Do savanah moniters make good pets?

Question

ok, i have never owned any kind of reptile before, are they good first time reptile owner pets or is this a bad idea they are so cool and i really want one, tell me EVERYTHING i need to know, heating, feeding, cleaning, habaitat, EVERYTHING!!! and are they the kind of animal that does best in pairs or will he be fine being a loaner with love and attention from me? also are they expensive, and what are there personalities like?

Answer 1

they are if you have the income. they are not gonna be as tame as a bearded dragon on anything like that. be aware they grow very large i was going to get a white throat for 80 bucks, but he was 3 feet and i learnd he could reach 6

Answer 2

I have rarely come across savs or boscs that are "friendly" or tame.  They a very large montior over 6 feet as adults.  Here are some sites for you.

http://www.anapsid.org/savannah.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savannah_mo...

http://www.wnyherp.org/care-sheets/lizar... (don't listen about size on this one I've seen plently over 5-6 feet)

http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/lizardsas...

the only other thing that I can disagree with is my vet told me for my monitors (a yellow monitor and peach throated) that cat food is better than dog food. Good luck.

Answer 3

Savannah Monitors make great pets.  As with any reptile you must get a young one and give it a lot of attention in order to keep it tame, but Savannah Monitors are one of the tamest species of monitors.  Aggressive adults can be tamed, but I recommend wearing gloves.  As with any animal neglect, and unsuitable living conditions are the major causes of aggressive behavior.  They are also very intelligent for lizards.  Although I love keeping reptiles, I will say that if you are looking for a loving pet you should try something worm blooded.  Reptiles do not require as much attention and can go days or weeks without eating.  However, a Savannah will grow fairly large, and will require a large cage.  They eat crickets and mealworms when young, but will need to be fed mice when it is adult.  I suggest you research any pet before buying so there will be no surprises.

Answer 4

savannahs are great pets if you have the time to put in to tame them otherwise it can be a nightmare

Answer 5

They aren't for everybody. I guess it would depend on what you think a "pet" should be. They're more of a "look at" kind of pet. You can hold them but they don't like being held, nor will they ever like it.

They feed on insects and mice in captivity. If you can't handle dealing with rodents and bugs, then there's no point in getting a monitor of any kind.

They do well both alone and in pairs (alone is recommended) but when it's feeding time, you definately need them to be seperate.

They're pretty cheep. babies run about $20-$30 (at reptile expos and online).

They're personality is that of a hunter/stalker and kind of a "leave me the h**l alone" personality, or sort of a grumpy/moody personality. I've seen savannahs that had gotten dog tame and I've seen savannahs that hadn't.

They require an ambiant temperature in the low 80's (82 deg Fahrenheit) and a basking temperature of 100 deg F.

Some people prefer a substrate they can dig in, but I recommend a news paper substrate for easy cleaning (just throw away). Keep the habitat simple for ease of cleaning. Provide a water dish large enough for it to soak in, a hide, and a heat lamp.

ADD: They do not require supplement of any kind, they get all the vitamin and calcium they need from whole prey items (mice). They aren't good at climbing like most other monitors, their hind feet are better equipped for digging. Cooked chicken is no substitute for whole prey items. Whether they require UV lighting is largely under debate. I'm of the feeling "better safe than sorry" so I use UV whether it's needed or not.

ADD: Savannahs rarely exceed 3 and a half feet in captivity (6 foot is un-heard of). Dog food and cat food are old school, they don't provide the vitamins and calcium that whole prey items do. Cat food is worse than the dog food because of the high ash content which can lead to kidney failure and visceral gout, but neither are recommended.

Answer 6

I haven't read what anyone else has mentioned to you but i'll give you my opinion. A savannah can make a great pet, but if you have never had a reptile ever, it does not make a good beginner pet. What you will have is a 5 inch baby, if that's what you buy, that will grow into a 20 or more inch monster that grows and grows. If you buy a baby, you will have to buy atleast a 10 gallon, then in no time you will need a 40 breeder and a few months later you will need a very large tank. large glass tanks can cost several hundred dollars, reptariums can cost 150 and a custom built tank made by you or a friend can cost around 200. They eat a lot so you will be spending atleast $20 a month feeding it. As it becomes older, the food will become more expensive as well. Now besides the money and room issues, savannah's can be very friendly and tame. This will take handling and also you may be urinated or poo'd on a few times. There's also a chance, as you're a begginner, that you will either get bit or tail whipped and monitors have a very strong jaw. These are all things to take into consideration. Monitors don't make great beginners pets but if you feel you are ready after everything I've said, then go ahead. The monitor itself will actually be cheap, $20-$50 but the supplies that go w/ it more than make up for the cheap price. Also you would not want to put two together, they are perfectly fine solitary as most reptiles are.

Answer 7

I believe savannas can make good pets, but thats through personal experience, you can also go to youtube and type in savanna monitors and you will find lots of clips of owners and there savannas. As far as food goes rodents should be there primary food item but i read that giving them a mixed diet is best such as cat food, yes it might not have all the neccessary vitamines but thats why you dont make it there primary diet, when you eat  does one food provide all of your necessary vitamines. I found cat food is rich in protien so i might give mine one can a week and small rats the rest of the week. If your a beginner i would not recommend one as a pet please start with something smaller and easier to house. To many monitors are being put to an early death due to peoples ignorance on what it takes to own one.

Answer 8

They are NOT beginner pets, they do not seek attention from their owners, they BITE and it hurts ALLOT and you may need stiches, I just sold mine today beacuse even though I held her every day 3 times a day for 3 months she still tried to bite and was vishous. They do not like being taken out of their cages, being pet, and cuddled, or handled. They like to hunt and eat. I have know 4 and they where all the same MEAN!!! You have to feed them all the time (I fed mine 50 large crickets a week and some cooked chicken). They need UVB light and a heat lamp or light on 12 hours a day, and a basking spot of 90 F ++++. They do NOT do well in pairs and need to be housed allone. They are LOVELY reptiles and thats why I bought mine, I would have kept her if she had even shown a hint of being tamed. They need a calcium supplement. They are very dirty and poo almost every day, they get their water dirty FAST I was cleaning it out twice a day. Mine was on newespaper untill I put her on a cyprus bark and she was fine, not an issue with it. (most people say not to use it, I liked it fine). She had a log house and a LOT of branches to climb on, (not that she used them). I cleaned her cage every two days, Ex. Monday, Thursday, Sunday. And scrubbed the cage out once a week. The water bowl was cleaned with a soap water mix every day. She shed 4 times while I had her and was VERY healthy (according to the new owners, who have 2 other monitors). I paid $100.00 for her and arround $500.00 for her setup. I sold her for $50.00 and got $250.00 for her setup. She was a very intresting pet to watch but did not like people. I am getting a Red Foot tortoise now and I would advise you to stay away from Monitors right now. Try getting a gecko first and see if you like it then later if you like it buy a new reptile (I would go with a snake) then work your way up to monitors. Before I got my Monitor I had geckos, turtles, snakes, frogs, and a few small lizards. Most monitors are mean as always exceptions are possable and you may get one who loves people, but I would not suggest a monitor.

Answer 9

If you want to get bitten- they are a great pet.