Sexing monitors can be tricky, even for experts. If need be they will wrestle and bite each other and can inflict quite severe injuries to each other.Ī mature pair of Savannah monitors should be at least 1.5 years old or more. They show their aggression with loud hissing sounds and trashing the tail, before striking at their opponent. Savannah monitor males are quite territorial and will defend their territory very aggressively. These are usually much easier to see than the hemipenes of the boys, as they’re in an external location.īreeding Savannah Monitors It Sounds Easier Than It Is! The presence of these specks is an indication that you’re dealing with a girl rather than a boy. Red SpecksĪlthough female savannah monitors lack hemipenes, they do have tiny red specks that flank their excretory openings. This can be seen very early on which they are still babies but rarely displayed. Sometimes, a male will evert his hemipenes, pushing them out and dragging them along the ground in a dominant or territorial display.įemales can and rarely do evert their sex organs which look like small pink/purple tubes with no spiky/flower at the tip. They look like a pair of small pink tubes with what can be described as a spiky flower ball at the end. One key sign of a male savannah monitor is the presence of hemipenes, which are reproductive organs situated on their tails’ foundations. Interestingly, females have bigger eyes and nostrils. Mature savannah monitors sometimes grow to around 5 feet long and can weigh upward of 154 pounds but are often much smaller than that. While judging by size alone is not recommended, male savannah monitor lizards usually possess bigger heads than the females, but not by much. Sexing Savannah Monitors Visual Difference All medical conditions require a visit to a reptile veterinarian for treatment. Open-mouthed breathing, wheezing, and mucus in the mouth are the most common symptoms. Like many reptiles, Savannah monitors are also susceptible to respiratory infections. Both of these conditions are potentially life-threatening and unfortunately common in Savannah lizards kept in captivity. They’re also frequently afflicted with external parasites, or mites, that suck the lizard’s blood through the skin. The symptoms of an internal parasite include sluggishness, lack of appetite, and vomiting. These lizards are prone to parasitic infections.
Housing Savannah Monitors… It Sounds Easier Than It is…Ī juvenile (young) Savannah will be fine in a 55-gallon aquarium for a short period of time, but since they grow quickly, most owners have their adult set-up ready when they bring home a baby. Very specific conditions are required to keep these lizards healthy. Savannah monitor lizards are popular pets in the United States but don’t always thrive in captivity. This is not a pet for an amateur herpetologist. Avoid overfeeding, try to replicate the natural diet, and provide ample space to avoid these problems. Poor diet, coupled with lack of room to exercise quickly result in an overweight monitor. It should be noted that Savannah monitors are particularly prone to obesity and subsequent medical problems.
All food items, with the exception of rodents and pre-mixed diets, should be regularly dusted with a high-quality calcium/vitamin D3 supplement.įood for growing monitors should be dusted several times a week, while less frequent supplementation is acceptable for older lizards.Ī good multivitamin should also be employed, and as formulas differ, follow the manufacturers directions for dosage information.