baby sav feeding trouble
 

my friend is getting a sav so I wanted one too, found one a few day ago and this baby isnt eating. when I take him out he runs around till he finds a hide spot the goes to sleep (usually in my shirt) so he' active and tongue flicks a lot but when I put him with the crickets he just ignores them
also temps are right, at least going by the pro exotics care info

http://img708.imageshack.us/img708/5899/11737996.jpg

when did you get him? you said just a few days ago? lizards can get pretty stressed in new surroundings (even if they are perfect to the animals natural "guidelines").

1st I recommend not handling him for a few days.

2nd, Try other foods other than crickets.... here is a clip I took from LLLreptile's website.

"Nutrition

In the wild, savannah monitors are both active hunters and scavengers. Recent studies have shown that the majority of their diet consists of insects (roaches, termites, scorpions, millipedes), birds, eggs, other reptiles, and rodents. The captive diet should be similar, with an emphasis on invertebrate prey.

Young monitors will enjoy a staple diet of appropriately sized mealworms, waxworms, and feeder roaches. Avoid feeding young monitors rodents, as young, unweaned mice are very high in fat, but low in other more valuable nutrients.

Older monitors can receive rodents occasionally as part of a balanced diet. One or two rodents a week should be the absolute maximum. Keep in mind that these animals are simply not designed to digest large quantities of fur and fat, and the constraints of a captive lifestyle can only compound potential issues.

Even adult savannah monitors should be fed lots of insects. A colony of large roaches (such as giant Malagasy hissing roaches) would be a good investment, and if properly maintained, should provide a constant supply of food items for your lizard. Crickets and larger mealworms will also be consumed.

A mixture of ground turkey, raw egg, and a suitable calcium/vitamin supplement has proven very successful in both the private sector and among zoos for maintaining large, carnivorous lizards. As long as careful attention to supplementation and variety, this mixture can make up as much as half of the lizards staple diet.

All food items, with the exception of rodents and pre-mixed diets, should be regualruy dusted with a high quality calcium/vitamin D3 supplement. Food for growing monitors should be dusted several times a week, while less frequent supplementation is acceptable for older lizards. A good multivitamin should also be employed, and as formulas differ, follow the manufacturers directions for dosage information.

It should be noted that savannah monitors are particularly prone to obesity and subsequent medical problems. Poor diet, coupled with lack of room to exercise quickly result in an overweight monitor. Avoid overfeeding, try to replicate the natural diet, and provide ample space to avoid these problems." - http://lllreptile.com/info/library/a...vanna-monitor/

To jump-start a fussy feeder You might try dipping a cricket or two in raw egg and offering that.Works for me every time.

That is not sleeping. That is a stress reaction. Closing his eyes and not moving is it's way of trying to avoid being eaten.
You are seriously stressing him out if he is using that defense mechanism. A stressed monitor will not eat.
Stop ALL handling.

by running around I dont mean running away, he walks around, explores then after about 15 minutes he will walk back to me, climb up my shirt and fall asleep on me
not stress, he is acting like any of the other dozen lizards i've had over the years

Mice will work. ^..^ Don't be afraid to try new things and have a little bit of faith in yourself.

Monitors do not act like other lizards.
"Falling asleep" is not being comfortable. It is a defense mechanism. Monitors will try to get away or "play dead" when stressed from handling.

I do have faith in myself and hes too small for mice

ok. so monitors never fall asleep? good to ko

It's not that they don't ever fall asleep. It's that they DO NOT fall asleep when handled. :rolleyes_
The fact that it won't eat and is playing dead to avoid predation means you are stressing it out.

did you consider getting him under some UVB? I know a lot of Monitor breeders say this is not necessary, but when you think it about, there are no down sides to using it, and all of the information on the benefits of UV lighting was done with komodo dragons (MONITORS) at zoo's. I do think this will help in combination with what other posters are recommending as well.