Most Savannah Monitors are wild caught or farmed. Savannah Monitors native habitats include Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Bissau, Mali, Liberia, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Gambia, Guinea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, South Sudan, Togo, and Uganda. A large portion are collected from and near Ghana Africa, located along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean. Ghana is located only a few degrees north of the Equator, giving it a warm climate. Grasslands (savannah) mixed with shrublands and forest make up most of it’s landscape. The climate of Ghana is tropical and there are two main seasons: the wet season (april-mid november) and the dry season. During the wet season average temperatures range 70F-90F with relative humidity averaging between 76-100%. During the dry season average temperatures range between 70F-75F with relative average humidity between 67-80%. Understanding their natural habitat will help guide you in offering the best environment for your Savannah Monitor in captivity.
To be able to provide the most beneficial environment, the minimum housing size suggested is an 8ftx4ftx4ft sealed wood enclosure (see “how to build an 8x4x4” group file) with substrate depth of 18-24” (substrate options are covered in the bioactive substrate file). Vents that open/close can be installed on each side of enclosure a few inches above substrate surface to be used for additional ventilation. Though the more space you can offer, the better. Theses monitors are often described as terrestial but they are actually excellent climbers and are often found in tree tops during certains times of year in their natural habitat. Adding height to the minimum suggested size would be just as beneficial as adding additional floor space. The following are just a few reasons behind the housing suggestions (from hatchling to adult):
1 A larger area is more forgiving of mistakes. It is a lot easier on new owners to learn how to regulate temperatures and humidity without negatively effecting the Savannah Monitor. Where as a smaller enclosure or fish tank poses an increased risk in overheating while trying to offer correct basking temps and diminishing humidity levels.
2 A larger enclosure will allow for deeper substrate. The deeper substrate will allow your Savannah Monitor to burrow, thermoregulate and have access to higher humidity level below ground. Being able to have access to burrows will also aid in your Savannah Monitor feeling more secure. The deeper substrate also helps with maintaining humidity levels.
3 A larger enclosure space reduces the risk of flagellate infections, as the Savannah Monitor will not be in cramped quarters with its feces.
4 A larger enclosure is more opportunity for mental stimulation. It is more space for the Savannah Monitor to explore and forage. It offers more space for “decor” such as logs/branches/limbs/plants for the Savannah Monitor to climb, move and in the case of the plants more than likely dig up.
5 Starting a Savannah Monitor in the larger enclosure size will save the owner time and money by removing the need to constantly upgrade as the monitor grows. It also saves the monitor from the added stress of reacclimating with each upgrade.
6 A larger enclosure allows for broader thermal and humidity gradients.
7 Building larger than the minimum suggested size will allow the owner to also provide a secondary basking area without overheating the enclosure, giving the Sav more basking temperature options to choose from.
An excerpt from Savannahmonitor.net: “Savannah Monitors are very intelligent animals, they require stimulation, locked inside four walls with nothing to do is comparable to solitary confinement in a prison. They NEED space, they NEED dirt to dig burrows in. Like a child in a sand box, nothing else you can do for your animal is better than to give it plenty of sandy soil mix to tunnel in and providing enrichment to keep the animal’s mind keen. Monitors in captivity can become bored (wouldn’t you be in a box)”.
Savannah Monitors require higher basking and ambient (air) temperatures, not only to replicated their natural environment but to aid in digestion as well. The best way to offer your Savannah Monitor the correct basking temperatures and reduce the risk of burns is to provide a large basking area with a multi-fixtured rowed lighting setup over head, using low wattage bulbs (3-4 fixtures, 50-75w halogen flood bulbs). To be able to accurately measure the basking surface temperature you are providing, a laser (infared) temperature gun should be used. You need to offer a range of basking surface temperatures between 130F-160F.
To be able to accurately measure ambient (air) temperatures is to use a digital thermometer. You need to keep your cool side ambient temperatures in the range between 75F-80F, hot side 90F-100F.
To be able to accurately measure your humidity levels is to use a digital hygrometer, humidity should be offered in varying levels above 65%. Keeping humidity levels consistently in the high range or consistently in the low range can lead to health issues for your monitor. If you would like to more closely replicated their natural environment, following Accra Ghana daily humidity is an easy way for owners to do so. Helpful hint: I have found an easier way to monitor the ambient temperatures and humidity levels is to invest in two 2n1 digital hygrometer/thermometer units, mounting one on each end of the enclosure a few inches above substrate level. They can be purchased at most local retail stores as well as online.
Something that is often ignored and not always agreed upon is the use of UVB. Due to the risk of metabolic bone issues and D3 toxicity, I do encourage owners to utilize UVB in Savannah Monitor housing. When using UVB lighting, feeders should be dusted with a Calcium only supplement. Ghana has a very high UVB index, so I do suggest using T5 or T8 UVB bulbs/fixtures. Brands that I suggest are Reptisun 10.0 T5 HO or T8 UVB bulbs or Arcadia D3+12% or D3+HO t5 14% UVB bulbs. Mount center of ceiling cage for maximum exposure. Some owners also use mercury vapor and metal halide UVB bulbs, both offer UVB, UVA and heat all in one.
The next step in providing your Savannah Monitor with proper care is diet. Their natural diet in the wild is primarily insects/invertebrates, with occasional snails and mussels. The sample stomach content of a wild Savannah Monitor included: 49.4% millipedes, 21.2% beetles, 15.1% larvae, 9.1% crickets/locusts, 3.0% lizard eggs, 2.0% snails and 0.1% scorpion. Because we do not have access to many of the Savannah Monitor staple feeders, it is important to provide comparable supplemental feeders (see “feeder options, basic list” group file). By researching their natural diet and finding the nutritional value of each type of feeder, the information will aid the owner in choosing appropriate supplemental feeders that are available to offer a balance diet to their Savannah Monitor.
Veterinary care is something that is often overlooked when first obtaining a reptile. This is unfortunate as it could aid in early diagnosis and prevention of health issues. I believe a large portion of the early high mortality rate in Savannah Monitor hatchlings/juveniles could be resolved with a simple visit to a reputable exotics veterinarian for a well check and fecal testing. Personally I also suggest an annual visit for blood testing to ensure their are no organ issues or dietary deficiencies presenting.
Just to recap important information:
Minimum 8x4x4 sealed enclosure
Minimum 2ft sand/soil substrate
Basking surface temp measured by laser temp gun 130-160F
Cool side ambient temps measured digitally 75F-80F
Hot side ambient temps measured digitally 90F-100F
Humidity varying range above 65%
Arthropod/invert based diet
Veterinary testing
Equipment shopping list:
Laser (infared) temperature gun
Digital thermometer/digital hygrometer
UVB lighting
Basking Lighting
Credits to: savannah monitor group who continues to study and update information relating to captive Savannah monitor care