I just aquired a 2 yr old savannah. Sigh it was neglected no lights and fed only 1 mouse per month. Needless to say it is in terrible condition. It has metobolic bone problems. And is so skinny you can see all the bones, hip bones being the worst.I am now giving it cal. drops on its mouse (fed 1 to 2 mice a day. Have the proper lighting and working around the fact it bites because it thinks everything is food.Does anyone have any constructive ideas about nursing it back to health? And do all savannahs let go in their water bowl,....sigh. Thanks
Hi, Welcome to the forum. I would honestly suggest you contact a herp vet, if he has MBD and is that skinny. A vet should prescribe some high protein food and give calcium injections. I would also suggest you buy crickets, roaches or superworms and cut down the mice. Mice are very fatty and can cause a fatty liver which he doesn't need right now. Well done for taking him on and rescueing him but please see a vet if he has any chance of pulling through this. They often "go" in their water, does make it easier to clean tank clean, also the water encourages them to go. Keep us posted, good luck with the little guy.
Seek a vet if you have not already, but here is some suggestions that may help. PLEASE DO NOT FEED SO QUICKLY! Reptiles have a slow metabolism. They do not eat like the family dog, nor are they as active. Feeding a reptile so often can cause it's stomach to tear along with it thowing up what it's stomach won't fit. I suggest feeding once a week or 2 small meals twice a week for now. It is also a good idea to mix up it's carnivore menu so that it is getting a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. I feed my monitor mice, rats, beef, duck, lamb, eggs and chicken. I also suggest a certain dog food. It's a meat only dog food you can find in the freezer section of a good pet store. It's called "Natures Variety". It is ground up meat made into either meat balls or patties. No fillers, no other ingredients, just the frozen ground meat. My monitor wont eat insects anymore, but if yours will GREAT! their high in protein and low in fat. Watch out for really fatty meats though. I use chicken and turkey more then the others because it is leaner. My monitor loves it! It's so sad to hear about it's bone deficiency. Monitors don't acquire metabolic bone deficiency's as easily as other reptiles like chameleons. Monitors do not NEED UVB/UVA bulbs, but since your monitors bones are so weak, IT NEEDS IT. Keep the UVB/UVA light on 8-10 hours a day. A heat lamp needs to be on all the time, day and night. There should be a "hot spot" or basking temperature of 90-100 degrees with the rest of the tank in the 80's. Make sure you are careful though about the material you use for the basking spot and the distance of the heat lamp. A smooth material that can hold heat well may cause burns on the monitors belly if it becomes to hot. I suggest a material that has small groves or bumps so that it is still comfortable but will not heat up or hold as much heat. Also, for the distance of the heat lamp, make sure the monitor can not reach it or get close enough to something near the light that could burn it. The heat light should be close enough for proper temperature but far enough so that it can not try to climb on it to cause either an escape or severe burns. Although, I think you already said you have good proper lighting...so thumbs up there My savanna does go to the bathroom in it's water bowl. It's convenient when it comes to cleaning up after him. Mostly savanna's will do this because it's a single place (probably in a corner) to keep going and isolate it's waist as well as in the wild water would carry waist away from it's habitat and help relax it to do it's business. Just make sure it's bowl is thoroughly cleaned as soon as you notice it has gone to the bathroom in the bowl. It sounds like the bowl may be big enough for it to fit into since it is going to the bathroom in it. Good, monitors will sometimes lay in their water bowl to relax, or just soak. As for the biting bit, Use gloves for how, but gentle handling once it's health comes back around, will make it accustom to the handing. My monitor loves to be carried around and falls asleep with his head nuzzled against the side of my neck a lot. I hope your new savanna comes back around. The best of luck and I hope that if anything I've said you didn't already know can help. Sorry for the super long response...but GOOD LUCK!
Thank you for your suggestions. It seems to be along the same lines of caring for my argus monitor. I was giving the savannah (name is Wicked,lol) a mouse (actually a pinkie rat) daily hoping to build its fatty tissue since it has none. I will do asyou suggested though and supplement with other protiens. My argus ( name is 7, bought from petshop because it was in to small of a cage and not being fed daily ) eats pinkie rats chicken and eggs omg egg poop is the worst. I haven't taken wicked to the vet yet (but talked to my vet about it) due to spending 550 on trying to find out why my bearded dragons (his name is Izzy) rear legs and tail have become paralized. He had had exrays bloodwork everything checks out fine but still no movement. So I give him antibotic shots and pain shots and have to wait and see. He has feeling in his legs and tail but no jerk response or movement. He did not fall, eats well, poops when soaked and always has a black beard showing his discomfort the vet who specializes in reptiles is stumped so far thanks everyone and I shall keep you posted
It's always sad to hear about neglected lizards...I'm glad someone who cares took him in! I took a marine bio class once and someone left a neglected Savannah their...the poor thing had ended up with scoliosis and was always ready to bite anything... We kept him in the classroom and he became a lot friendlier with proper care and handling. I have a Savannah now that we got off some stoner idiot and he was terribly fat, and aggressive when we got him, but like I said they respond well to proper care and handling. Mine always goes in the water bowl Lol I think its pretty convenient though. I agree with Bruno about the insects... They will help him to get to a proper weight without being too hard to digest or being to high in fat, plus a good calcium powder on them will help too. So good luck and I'm sure he will be getting better soon (especially if you have a good vet)
I took Wicked to the vet today....He does have metobolic bone issues. His Jaw is soft he is very underweight he may loose the end of his tail but other than thst he is doing well. Although the vet said I should cut back on the mice...sigh, He's always hungry. He will grow in time although he may never reach full size.Will be doing blood work in 3 months when he is stable. And was told I am doing everything right (except for overfeeding lol) I will keep you updated and thank you all for your input. Oh Izzy has regained a tiny jerk reaction when toes ar being pinched so hopefull in time he will begin to use his legs again. There is a section of his tail right behind his butt that has to be watched its turned bruised looking . He will continue antibiotics for 2 months. will keep you posted, Peace Galic
So glad to hear both are doing well. I admire you very much for what you are doing, well done. With time and care I'm sure both will make a good recovery.
Hi , that reccomended basking temp is way low even for a baby sav. low basking temps will slow a savs metabolism , wich often cause digestive problems (irregular pooing,diahorrea) , reduced immune function (respiratory infections etc), and can cause problems absorbing the minerals you give.This could greatly hinder his recovery . Over the years on many forums (just check loads of old threads) its been seen that savs kept at low basking temps (+ also often deadly low humidity +"love" baths, cuddles lots of freeroaming,and walks on a leash cuz their enclosures 2 small ) VERY rarely live past 5 yrs. Countless posts of supercool puppydog tame savs that just disappear . They appear docile because their bodies are only "ticking over ".Warm your "lazy " savs up and watch them go ! Good temps for a sav seem to be 75+f cool end , 90ish f warm , basking temps for babies 120f surface temp and 130-140f surface temp for adults (120f might be better for urs if hes having trouble moving). But back to your problem ,good job on taking him/her in ,its heartbreaking to see them in such poor condition , but it happens all the too often. By far the best (proving best longterm success) sav caresheets you,ll find on the web are - Pro exotics caresheet and monitor pro pack info etc , savannah monitor.org caresheet , Western New York herpetological society (WNYHS) caresheet , and the thread "so you want a sav " + the link from that page at reptile forums uk . Again wishing you the best of luck with the rescue, andy
once again thank you all for your input. As for the kudos for taking in the ones who need my help thank you but in all fairness I can't help but take them in. From the time I was a child I have taken in strays and sick creatures, I think that is what I was always meant to do. I love and like all creatures but only a few humans, lol it's the truth. Creatures don't judge you ,lie ,cheat ,have over inflated egos , or steal (except if its food or the ocassional shoe).And there are so many people who don't understand reptiles or have a pre conceived notion that they are "evil" arghhhhh . Once again many thanks, peace, Gailc aka Kath
