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Savannah Monitor not eatting

S

Skimo

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Looking for some help with my new savannah. Bought him last week and he has yet to eat anything. He's about 6-7 inches. Tried small medium and large crickets coated and uncoated with calcium. Pet store says he was eatting when they had him. Cold side is about 85, hot side is about 100. In 20 gal atm. Using eco earth as substrate. Has a water dish to soak in, and have been giving him regular soaks in warm water in case impaction is the issue. He has two caves I built into substrate that he likes to hang in and he likes to dig. I have newspaper around the outside of tank to minimize stress in the new home. Any one have any other tips or advice? Family friend says to mix a hardboiled egg with ground turkey, gonna give it a try tonight
 
Increase his hot spot to roughly 130 degrees farenheit, sav's need a really hot basking spot. Try other insects as well like roaches, superworms, mealworms, earthworms, etc. Try feeding pinkies too. Are you using UV lighting? A lot of people forget (or dont know) that UV not only helps prevent MBD, but also stimulates appetite and promotes a better well being. Are you seeing any feces in the cage? Consider taking him to vet for a checkup, a fecal exam will rule out parasitic infection.
 
He hasn't defecated since I've had him, granted that's only been a week. I'll pick up roaches tomorrow but they say he's only been fed crickets. He does have a uvb bulb. I'll turn on his night bulb to raise it, but he doesn't bask much. Sits in his caves or in dens he digs.
 
Can you post a pic? 6-7" sounds like a "bush baby", not captive hatched so there is a strong likelyhood that he may have a parasite load in him. I would get him to a vet for a fecal exam.
 
Had a friend I went with to the petstore and he got a savannah as well, the little guy wouldnt eat either for around 8 days and he said he couldnt find any defication either. I tried helping him out with it and they way i got his to finally eat was mixing a little raw egg with some ground turkey meat and make little tiny turkey balls around the size of a marble and leave it in front of his cage or someby close throughout the night and check in the morning to see if he ate any. thats all i did for my friend and then after it started to eat a little more at a time i got more comfortable to eat in front of us and later went to crickets and pinkies. But its worth a try
 
Turkey mixed with egg is not an appropriate diet for a savannah monitor that you would like to have live longer than 2-5 years. If you want to feed turkey, use the San Diego Zoo diet and mix it exactly to the original specifications: 2.5 lbs lean ground turkey, 22.5 grams bone meal, 1/2 crushed centrum (regular) tablet. In case you are wondering, Calcium + D3 is not bone meal, reptivite is not Centrum. Insects are best for a little monitor and a variety of whole prey can be used for a hot and hydrated monitor as it gets bigger.
 
well at least he is eating thats the only thing that needed to get settled really but yes savannah monitors do tend to get more obese than like a black throat would like the diet I have mine on. Savannah's are more sensitive to the diet they get put on and as they begin to grow in size should be let out more to walk and get exercise.
 
Well, the crickets are floating around his terrarium now. (Not literally) They have been since I got him. If he takes to them, ill be ecstatic but for now the.only thing he's touched is the turkey egg mix, so ill take it.
 
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