Am I ready?

Well, I've been debating for the last few weeks or so about getting a savannah monitor. Even though im only 15, I don't really consider myself a 'noob' when it comes to reptiles and amphibians. Sure, im no expert, but I know enough to know whats goods and whats bad. I've been catching snakes, lizards, frogs, salamanders, ect. for as long as I can remeber. In fact, I caught a 4 foot bullsanke when i was 6 years old, and still have him at 15, 9 years later (for the record, hes around 8 feet now . Anyhow, the point is that I've been keeping reptiles for as long as i can remeber, just none to the magnitude of a savannah monitor. The biggest lizard I've ever owned was a 5 lined skink. I have space, money, and time to devote to this creature, but I'd just like some input on if I'm making the right choice. I've been doing quite a bit of reading and research, so I do realise that they aren'y always the cuddliest of animals, and that they also get to be fairly large. Also, is there anything that you diddnt really consider when purchsing your monitor, and come to find out that it was actaully fairly important?
I apologize ahead of time for any confusions, and lack of structure in my paragrah, I'm lacking sleep. Thanks alot, any and all help is very much appreciated!

-Weston

First, the fact that you are 15 has little to do with selecting a savannah monitor. They do require more care than a snake, but that is the case with lizards in general. You say you have been doing research, but that only goes so far - our of curiosity, what are some of the sources you looked at? Are you planning on getting a baby, or an older animal. Do you know the temperature requirements, and the feeding schedules appropriate to the size you are purchasing?

Well, I intend on getting a young one, because they seem to be easier to tame. I intend on feeding him every day on dusted crickets and the occasional pinky/fuzzy mouse (depending on his size). As he gets older and larger, I'm going to switch to every other day, on adult mice. His heating should be hot when hes young, 90-100 or so. Mostly, I've been reading around on this site. However, I've also used http://www.vaskos.com/savannahs/ , and a few googled care sheets, but alot of them seem to contradict each other. Thanks for the reply!

Sounds like you have done your homework. Have you bought or built a home for it yet? Will you be able to handle/house him in three years when he is 4' long or bigger? Remember they like to deficate in the water bowl/soaking tank and you will need to change the water daily. Make sure your parent will be OK with you having one, yo dont want to buy it to only find out they dont agre (once they find out how biig it gets) only to have to find a new home for it.

Hey bud, what's going on? I have a Savannah Monitor at the moment and I also own 3 tegus. A few things to keep in mind, Savannahs tend to get obese extremely easy, and you will be surprised how easy I mean, so make sure you watch for that, it will start at a young age. Plus, here is a care sheet from a person that I trust very much, so check it out. http://www.anapsid.org/savannah.html You might have already come across it so if you have that is good. My Savannah personally is extremely nice and comes when he is called, he's about 38" in total length. I take him outside regularly when it's nice out. Any specific questions you have, just ask, I can answer a few and I'm sure there are many people on this site that can answer them too.

A few things I forgot. I have him in an enclosure that is 8 ft long and 4 ft deep (front to back) it is just shy of 3 feed tall (top to bottom) you need to keep in mind they do get quite large for lizards. I also soak him daily in a 5ft plastic kitty pool so he can swim around and defecate, because he refuses to go anywhere else but in water, or outside by this tree I have in my yard, kind of have him trained. So it's easy on the cleanup and what not, but if I don't soak him... he won't go... so you have to keep that in mind too, a lot of them love the water. He will swim around for up to an hour sometimes... he just loves it. Also keep in mind, they can bite very hard, mine hasn't bitten me since I was little, except I was bit when I had to make him take some laxative from when he got backed up, I had special gloves on(because I figured it would happen) and the pressure felt really close to snapping my finger bone, if I had no gloves, I would have definately needed stitches. I've gotten them before from animal bites, so to me it's not that big of a deal, but some kids parents freak about that kind of stuff... so just warning you. I was told by another friend of mine that owns monitors that in the wild they eat land snails which are snails with shells harder than rocks and they are like 5-6 inches in length, and the savannahs just crush those shells with a snap of their jaws... so that kind of gives you a clue.

Well, I bought him about a week ago. Hes about 6 inches long, and very active. I hope i made the right choice when i picked the most active one at the pet store! This guy roams around everywhere, investigating everything! I decided on naming him Monty, just because I thought it fit him. And, after about a week of intensive training, hes finnaly gotten used to being held in the viv. When i take him out, hell curl up in my hand and start hissing. If i don't put him back, he'll start running and whipping. I'm glad to say that i have yet to get a "real" monitor bite, the bite-and-not-let-go-till-I'm-happy-bites. Ive gotten a few tiny nips, but thats about it. Just wanted to let you all know how the little bugger's doin. I'll post pics soon :eatpointe

Sweet! Great to hear, can't wait to see him.

Sounds great.
You HAVE to post pics though.

I'm glad you went with a sav and not a nile. The sav will be much more manageable as an adult.

Too many people go into petstores and buy niles since they are "prettier" than the savs without realizing what they are in for.

Great to hear you took your time researching beforehand.

Oh...did I mention you HAVE to post pics? LOL.