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#1722937
NAM_ELITPER
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 My new sav
hello just wanted to post some new pic’s of my sav, i am a breader/hobyest of reptiles and i have been doing this for 4 1/2 years now. he is in his isolation tank for now i just got him a day ago so hill be in here for a couple of weeks. he is only 4 1/2 week’s old and 4in big what do you guys think.
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05/02/08 03:22am
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#1722968
Reptictale92
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Message To: NAM_ELITPER In reference to Message Id: 1722937
My new sav
What is the substance you got him on. What are you feeding him?
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05/02/08 06:29am
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#1722990
Mxracer
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Message To: Reptictale92 In reference to Message Id: 1722968
My new sav
i think he wont last a couple of weeks in that cage
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05/02/08 07:31am
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#1723004
M&KSchaef
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Message To: Mxracer In reference to Message Id: 1722990
My new sav
I don’t think he will last long with that screen top, substrate, etc. If he is swimming or soaking in his water bowl a large amount of the time, something is already wrong.
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05/02/08 08:00am
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#1723011
M&KSchaef
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Message To: M&KSchaef In reference to Message Id: 1723004
My new sav
Ditch the screen top and fill the enclosure at least 3/4 full with a diggable substrate(a soil/ sand mixture works excellently). You’d probably be better off purchasing a Rubbermaid container from Lowes for 16.99 that is 42" long. You can mount a light fixture to the bottom of a piece of plywood and place that on top of the enclosure. Thus, the heat and humidity will not escape. You can easily place 12"-15" of dirt in one of these bins. They work much better than ten gallon aquariums. Stick with that ten gallon and your current setup and you’ll probably have food for your other lizards in a few weeks.
Here are some tips for baby monitors:
Deep substrate that they can use: they won’t lose toes or tail tips, they will be able to have a range of available temperatures, they will have access to humid retreats(which they have in the wild). They don’t just sleep underground, they live underground most of the time doing what monitors do.
A solid top to your enclosure: keeps humidity and heat in.
What are your basking spot/ ambient temperatures?
Feed them everyday.
Feel free to check out some of the other postings to learn a little bit more about varanid husbandry.
Good luck!
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05/02/08 08:09am
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#1723259
NAM_ELITPER
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Message To: M&KSchaef In reference to Message Id: 1723011
My new sav
HE IS ON A CLAY DIRT MIX THAT ALLOWS HIM TO DIG TUNNELS AND HOLDS IN MOISTURE GREAT THE TANK HAS A PLEXYGLASS TOP AND ONLY A HOLE FOR THE LIGHT AND FRESH AIR THE SCREEN TOP IS TO JUST LOCK IT DOWN, HE IS VERY ACTIVE AND EAT’S LIKE A COW HE IS FEADING MOSTLY ON INSECTS FOR KNOW CRIKETS, ROACHES. AND KEEP IN MIND THIS IS MY ISOLATION TANK THAT HE WONT BE IN FOR VERY LONG I HAVE A 4FT TALL 6’10 LONG 2FT WIDE GAGE FOR HIM FOR NOW A BIGGER CAGE IS IN THE WORKS AS WE SPEAK. I SHOULD HAVE PIC OF HIS TANK SOON, AND I HAVE SEEN SOME OF YOUR GUYS HABITATS AND THEY LOOK GREAT.
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05/02/08 03:06pm
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#1723329
KAP10CAVY
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Message To: NAM_ELITPER In reference to Message Id: 1723259
My new sav
Just a couple things.
First, unlock your caps.
Place a rock, a stack of wood or something under the basking light to get a good hotspot.
I’d shoot for 115 to 135 surface temps.(measured with a temp gun)
I personally dislike clay, I’ve tried clay mixxes before and had issues with the clay sticking to the claws and causing problems with circulation.
Scott
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05/02/08 04:18pm
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#1723702
M&KSchaef
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Message To: NAM_ELITPER In reference to Message Id: 1723259
My new sav
1-2" of clay mix does not hold in moisture or provide a diggable substrate.
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05/02/08 10:58pm
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#1723839
JawsX
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Message To: M&KSchaef In reference to Message Id: 1723702
My new sav
blay, thats the zoomed crap right?> well clay makes pots. moniotrs will eventually eat the clay. monitors cant poo out pots. - catch my drift? soil. give him soil.
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05/03/08 07:50am
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#1723863
M&KSchaef
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Message To: JawsX In reference to Message Id: 1723839
My new sav
We’re trying to help this individual. Clay is found in the soil. Pots are made from clay being formed, dried, and fired in a kiln. Clay can be used, most monitors will dig in it, but there are better choices. I am in the slow process of removing two and a half yards of soil from an Argus enclosure that had too much clay in it. When clay gets wet and dries, it gets hard as a rock. Yet at the bottom of the substrate, i.e. when it is deep (2 feet+ in my enclosures), it remains moist. My Argus have dug in and out of it the clay mixture, but there are much better choices. Clay is soil and clay is in soil, but there are far better alternatives than using clay. Perhaps if you had deep clay based soil and had leaf litter on top of it, it would hold out better at the top. Monitors can poop out clay, it is not a problem. I am now using a better soil mixture with the orginal Missouri river silt I was able to purchase from a landscape yard here. The key is finding out what the natural substrate the monitors use is and trying to replicate that in captivity. That may take some research....mampam.com. I hope that is far more helpful than "clay makes pots, monitors can’t poo out pots."
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05/03/08 08:18am
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#1723870
Shiftylarry
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Message To: M&KSchaef In reference to Message Id: 1723863
My new sav
Quote: well clay makes pots. moniotrs will eventually eat the clay. monitors cant poo out pots
They can poop out a lot of things. Clay should pass easily provided that the monitor is healthy and has access to basking spots.
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05/03/08 08:27am
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#1724152
NAM_ELITPER
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Message To: M&KSchaef In reference to Message Id: 1723863
 My new sav
hey i guys yea i wanted to try this stuff but i started to dislike the clay mix after i seen the top had dried out i am going to get some better soil at my nursery today glad i didn’t put this stuff in his bigger tank. and the pic of the tank i posted is old i do have a basking spot with wood and the other side has tunnels and leaf coverage hes doing good it was the first lizard i have got at three rivers reptiles in joliet IL i had to get him he was not housed in a healthy manner. he was in a 10 g tank on fake carpet and a water dish not to mention there were 2 sav in the tank.
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05/03/08 03:12pm
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#1724576
NAM_ELITPER
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Message To: NAM_ELITPER In reference to Message Id: 1722937
My new sav
Newer pic but not with his new soil.I haven’t had to deal with digging or arboreal lizards before, i am used to bd ,frilled,iguanas ,ball pythons , tree boas but don’t start bashing yet i did do my research on these animal’s and am use to the exotics I’m just trying to get info from some people that have already raised monitors and knows what works and don’t..question i went and bought some good soil for him that is good for digging and will hold good for tunnels etc. but i was wondering what you guys use and like for your sav’s-brand name mixes etc and where you got it at. And he only has 4 more days until he goes to the vet and then hes in his home cage
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05/04/08 01:59am
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#1724585
KAP10CAVY
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Message To: NAM_ELITPER In reference to Message Id: 1724576
My new sav
Umm.... BD’s are also burrowing lizards.
Different people use different dirts.
I prefer dirt I collect from the river by my house.
Lots os sand and silt and great for holding burrows.
Head out to your local landscapers and tell them you’re looking for a sandy loam, no clay.
They’ll have a truck dump it right in your front yard.
Scott
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05/04/08 02:12am
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#1728848
NAM_ELITPER
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Message To: KAP10CAVY In reference to Message Id: 1724585
My new sav
Hey guy i was just wondering i have been bothered that my sav is not eating like i would like him to be he is only eating a few crickets a day and i know they can eat a lot i have changed his husbandry used dirt kept his humidity at 75 80 % heat at 75-80 cold side and a 120 basking spot, j/w if you you guys had any good ways to get these guys to eat when there stressed without force feading? THANKS
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05/07/08 11:29pm
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#1729307
NAM_ELITPER
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Message To: NAM_ELITPER In reference to Message Id: 1728848
My new sav
Hey guys just hoping you can answer my question.
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05/08/08 01:44pm
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#1729397
Nermie
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Message To: NAM_ELITPER In reference to Message Id: 1729307
My new sav
monitors in general will stop eating when they are in a new enviroment if ya just changed stuff up and the monitor is new to the cage it may take a bit to get up to eating fully.
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05/08/08 03:38pm
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#1729915
NAM_ELITPER
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Message To: Nermie In reference to Message Id: 1729397
My new sav
thanks he/she is very active but not eating a lot but its prob. from changing the dirt.
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05/08/08 10:51pm
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#1729995
3240
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Message To: NAM_ELITPER In reference to Message Id: 1729915
My new sav
Your set up is actually looking pretty good. Just want to double check but the top is plexiglass, correct?
The only recommendation that I have is a tighter hiding spot. These guys tend to burrow or wedge themselves in tight spaces for a sense of security and in an effort to maintain hydration. What I like to do for hatchlings is use something like a warped piece of flat wood and lay it on the substrate. In many cases they’ll wedge themselves under this and start a small burrow. Keep the substrate under the piece of wood moist. You’re basically making a moist hide for him which will keep him hydrated. Leaf litter also makes for an excellent source of moisture/humidity and security.
Leave him be and avoid the urge to handle him. More than likely he’ll spend many hours hiding which is totally normal.
I’ll try to take pictures of my raise up enclosure tomorrow so you’ll see what I’m talking about.
Good luck.
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05/09/08 12:52am
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#1730351
NAM_ELITPER
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Message To: 3240 In reference to Message Id: 1729995
 My new sav
thanks and yea it a plexyglass top, im going to the pet store today so i’ll pick up a better hide, does any one use the moss litter is it good to use and where do i get leaf litter, outside or the store
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05/09/08 02:43pm
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#1731544
NAM_ELITPER
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Message To: NAM_ELITPER In reference to Message Id: 1730351
My new sav
??? ^ ???
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05/10/08 11:23pm
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#1731617
KAP10CAVY
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Message To: NAM_ELITPER In reference to Message Id: 1731544
My new sav
Leaves are free and they are everywhere.
Grab a rake and some garbage bags.
Drive around and look for houses with lots of leaves in the yard.
Go up, knock on the door and offer to clean their yard for free.
Now, wasn’t that easy?
Scott
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05/11/08 01:08am
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