Savannah Monitor Care Sheet
Lizard
3 - 4 feet long
10 - 15 years
Carnivore
Diet & Nutrition
Savannah Monitors are carnivores. Babies and juveniles will eat a variety of insects. Offer crickets, cockroaches, mealworms, waxworms, and superworms.
Juveniles can eat pinkie and fuzzy mice. Adults will eat live or frozen rodents. For variety one can offer hard-boiled eggs and cooked lean meat such as chicken, turkey, and fish.
Feeding Schedule
Feed babies and juveniles daily. Adults can eat leaner foods daily. Avoid feeding rodents daily as they are high in fat. Feed fattier foods 2-3 times a week. Dust food with calcium powder daily & a multivitamin once a week. Rodents don't require dusting.
Housing & Habitat
Savannah Monitors are from Africa. They are found in sub-Saharan areas north of the Congo River. They experience a monsoon season while the rest of the year is hot and dry. Provide plenty of hiding places on the ground. Savannah
Monitors may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Savannah Monitors should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together.
Enclosure Size
A baby must have a minimum cage size of 36" Long x 18" Deep x 16" High.
An adult will require a full room roughly 8ft Long x 4ft Deep x 3ft High.
Substrate
Peat moss or coconut fiber are preferred substrates. A thick substrate is ideal as Savannahs love to dig and burrow. A baby should have 6 - 8 in of substrate. An adult will require 1 - 2 feet.
Temperature & Lighting
Temperature
Savannah Monitors like serious heat. The basking spot should be around 120°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 75°F.
Lighting
Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB.
Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs.
Humidity & Watering
Humidity
Savannahs also require moderate humidity. The enclosure should be misted once daily. Ambient humidity levels should be around 60%. In the savannah monitors burrow humidity can be as high as 100%.
Watering
Provide a bowl of fresh drinking water at all times. They should have a large enough pool of water to completely submerge their body.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do Savannah Monitors eat?
Savannah Monitors are carnivores. Babies and juveniles will eat a variety of insects. Offer crickets, cockroaches, mealworms, waxworms, and superworms. Juveniles can eat pinkie and fuzzy mice. Adults will eat live or frozen rodents. For variety one can offer hard-boiled eggs and cooked lean meat such as chicken, turkey, and fish.
What size enclosure does a Savannah Monitor need?
Savannah Monitors are from Africa. They are found in sub-Saharan areas north of the Congo River. They experience a monsoon season while the rest of the year is hot and dry. Provide plenty of hiding places on the ground. Savannah Monitors may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Savannah Monitors should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together. A bab...
What temperature and lighting does a Savannah Monitor need?
Savannah Monitors like serious heat. The basking spot should be around 120°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 75°F. Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB. Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs. Humidity: Savannahs also require moderate humidity. The enclosure should be misted once daily. Ambient hum...