PLEASE HELP!! Savannah monitor SPASMING!!

Thank you so much! I will update with her progress

Nikki,
None of my post was an attempt to cause you to feel like a bad reptile parent. You were doing as you've learned. She's being better kept then many of my rescue savs even came close to that's for sure.
There's also nothing in the rule books that you cannot adjust your care for any animal to improve it's life. With reptiles it's a constant progression of learning. Being unwilling to listen to others, learn and apply what you've learned is what would have made you a bad parent.
Please keep us updated and if you have anymore questions or concerns feel free to ask either on the forums or if you wish you're more then welcome to PM me. I'm here to help.

Edit: Oh and I use a mix of peat moss, sand and top soil for the substrate for my varanids. Great stuff. Holds burrows and humidity extremely well. Mix all three in equal parts with water till it clumps but doesn't drip. You can add just a tiny bit more sand if it's not clumping well. All these can be purchased at Home Depot or Lowes or any garden center for cheap and they're large bags. Just make sure all are completely untreated.

I was going to ask you what substrate you recommended for large enclosures, Christine.

Well, the temps have been adjusted but now she has stopped eating!! Ugh..Looks like a trip to the vet

Uh oh... Yep, sounds like a vet visit is in order. Don't worry, Nikki. Its an easy fix.
I wonder, could she also be cycling?

"Malnourished and under heated. Possibly mild dehydration (which can cause tremors). She's a tad underweight but not of concern. "

Nothing on the pics indicated weight or hydration issues. Low serum calcium causes the tetany but other than that, she looks as fit as can be. Evaluate body condition by the absence of visible bony prominences. Monitors and tegus are prone to fatty liver disease and steatitis when overweight. Its important to feed a low fat diet so I would avoid eggs entirely. I feed a lot of roaches but supplement with high bone content chicken parts such as necks, and wing segments with the skin removed. I would skip any type of meat with no bone content. I also use high-quality commercial canned cat food, in addition to lean whole mice or rats.

The previous poster that said UVB is not important is mistaken. He was correct by saying calcium and vitamin absorbtion does not occur through the skin, however that is not the issue. Calcium is absorbed by the GI tract but it requires Vitamin D3. Reptiles dont synthesize D3. They have precursers to that enzyme (Vit D or D2) . These precursers are converted to D3 in the capillaries of the skin when it is exposed to UV. UVB does penetrate. Blood circulation takes the D3 back to the GI tract where it binds to the calcium and facilitates absorbtion of the calcium.

Because serum calcium levels are maintained by leaching calcium from the bone if dietary calcium is not available, bones become soft and brittle, so avoiding pathological fractures is important. I would avoid unnecessary handling until the lizard is back to normal.

Originally Posted by SnakeLadyK

Uh oh... Yep, sounds like a vet visit is in order. Don't worry, Nikki. Its an easy fix.
I wonder, could she also be cycling?

Is she big/old enough to be doing that?

Originally Posted by BobOblak

"Malnourished and under heated. Possibly mild dehydration (which can cause tremors). She's a tad underweight but not of concern. "

Nothing on the pics indicated weight or hydration issues. Low serum calcium causes the tetany but other than that, she looks as fit as can be. Evaluate body condition by the absence of visible bony prominences. Monitors and tegus are prone to fatty liver disease and steatitis when overweight. Its important to feed a low fat diet so I would avoid eggs entirely. I feed a lot of roaches but supplement with high bone content chicken parts such as necks, and wing segments with the skin removed. I would skip any type of meat with no bone content. I also use high-quality commercial canned cat food, in addition to lean whole mice or rats.

The previous poster that said UVB is not important is mistaken. He was correct by saying calcium and vitamin absorbtion does not occur through the skin, however that is not the issue. Calcium is absorbed by the GI tract but it requires Vitamin D3. Reptiles dont synthesize D3. They have precursers to that enzyme (Vit D or D2) . These precursers are converted to D3 in the capillaries of the skin when it is exposed to UV. UVB does penetrate. Blood circulation takes the D3 back to the GI tract where it binds to the calcium and facilitates absorbtion of the calcium.

Because serum calcium levels are maintained by leaching calcium from the bone if dietary calcium is not available, bones become soft and brittle, so avoiding pathological fractures is important. I would avoid unnecessary handling until the lizard is back to normal.

Thank you for the info. I do keep my savs on a lean diet and exercise them regularly. Since I have re-arranged her heating and substrate, she has been doing much better.

She ate two mice for me today with gusto and aggression! Thank you for all your help! I guess it just took her a day to get adjusted to everything. I'll keep an eye on her and let you know if/when her tremors cease and will also keep in contact with my vet.

Originally Posted by BobOblak

"Malnourished and under heated. Possibly mild dehydration (which can cause tremors). She's a tad underweight but not of concern. "

Nothing on the pics indicated weight or hydration issues. Low serum calcium causes the tetany but other than that, she looks as fit as can be. Evaluate body condition by the absence of visible bony prominences. Monitors and tegus are prone to fatty liver disease and steatitis when overweight. Its important to feed a low fat diet so I would avoid eggs entirely. I feed a lot of roaches but supplement with high bone content chicken parts such as necks, and wing segments with the skin removed. I would skip any type of meat with no bone content. I also use high-quality commercial canned cat food, in addition to lean whole mice or rats.

The previous poster that said UVB is not important is mistaken. He was correct by saying calcium and vitamin absorbtion does not occur through the skin, however that is not the issue. Calcium is absorbed by the GI tract but it requires Vitamin D3. Reptiles dont synthesize D3. They have precursers to that enzyme (Vit D or D2) . These precursers are converted to D3 in the capillaries of the skin when it is exposed to UV. UVB does penetrate. Blood circulation takes the D3 back to the GI tract where it binds to the calcium and facilitates absorbtion of the calcium.

Because serum calcium levels are maintained by leaching calcium from the bone if dietary calcium is not available, bones become soft and brittle, so avoiding pathological fractures is important. I would avoid unnecessary handling until the lizard is back to normal.

The basis of weight was from the photos not hydration. Go back and reread what I said.
Secondly I'm female not a male.
Third please provide proof that varanids (except acanthurus) require UVA/UVB. In my 18+ years and those prior to me, including breeders - zoos etc, none have used UVA /UVB and the monitors have never shown signs of being vitamin deficiant or lacking anything in any way when tested. Monitors have been kept in captivity since the 30's. And since then they've ALL had UVA /UVB??? I think not. Something isn't required just because someone at some pet store told you it was. When fed a proper diet, with proper husbandry I've yet to have a varanids blood test coming back as lacking in proper amounts of calcium. I have not nor will I ever use UVA/UVB simply because there is no need for it. I have bred monitors and hatched viable young. And as we all know ........................... monitors lacking nutritionally DO NOT breed (especially females) and produce viable healthy eggs /young.

So again please explain why it's needed. I'm not trying to be rude just state something that's pure fact and has been since man first started keeping varanids in captivity.

She's potentially old enough or big enough to cycle but female won't usually cycle from cold temps. Feed em and heat em is the breeding motto because temps are boosted and then of course the amount of food is. I'm not saying it hasn't or couldn't happen just that it would be rare.