month sounds a bit young tbh) but I took a lot of advice and this worked for me - but then all monitors are different and have different tolerance levels.

What a totally irresponsible pet shop owner!! To sell a person who is inexperienced with monitors an adult sav that is not used to handling - and then to sell yet another that is only a month old *sighs*

So regarding your baby monitor - it will hiss at you - it's just being a monitor. It's just been removed from its environment (like yesterday) and stuck in a new viv and now a big scary predator (you) is showing a lot of interest in it. just left him alone as much as possible. He will hide away a lot when he even sees you enter a room, but eventually he will get used to seeing you moving about. Just put your hands inside his viv to do the absolute necessary like poop scoop and offer food.

After a couple of weeks he'll hopefully start to see you in not such a threatening light. At the moment he hears the viv doors open and thinks OMG that monster is gonna grab me and hiss, runs for it maybe tail whip or even bite. After a couple of weeks I attempted to touch mine. I talked to him constantly anyway then slowly put my hand towards him to gently scritch the side of his head (they tend to like that area being done). Then just took my hand away and left him. I would repeat this a few times a day until he just looked at me and didn't flinch away. Eventually after a few days I stroked more of his body then leave him until one day I was able to lift him out and hold him for just a while - they don't tend to like being held for long amounts of times anyway like bearded dragons and such. Nowadays he'll sit on me for quite a while (so long as he's in the mood).

I'm not sure what advice to offer for taking on a monitor that is already adult practically, and one that isn't used to handling by that age - it is a big task. Maybe something along the same lines - don't try to handle and just let him see you about until he gets used to it. I know of someone on a different forum who said he would just sit and read a book in front of the viv, let the monitor out and the monitor would climb over him eventually as he was used to seeing him there (this was a monitor-proofed room).

I know there's a guy on this forum who has a lot of experience with taking on rescue monitors and such WHERE ARE YOU DACHANDE????? He would probably be able to give you more advice there.
Best of luck with both of them though

blueragekennel · #12 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 02:06 PM

Alright, I will try to be a little more patiant with him, and just leave him alone for a while and let him get more used to the surroundings, and just clean out his cage, and feed him for awhile, and see if he gets more used to me. Also what shold be the bigger ones primary diet? I know the little one should just get crickets for now, but the shop owner said to just feed the big one 2 mice twice a week, and that is it. But I have read alot of people say on this forum that they should only get a mice like twice a month. If that is the case and he should only get a mouse twice a month, what should he be eating on a regular basis?

Razaiel · #13 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 03:04 PM

Well mine is a year and I'm currently feeding him between 4-6 rodents per week. 2-3 twice a week. Rest of the time I give him crickets/locusts. He gets through approx 100 locusts per week (times that by two for your pair). The locusts/crix is what makes keeping a monitor expensive - you could try breeding your own insects (I know I intend to). I know some pet shops even say to give dog food/puppy food - don't listen to them - whole foods and insects is what they need.

blueragekennel · #14 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 05:49 PM

I have thought about breeding my own insects, but I do have a question about that, and it may be a stupid one, but hey I'm new to this. I bought 15 crickets yesterday to feed my little one, and they were in a small butter dish, but when I stuck my hand in the bowl to get one of the crickets out, one jumped on my hand, up my arm, and onto the floor in which it escaped behind the entertainment center. How do you guys with 1000's of crickets manage to keep them, and get them out without them getting all over your house? Thank you

amercnwmn · #15 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 05:57 PM

Ive heard of some cricket keepers using a 30gal trash can with a lid. they use the egg carton dividers to separate layers with empty paper towel rolls separating each layer. They also add food in between each layer as well.. When they need crickets they just pull out the cardboard rolls and keep their hands over the open ends untill they reach the cages... and shake out the number they need into the tanks, if they arent eaten soon, they just remove the excess and place them back in the container

Adrya · #16 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 06:05 PM

I buy a large sterilite container.... one that is tall and that is what I keep my crickets in. They can jump as high as they want to but won't get out.

dhonaker · #17 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 06:10 PM

i bought a big rubbermaid tub pua a 1000 with egg crates and gell and food most of them dien withen the week

blueragekennel · #18 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 11:27 PM

Thanks for all the advice. I just bought 6 mice to try to breed, and about 200 crickets. I tried the sterilite container idea. Hopefully it works out.

Pete J · #19 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 11:48 PM

i've never searched for info on monitors.... whats the purpose of the crickets for them? just curious i dont have any dont worry

Pork Chops N' Corn Bread · #20 (**permalink**) 06-04-2006, 11:55 PM

I hate crickets and refuse to buy them at all costs. Invest in a large non climbing roach species to feed your monitor. Don't worry, the feeder roaches can't infest your home

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