I'm getting a savannah monitor

[kim k]

I'm sooo happy. I have wanted one for a while now. I have had the rescue plated lizard and didn't know if I was going to keep him or not. Well I was just offered a trade for an approx. 1 year old 16 inch female sav for him. I can't wait till I get her.

[fizzbob7]

i like monitors, but compared to snakes, they're so high maintenance lol.....

[kim k]

They are high maintenance, but I'm home most of the day. I only work part time evenings so I do have a little more time to spend with the crew I have.

[fizzbob7]

Originally Posted by kim k

They are high maintenance, but I'm home most of the day. I only work part time evenings so I do have a little more time to spend with the crew I have.

that's cool......they're still less trouble than a dog or cat IMO, but everyone makes do with those.......i've been keeping snakes so long i'm just used to it i guess......i have so many now that i'm busy an hour or more every day so it is kind of a moot point i guess

good luck with it

	In My Opinon IMO = In My Opinion and IMHO = In My Honest Opinion

[seduisant_sang]

I had one for awhile; unfortunately, she died last year, but she was a great pet. I prefer snakes too, but lizards seem so much more emotional for some reason. They're easier to read.

[fizzbob7]

Originally Posted by seduisant_sang

I had one for awhile; unfortunately, she died last year, but she was a great pet. I prefer snakes too, but lizards seem so much more emotional for some reason. They're easier to read.

aren't larger monitors supposedly more intelligent as well? i know mambas and king cobras are supposed to be very intelligent as far as snakes go, but i've heard people consider a lot of medium to large monitors from australia "intelligent" and compared them to dogs even

[seduisant_sang]

I have no idea, they aren't my strong suit; but she did seem pretty smart. When we were in out hate stage, she would hide under her substrate and then when I changed her water bowl would lash out and bite me. I don't know if it was mistaken identity or if she truly was planning the attack, but it shocked me.

[RioBravoReptiles]

I ended up with 11 small savannah monitors from a pet dealer who gave up trying to sell them. They were in poor condition but only 1 passed on..
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While I had them they were lively and cantankerous and friendly and scary and facinating and destructive and they grew like weeds.
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And I loved them all!
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Good luck with yours.
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Gus.

[VoodooChile]

Varanus are extremely bright animals.
Savannahs are escape artists, much like a cobra they will systematically find weaknesses in caging, and try to escape.. If they succeed, they will try that same route to escape again.
My Savannah is VERY shy and doesnt have the aggressive feeding responses you see out of most monitors, she waits untill its dark and no one is in the room before eating, spends most of her time hiding, and gapes and hisses when she's handled...Shes still VERY small though, but growing. Ive noticed her not shooting back into her hide when I just happen to walk past the cage, so maybe she is coming out of her shell some..
I really like them, but they are much higher maintenance than most of my other lizards or snakes, and eat a LOT more

[VoodooChile]

Kim, you should check out www.varanus.net for some nice helpful tips on handling, caging, and husbandry.

[kim k]

Thanks guys. It should be quite the experience, and I'm really looking forward to it. I can't believe how excited I am about getting her. Now I get to build three large cages instead of just the two burm cages.LOL.
Thanks for the link Courtney. I appreciate it. I have been researching care of savs for a while now knowing that I would someday get one. So at least I'm not going into this blind. But I know I have more to learn.