# Savannah Monitors



## Dean W (Sep 22, 2005)

I have 2 juvie savannahs, i think i have a male and female, becuase they were the same size when i got them, about 5 inches, and now there is very noticable size differences. Anyhoo, im having trouble getting them to calm down. They are  the meanest little buggers i have ever seen. The first thing they do when u put yer hands in the tank, is try and bite. Does anyone have any tips on how i might teach them to not be so affraid and get used to handling?. Any help appreciated.


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## Peter_Parker (Sep 22, 2005)

I have one whos the same way, almost.  He'll let you pick him up, sometimes.  But other times he's all rowdy.  I hear you just have to handle them more, but I suggest you find out how to tame them soon, cause they get pretty big and even though they aren't usually as big or aggressive as a nile, they still dish out a nasty bite!  Word of advice: I'm getting a black throat next time


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## Dean W (Sep 22, 2005)

black throat? but Varanus Exanthematicus, is called the white throat, black throat, bosc, and savannah monitor. aren't they just different common names for the same animal?

Im hoping to get them tame ASAP, but im worried im might be orver stressing them.


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## defour (Sep 23, 2005)

Dean W said:
			
		

> black throat? but Varanus Exanthematicus, is called the white throat, black throat, bosc, and savannah monitor. aren't they just different common names for the same animal?
> 
> Im hoping to get them tame ASAP, but im worried im might be orver stressing them.


Most savannahs calm down as they get older. Even if you do no different than you're doing now, chances are good that they'll mellow out. If they don't, you'll just have to live with it. There are worse things.

White/black throats are Varanus albigularis. These were formerly considered V. exanthematicus, but are _much_ bigger. I'm not sure which one gets the 'Bosc's' label, but I think it's exanthematicus. As for disposition, nothing I've seen convinces me that they're any more likely to be docile than savannahs.

Oh, and don't count on the growth rate difference being an indicator of gender. 

Steve


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## gustavowright (Sep 23, 2005)

Defour was absolutely right about white/black monitor stuff....and the Bosc monitor is.._exantematicus_  indeed.


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## psionix (Sep 23, 2005)

Dean W said:
			
		

> I have 2 juvie savannahs, i think i have a male and female, becuase they were the same size when i got them, about 5 inches, and now there is very noticable size differences. Anyhoo, im having trouble getting them to calm down. They are  the meanest little buggers i have ever seen. The first thing they do when u put yer hands in the tank, is try and bite. Does anyone have any tips on how i might teach them to not be so affraid and get used to handling?. Any help appreciated.


welcome to monitor ownership.  it's something that you'll have to deal with.  i've never seen a docile monitor.


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## skinheaddave (Sep 23, 2005)

Monitors are smart.  Very smart.  Smart enough to figure out that you bring food, without actually starting to think of you as food.  I have found that at first they are going to hide from you or act defensively, but eventually they will approach you if you have food.  If you continue to feed them without actually handling them, then one day they seem to just "click" and from that point on act quite amicably and you can start to introduce touching and handling into the equation.  With my one savannah I feel perfectly comfortable wiping off her mouth while she is eating.  The other one is good as well, though you have to be wary at first, as he tends to have a bite first ask questions later attitude.  Once you have given him a moment to figure out what your hand is and whether there's food, he becomes completely disinterested in your hand and will either go after the food or basically ignore you.

That being said, I have seen a few savs that just don't seem to want to tame.  If that is the case, it isn't really a big deal, as they are still small enough to easily manage. 

Cheers,
Dave


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## Danut (Oct 9, 2012)

This is my Varanus E.  1 year old and i think its a male. 65 cm (22 inches) long.


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## Danut (Oct 9, 2012)

Dean W said:


> black throat? but Varanus Exanthematicus, is called the white throat, black throat, bosc, and savannah monitor. aren't they just different common names for the same animal?
> 
> Im hoping to get them tame ASAP, but im worried im might be orver stressing them.


No! It`s not true! Varanus Exanthematicus   aka. Savannah Monitor or Bosc Monitor. The White or Black throats are Varanus Albigularis,that means another species!

---------- Post added 10-09-2012 at 10:24 AM ----------

I have Varanus Exanthematicus 56 cm (22inches) male,1 year old

---------- Post added 10-09-2012 at 10:26 AM ----------


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## lizardminion (Oct 14, 2012)

If they're used to you just being around the cage, at feeding time, try tong feeding them. Then after a while, when they're eating with confidence, try hand feeding them. Again, after a period of time, when they adjust to your presence, try handling them. Give them treats of baby mice when the behave while being handled.


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## Peter Parker (Oct 15, 2012)

Lizard Minion says it best. Use food.  Like a dog working for a treat. Give them the power. Let them come you, not your hand to them. They need tons of space.  For two juvinile foot long monitors I would have them in a 55gallon tank. At least 6 inches of clean potting soil for burrow.  I add vermiculite for humidity purposes. Solid lid with a few vents to trap humidity.  Two ceramic bulbs, 1 basking. Large soaking tub. After they grow be prepared to custom build an enclosure. read up on some basic carpentry or have someone help you build. There are also books on custom enclosures for monitors.


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## Danut (Jun 26, 2013)

Now at 73 Cm

Reactions: Like 2


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## freedumbdclxvi (Jun 26, 2013)

Lovely looking!

Reactions: Like 1


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## aznative86 (Jun 27, 2013)

I know this has nothing to do with monitors but I got a breeding pair 1 year set of chameleons and the lady I got them from put their food in a bowl attached to the side of the screen and they are MEAN!. Puff up, Hiss, Bite, this is their three step approach to my hand lol. Anyways I have been working with them for a month and I have to agree the hand and food association seems to be a thing for any lizard. I have been opening the screen and placing my hand in 1/4 of the way and placing the crickets on the side of the screen cage and after a month they no longer are as aggressive. Time is the key and repetition, sure hope your guy and hopefully gal loosen up a little over time  look forward to hearing about your progress with them.


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## naychur (Jun 27, 2013)

I've got 2 boy Savannahs. I believe they were hatchlings when they arrived. I know they are boys because they would poop on me then stick out their hemipens to get me to let go. 

At the first sign of aggression I separated them into separate enclosures. Now at 1-1/2 years, the aggressive one (Iago) who started out bigger is now the smaller. The shy one (Abu) is now much larger. Abu used to have this scared to death look in his eyes. It is gone now. They don't snap, but they do hiss, whip, flatten and puff up. 

I have always fed them in a feeding box.They got fed crickets at first, then I moved to dubias. On rare occasions a hard boiled egg and on rarer occasion a pinky mouse/rat. I just gave them their first serving of the San Diego Monitor Diet and boy were they piggies!!!  They are in a room with the other reptiles so there is not a lot of foot traffic.

Mine have calmed down but still don't care to be handled. I am hoping they continue to settle so I can walk them in our next Mardi Gras (Mardi Paws) pet parade (I live in Louisiana).

I will say aftter the San Diego Diet dinner, they were not as fussy getting put back in their Facebook enclosures! Food bribery works.

Sent from my SCH-I605 using Tapatalk 2


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## Danut (Dec 25, 2013)

Thank you!


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## gottarantulas (Dec 25, 2013)

I have Savannahs and they can be tamed. The most opportune time is when they're babies, they should be handled several times a week for acclimation. As they get older or as adults, if they're nippy or are apt to bite (which they will do and hold on like a pit bull and do some damage in the case of adult monitors), the best technique(s) I found are to stop feeding them live foods such as mice to limit their feed response and invest in a snake glove (for those times when you're going to try to pet and handle them in the interim). Let them out of their enclosure from time to time in a bedroom for example, where they can be in close approximation to you yet are able to relatively wander. You're going to do this on a regular basis, with the idea of letting the monitor build up trust (as it wanders about the environment), realizing that it's neither feed time nor are you a threat to it.


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