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Savanna Monitor
(Varanus Exanthematicus)
Habitat: African Savanna Diet: Omnivorous Adult Size: 2.5-6 feet
Lifespan: 6-10 years Native To: Africa

Did You Know:

The Monitor species are the only reptiles other than snakes to have forked tongues. This tongue shape helps reptiles locate the scent of their prey.
Savanna Monitors sometimes swallow their food whole or in large pieces, dislocating the thyroid bone in order to enlarge the throat.
When frightened, Savanna Monitors puff up their body and throat, turn sideways and lash their tail to appear larger. These lizards will also use their powerful tails as "rudders" to steer themselves when swimming.

What You Should Know About The Savanna Monitor

The Basics:	Savanna Monitor hatchlings rarely measure more than 4" at birth. By the time they reach maturity between three and five years, they've often increased in size to 4'. Some will even grow as large as 6 feet. Their tan or gray skin has pale or dark-ringed spots on the back and dark bands around the tail. The underbelly is white, and the skin on the back of the neck has enlarged “pebbly” scales. They use their long, forked purple or blue tongues to smell and explore their environment. The average lifespan for a captive Savanna Monitor is 6 to 10 years.
Enclosure: They Need A Space And Seclusion:	Though one or two babies can be housed temporarily in a 20-gallon tank, a single adult will need a minimum of 70 square feet of floor space. The enclosure should also be at least 5 feet in height. Many keepers will devote an entire room to their Savanna Monitors. Since these lizards need seclusion, three sides of their enclosures should be covered with cloth, paper or card, placed on the outside surface. Hiding spots, such as rocks and dense foliage, should be provided throughout the enclosure.
They Are Always On The Lookout For A Quick Getaway:	No matter how comfortable their enclosure, these wily creatures will spend hours each day searching for any possible means of escape. The enclosure should be as tall as possible to stop the animals climbing out, and sturdily built to withstand the might of these powerful creatures. Screens cannot be used as part of the enclosure, since they will quickly be shredded by the Savanna Monitor’s sharp talons.
Substrate: Keep It Easy To Clean:	Savanna Monitors tend to be messy, so their substrate needs replacing on a frequent basis. A piece of Astroturf™ cut to size makes an ideal flooring – a spare piece can be kept on hand and switched out for washing and disinfecting. Some owners prefer to use brown butcher’s paper, simply replacing the entire substrate when it becomes soiled. Gravel or sand should never be used: gravel can be swallowed, risking a potentially fatal impaction, while sand can be drawn up inside the body when the animal defecates.
Lighting: Soaking Up UVB Rays:	Savanna Monitors need exposure to direct Ultraviolet B rays in order to synthesize vitamin D3 and absorb calcium. If not exposed to an adequate level of UVB lighting, they can develop Metabolic Bone Disease. UV lamps specifically designed for reptiles should be used, and fluorescent tubes should be replaced every six months. Since glass, clear plastic and acrylic block UVB rays, overhead light sources should be mounted inside the enclosure within 12 inches of the animal, behind a sturdy wire cover. To give the Savanna Monitor a natural day/night cycle, lights should be left on for 10-12 hours during the day and turned off at night. Lighting should never be left on overnight – constant light will cause the animal severe stress.
Temperature: Feeling Hot, Hot, Hot!:	The Savanna Monitor’s African habitat is very hot all year round, so the enclosure should be kept at a temperature of around 85-98ºF during the day and around 72-80ºF at night. The basking spot can be even hotter, 100 degrees. A thermal gradient (warmer and cooler zones) allows the animal to regulate its body temperature by moving around the enclosure. Heat can be supplied by a combination of heat lamps and underfloor heating. Temperatures should be monitored by three thermometers: one in the warmer zone, one in the cooler zone and one in the basking spot.
Diet: It Has A Huge Appetite:	In the wild, the Savanna Monitor feeds voraciously during the wet season and starves in the dry season, living off its fat reserves. In captivity, when provided with a constant supply of food all year round without having to lift a finger, it can tend towards obesity. Savanna Monitor owners need to offer a healthful diet, and watch their animals carefully for signs of excessive weight gain. In general, Savanna Monitors will gorge themselves on virtually anything placed in front of them, but a varied diet of insects, crayfish and canned monitor food offered in controlled portions, along with an occasional pinkie or fuzzy mouse will keep the animal healthy. Though they do eat mainly rodents and small mammals in the wild, the high fat content of this type of diet can lead to weight gain and lethargy in some captive Savannas. Adult Savanna Monitors over three feet long should be fed twice weekly, juveniles more often. Always wash the hands before feeding any reptile to remove the smell of other animals, and offer food with forceps or kitchen tongs. Important -- It is necessary to provide calcium and vitamin supplements as part of the diet. Please read the supplement section below:
Supplements:	Dust insects with calcium supplement and vitamin supplement. As a rule, a growing juvenile's food should be dusted more often than an adult's. Consult product labels and outside literature for specific instructions on supplementing. Avoid over-supplementing. The best specific schedule may vary depending on the supplement products used and other factors. Please consult product package directions, outside literature and a veterinarian to determine the optimal supplementing program.
A NOTE ABOUT WATER:	All water given to this pet for drinking, as well as water used for misting, soaking or bathing must be free of chlorine and heavy metals. We recommend that you use bottled drinking water or bottled natural spring water and never untreated tap water. If tap water is used, you should treat it with a dechlorinating treatment or allow it to stand for at least 24 hours before being introduced to the pet's enclosure to allow the chlorine to escape. Do not use distilled water, which can cause severe medical problems, since it lacks minerals that are essential to important body functions.
Water:	A shallow bowl of chlorine-free water should be in the enclosure at all times. Besides drinking the water, the Savanna Monitor will likely soak and defecate in it, so it needs to be changed frequently. The bowl itself should be very stable, so that the animal cannot tip it over.

How to Handle A Savanna Monitor
The Savanna Monitor is one of the few lizard species that can eventually become accustomed to handling. However, they are large, powerful and relatively heavy creatures so handling is never easy, even with the tamest specimen. Their strong jaws, filled with sharp teeth designed to immobilize their prey, can inflict a painful bite. Rugged gloves that cover the forearms should be worn, and as with any lizard, hands should always be washed before handling to remove the scent of other animals, and afterwards to remove any bacteria.

Look Out For This:
The Savanna Monitor is not a good pet for anyone but a very experienced reptile keeper. An intelligent lizard, it sometimes appears to amuse itself by planning escape attempts. Be sure the enclosure is
securely fastened at all times. The stocky Savanna Monitor’s powerful limbs and sharp claws can damage most things in its path.

Recommended Savanna Monitor Supplies:

A tall, secure enclosure

UVB emitting light

Heat lamp for basking area

Three thermometers, so temperature can be monitored at both ends of the enclosure, and in basking area

Substrate

Shallow, sturdy water dish and food bowl

A means of covering three sides of the enclosure

Rocks and dense plants to offer hiding spots