baby savannah tank

ok so im getting a savannah monitor next friday and i built my own cage for it....its 6x3x3.....i have 3 questions


1. all i keep reading on care sheets is atleast 2 ft. of substrate is that true for a baby?(4-7 inches)

2. if it is should i make my cage bigger to like 6x5x3? so that way theres 3 ft above it instaed of 1 ft.


3. i also keep reading that dirt from my yard is the best substrate(so it can burrow) if thats true how do i go about doing it? do i just dig some up and throw it in my cage?or should i do something to the dirt before i put it in the tank?


thanks in advance,


justin

Originally Posted by kidfreak221

ok so im getting a savannah monitor next friday and i built my own cage for it....its 6x3x3.....i have 3 questions


1. all i keep reading on care sheets is atleast 2 ft. of substrate is that true for a baby?(4-7 inches)

You do not need that much substrate for a baby. The cage size you have now is going to do just fine. From what I have seen Savannah's do not burrow all that much.

2. if it is should i make my cage bigger to like 6x5x3? so that way theres 3 ft above it instaed of 1 ft.

One foot of substrate should be fine, they are not really tall creatures.

3. i also keep reading that dirt from my yard is the best substrate(so it can burrow) if thats true how do i go about doing it? do i just dig some up and throw it in my cage?or should i do something to the dirt before i put it in the tank?

The problem with dirt from you yard is parasites, bugs, and anything else that may be hiding in there, you do not really want that stuff in your home. Use Play Sand, easy to get at any hardware store. A bag of 20 pounds is usually $4, found around the concrete section of the store. Cleaner than plain old dirt.

Have an adequate water bowl, they will get that really dirty and constant cleaning will be needed, but Savannah's tend to keep the substrate cleaner that way.

cool thanks for the help, but lets say that i use dirt anyway could i bake it so that way it kills all bugs and bacteria

Originally Posted by kidfreak221

but lets say that i use dirt anyway could i bake it so that way it kills all bugs and bacteria

Dirt will work fine, no need to bake it. just get it from an area that should not have fertilizers in it. not someones yard, walk into the woods and dig a couple buckets of virgin soil.

What I like to add to it is some cypress mulch, that way when it dries out it does not get real dusty and do add some water to your substrate now and then.

Monitors do like to dig and tunnel, some like my red ackies will stay under ground for days.

Originally Posted by kidfreak221

ok so im getting a savannah monitor next friday and i built my own cage for it....its 6x3x3.....i have 3 questions

A major concern with keeping a baby or small monitor in a large cage like that is the baby finding the food.

Just put the baby monitor in a 6 or 15 quart plastic tub and feed in there.

thanks for the help ed, i actually just found that out about baby savs and will be doing that ive been doing more reading then i think i ever have in my entire life