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razeraze · #1 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 08:06 AM

anyone know a healthy weight for an adult bosc? i have read any where from 1.6lbs-30lbs. can anyone narrow the margin for a healthy weight in captivity?
i was also wondering about the aestivating and hibernating periods; are they controlled by environment conditions, or are they hardwired in to the lizard?
i have read they can lose up to 30% of their weight, is this the same in captivity?
i know my boa fasts every winter regardless of constant temps. could the same be said about bosc monitors? what about other monitors?

danceswithsavs · #2 (**permalink**) 01-17-2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

anyone know a healthy weight for an adult bosc? i have read any where from 1.6lbs-30lbs. can anyone narrow the margin for a healthy weight in captivity?
i was also wondering about the aestivating and hibernating periods; are they controlled by environment conditions, or are they hardwired in to the lizard?
i have read they can lose up to 30% of their weight, is this the same in captivity?
i know my boa fasts every winter regardless of constant temps. could the same be said about bosc monitors? what about other monitors?

healthy weight would have to be related to SVL. I don't have that info, though.
Kept warm, none of the 4 savs i've had showed any marked inactivity due to season. They keep my hours, though, which are not strictly on a daylight schedule. They sleep with lights on if they want to. They just hide if they don't want light. They usually sleep if it's dark. Usually they take a day or so off and sleep after a big meal. That alternates with a day or so of great activity and poo.
I'm only starting to keep track of growth and temperature with the 2 i have now. It's hard data that's lacking to answer some of the basic questions!

razeraze · #3 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 10:09 AM

our sav is going through fasting spurts. we thought he was just being a picky eater; he has not eaten in 2 1/2 weeks. today we force fed him. all his fat stores have broken down and he has lost about 30% of his weight. all this BS started happening once he hit 3 feet. we can not even get a good fecal sample to have him checked for parasites, since he will not eat.

i am growing very tired of monitors. it seems no matter what i read, or find out i still have nothing but problems with this group of reptiles. what really upsets me is the ones that appear to thrive in far worse conditions. i read one book and it is completely contradicted by the next book. is this why nobody is successfully breeding savs and waters? they are just too difficult to keep?

either way if we lose this guy i am finished with these animals. in my 8 years of reptile keeping i have never had this many problems.

danceswithsavs · #4 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 12:58 PM

don't despair. I hope tank improves. force feeding is no fun for anyone involved.
well, here are some temp plots of lilly and buzzy taken at random times when they were at rest here or there. it shows that they tend to keep their body temps between mid 80s and mid 90s, usually. i post the chart in case you find your animal's temps are lower. lilly gets very active when she's 90. buzzy is still concentrating on growing thuggishly large.
record some data yourself! there just isn't enough to make good generalisations about sav husbandry on a lot of points yet.

razeraze · #5 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 06:16 PM

thank you. we keep our temps at 80F on the cool side and a basking spot of 130F+

razeraze · #6 (**permalink**) 01-18-2007, 11:03 PM

about 12-18 inches of dirt / sand / peat moss mix. basking spot is 135F+, the middle where he likes to lay is 90F, the bottom is 80F, and in his hide is 75F.
he is on no feeding schedule we offer every 2 days. roaches, horn worms, shrimp, cat fish, rodents, egg, and quail.

Yungair23 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 12:05 AM

Since your having trouble and i dont have much advice i can say thats a nice lookin Sav. Also i know UVB isnt neccesasrily required in some people's point of views i always just say it cant hurt. Try giving it a go as it will just add to your "Natural Habitat"... Reptileuv.com is the best UVB lighting. Animals have been known to change their mood/habits with Sun and this is as close to the sun as they come. Also since your having troubles why not playing with the temps to see if she prefers the lower better? Just things i would be toying with to see if i could get a response. Good luck with the Sav. hope it turn around for the better.

razeraze · #8 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 02:35 AM

thank you youngair. i am beginning to feel i am not cut out for monitors, yet know one can tell me what i am doing wrong.

Yungair23 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-20-2007, 02:17 AM

Its not your not cut out for monitors. Your female died of eggs (it happens and its not your fault nothing you could do). I would highly recomend dropping the basking area to lets say 120...Add some UVB Lighthing. And just wait it out. Also try some turkey with calcium mixed in if you havent. The Nile i use to have loved it.

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