Newbie saying hi and asking questions.

Hello everyone. My name is Joe and I am new to this forum but hopefully someday will be an semi-experienced keeper. I will be 18 this June and have owned scorpions, small lizards, and snakes all of my life with my father. I currently own a 5' redtail boa and a single desert hairy scorpion, which the family doesn't exactly like. I have two nephews who like to run around the house and my mother told me I had to sell the scorpion but I could replace it by a lizard of some sort (she had an iguana for a few years back in the early 90's)..

So here I am looking at monitors. I always wanted a larger lizard of some sort that I could have around the house and keep as a docile pet. Considering I am just getting into college in September my main worries are costs. I have always loved the stance and look of a Savannah monitor but want to clearly think out all of the possibilities and options in dealing with one. This summer I will be building a custom enclosure that will be 6x2x? or 5x2x?. Not sure on how tall it needs to be. Length I am pondering because of the size of my room. I understand all of the heat requirements and the dirt and etc.

Second is feeding.. I heard some people feed adults 3-4 mice per week? Right now im feeding my boa one medium rat ($6.50) a week. I have seen many caresheets saying that babies eat adult cricks daily (how many?).. and what exactly does every one do in this situation? I can't exactly go to the pet store daily, do you raise your own cricks?..

Third... Poop!!.. I heard these guys like to poop in their water a lot, and take baths all the time. I don't know exactly how much time I have to take it out daily and give it baths.. but is this a requirement?

Last of all. When buying a sav. baby what am I exactly looking for (price range, etc).. I know I want a CBB but I can't seem to find many breeders that aren't sold out. I live in the West coast by the way, Washington to be exact.

Sorry for all of the questions, I just want to be 100% I am capable of taking care of the animal before I buy one. I don't want to realize it is too much for me and have to find it a new home. If any one has websites of building a savvy enclosure that would be excellent. I was planning on just framing it with 2x4's with a acrylic front that opened downward and a top that was accessible if needed to be. A bottom lip of 6"-7" for substrate barrier and sides with framed mesh vents. I am unsure of the wood I should use for the bottom, top, and sides though.. Plywood sheets? (what thickness?)

Welcome to the forum!

So here I am looking at monitors. I always wanted a larger lizard of some sort that I could have around the house and keep as a docile pet.

A sav could fit the bill if gotten as a baby and raised with human contact.

Considering I am just getting into college in September my main worries are costs. I have always loved the stance and look of a Savannah monitor but want to clearly think out all of the possibilities and options in dealing with one. This summer I will be building a custom enclosure that will be 6x2x? or 5x2x?. Not sure on how tall it needs to be. Length I am pondering because of the size of my room. I understand all of the heat requirements and the dirt and etc.

Is there someone prepared to care for a large lizard when you leave for school?

An enclosure the size you mentioned you not be needed if you get a 6 inch baby. An adult would be fine in an enclosure that is 6 feet long by 3 feet wide. The height will depend on how deep you want the substrate to be. At least a foot of clean dirt would be good since they like to dig and make tunnels. If you went 2 feet or 3 feet high overall, that would suffice. You know they like a HOT basking area already so I won't say anything on that but I will say that since savs eat whole prey items UVB bulbs are not needed when keeping them.

Second is feeding.. I heard some people feed adults 3-4 mice per week? Right now im feeding my boa one medium rat ($6.50) a week. I have seen many caresheets saying that babies eat adult cricks daily (how many?).. and what exactly does every one do in this situation? I can't exactly go to the pet store daily, do you raise your own cricks?..

My sav was eating a dozen mice a week (3 to 4 per feeeding-3 times a week). Hatchlings will need at least a dozen crickets per day supplemented with ground turkey and rodents a few times a week.

As far as buying food is concerned, try Rodentpro.com for inexpensive frozen feeders in bulk (much, much cheaper than ANY petstore prices). As far as crickets are concerned, you could buy them online as well and set up a seperate 10 gallon tank to house them in until you need to restock. The only drawback is that with one sav, it might not be worth the effort since crickets stink, are loud, and always manage to find a way to freedom in the house.

Third... Poop!!.. I heard these guys like to poop in their water a lot, and take baths all the time. I don't know exactly how much time I have to take it out daily and give it baths.. but is this a requirement?

Yes. They go to the bathroom in the water bowl. They don't really soak much but do appreciate the weekly bath. Change the water at least daily (sometimes twice a day) and you should be fine. Make sure the water bowl is large enough for the lizard to get into completely as well as make sure it is not too deep so he cannot get out.

Sorry for all of the questions, I just want to be 100% I am capable of taking care of the animal before I buy one. I don't want to realize it is too much for me and have to find it a new home. If any one has websites of building a savvy enclosure that would be excellent. I was planning on just framing it with 2x4's with a acrylic front that opened downward and a top that was accessible if needed to be. A bottom lip of 6"-7" for substrate barrier and sides with framed mesh vents. I am unsure of the wood I should use for the bottom, top, and sides though.. Plywood sheets? (what thickness?)

Go with 1/2 inch thick plywood for the top, bottom, and sides, with plexi in the front. Make the lip about 15 inches so you can put 12 inches of dirt in it.
Mesh vents would be torn apart by a monitors claws. If you go with venting, get metal vents. Be prepared to replace the plexi every so often since the monitor will be scratching it up and it will be hard to see in the cage after a while in use.

Good luck and don't hesitate to post any additional questions.

...but you may run into some major problems down the road on what you've been told thus far.

A fully grown Savannah kept at optimal temperatures (that is, in a temperature gradient with adequate variables) will eat significantly more than 3-4 mice per week (try quadrupling that or more).

On your quest for knowledge, I'd like to point you to www.ProExotics.com. They have a caresheet for Ionides Monitors (Black Throats, a very similar species to the Savannah) that you will find extremely useful. Robyn is also always glad to assist with questions should you still have any after reading the care info.

I know you've got your heart set on a "big docile lizard", but you may seriously want to consider Australian Dwarf Monitor species such as Ackies (V. acanthurus) to begin your Varanid addiction. The initial cost of the animal is much greater than that of a Savannah Monitor, but the feeding and housing costs only months down the road will significantly offset this (besides, you won't have any trouble finding a "CBB" or "USCB" Ackie... and there is really no such thing with a baby Savannah as they may be "farm raised" at best and only marketed as "CBB").

Good luck and have fun, whatever your choice! We need more monitor keepers and you are off to a great start by asking questions *before* you purchase the animal.

I think I might be able to possibly cash out for a ackie if food prices would be that much cheaper. How often do ackies usually eat as babies and adults? I believe a dozen mice a week would be a little much. Also, I will be going to college in my town and living at my house so I will be around daily.

Ackies are primarily insectovores so the you would be be able to cut down a lot on the rodent bill. The main bulk of their diet would be crickets and roaches with occasional pinkies as babies.

As they grow, they would take larger roaches, crickets, and hopper size mice.

Much more manageable as adults since they get about 2 foot long including the tail.

Plus ackies have great "personalities".

Sounds good, my mother is already starting to find things in my room to pawn off for money so she doesn't have to spend too much for my graduation present (this is it).. Exactly how often should I feed an ackie? daily? or ..

Crickets daily with pinks 2-3 times a week.

I think you're making a wise decision to consider the Ackie and doubt you'll be disappointed with your choice. I'd say Steve's got it pretty much dead on as far as feeding goes provided you meet the monitor's environmental needs (providing hot spots and temperature gradients, etc.). You can also breed Lobster Cockroaches with relative ease to save the cost of ordering crickets on a weekly or bi-weekly basis (and monitors love them). A ten gallon aquarium will literally hold thousands of Roaches that will breed continuously. If you decide you're ready to persue breeding Lobster Roaches, shoot an e-mail to Olivia Li at www.BugChick.com (Xelda here on Fauna). She'll treat you right and get you started well.

could they live on a steady supply of roaches without pinkies? Or are pinkies a realitively important aspect in their nutritional values

Joe,

Pinkies are an important nutritional source and will be their main calcium supply (and help to add fat stores).