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 #962541


MellyMuffin
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 Natural growth rate

hey, does anyone know the natural growth rate of a savannah monitor? I’m arranging her environment so it is as natural as possible with the right heating/lighting, and i’m trying to enrich it for interest. It would help if I knew the natural growth rate so I can get an idea if i’m doing a better job with her.

- cory
08/29/06  01:41pm

 #962564


SHvar
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   Message To: MellyMuffin   In reference to Message Id: 962541


 That is related to conditions..

Normal as in what is possible for them to grow, or what the average keeper sees?
I have seen a bosc monitor grow from 6 inches to 33 inches in one year, and I have seen 54 inches in that same male in 2 years time. Ive seen more than a few kept pretty good grow to 3-4ft in a few years.
The average keeper sees an animal that may not grow, or live more than a few months.
So be prepared for whatever happens, conditions dictate what happens. In the wild they average growing to 13 inches at 1 year old, now the problem being with this is that you do not have any clue how old yours is, after all the last sucessful captive breeding was a few years back in North America, in Europe it has been a while to.
08/29/06  03:44pm

 #962638


Mark bayless
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   Message To: SHvar   In reference to Message Id: 962564


 That is related to conditions..

Shvar,
I disagree with you on this. Look at Daniel Bennett’s book on Savannah monitors - you will see growth rates for wild animals; Look at Pete Strimple’s 1983 assessment of growth rates on V. exanthematicus - he says .75 0r 1/4-1/2 inches/month. Look at the animals optimal temperature/humidity and food intake - those are primary contributing factors to how fast an animal will grow....so to say it depends on the keeper and they as fast as they do is not correct or even very good advice, when there is such readily available information on this so easily available....
cheers,
markb
08/29/06  04:18pm

 #962807


MellyMuffin
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   Message To: Mark bayless   In reference to Message Id: 962638


 That is related to conditions..

I’ve had here for 3-4 months, and she hasn’t grown the slightest bit...she seems healthy though. Is this a bad sign?
08/29/06  06:03pm

 #962885


Krusty
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   Message To: MellyMuffin   In reference to Message Id: 962807


 That is related to conditions..

Feed her more. As much as she’ll eat. Add a good reptile vitamin dusting to the food. Double check your temps and humidity are in range. Evaluate the poops. Any chance of runny, foul smelling stools? Gross as it sounds it can indicate GI parasites sometimes. The parasites decrease the animal’s nutritional intake and stunt growth. Don’t flip out. This is just one possibility. It could be several things. But it should be growing and fast.
08/29/06  07:05pm

 #963187


SHvar
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   Message To: Mark bayless   In reference to Message Id: 962638


 Interesting Mark..

"Shvar,
I disagree with you on this. Look at Daniel Bennett’s book on Savannah monitors - you will see growth rates for wild animals"

Mark
Thats exactly where I got the info, but excuse me I just looked it up, at 9 months old they average from 110-230mm total length with most being at the lower or middle ranges, 230 being a few according to a chart in his book. Thats from 4.3307 inches to 9.0551 inches total, thats even shorter than I remembered, so at one year it is not much more (only 3 more months). At hatching time they are only 5 inches, but in captivity they are known to be larger, possibly from better incubation.
They can grow very very fast in captivity, and grow to 3ft or more as males in 1 years time.
08/29/06  09:41pm

 #963364


Mark bayless
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   Message To: SHvar   In reference to Message Id: 963187


 Interesting Mark..

Hi Shvar,
This last post you wrote above is much more clearly understood than your earlier post= Thanks. Now I understand where you are coming from, thanks....
cheers,
markb
08/29/06  11:35pm


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