Common Name: Savannah Monitor
Latin name: Varanus exanthematicus 

Native to: Central to Southern Africa 

Size: Typically three to four feet, but some have been known to reach five feet in length 

Life span:  Up to 10 years or more, some species have lived more than 15 years 

General Appearance: Savannah monitors are generally dark or dusty gray with occasional rust colored spots on their raised bumps on their backs. Monitors have a large forked tongue, which is used in the same manor as a snake to sense its surroundings. 

Housing requirements: 

Enclosure: Young monitors can be kept in 30 gallon Long or larger aquariums. Full sized adult specimens are generally too large for aquariums and custom-built cages are generally required.  When constructing a cage it should generally be approximately three feet wide by six feet long by three feet tall. Savannah monitors are generally terrestrial animals and do not require much room for vertical climbing. Unfinished wood should be avoided as a building material since it can hard to properly disinfect. Care should be used when constructing the enclosure since this monitor species is very intelligent and persistent and will often exploit the smallest opening in order to escape. A water dish large enough for your monitor to soak in should be provided. 

Temperature: Daytime temperatures should be maintained at a gradient of 85º to 98º F. Nighttime temperatures should be maintained at 72º to 80º F. Many private breeders have discovered that basking spots of up to 120º F are often beneficial for this species. 

Heat/Light: A basking spot should be provided using a heat bulb with UVA rays, such as Exo-Terra's Sun Glo Dayligh Heat Bulb. Under the tank heaters can be used to increase the ambient temperature to acceptable levels.

Substrate: Zilla's Terrarium Liner is usually the best option for monitors because it is easy to clean. Savannah Monitors like to burrow so other substrates such as aspen shavings or Carefresh Pet Bedding acn be used as well. Cedar should never be used because it can be toxic to your reptile. 

Environment: Savannah monitors come from a dry semi-arid environment sow low humidity should be provided to avoid skin problems. Hide areas such as hollow logs or rock caves should also be provided for your lizard. Live plants are generally not recommended because the monitor will usually dig up or destroy the plants. 

Diet: All monitors are carnivorous and will eat anything that can fit in their mouth. Young monitors can be fed insects such as crickets, mealworms, and superworms. As the monitor grows, larger food should be offered such as pinky or fuzzy mice. Adult monitors can be fed adult mice and juvenile rats. It is recommended to use thawed previously killed frozen mice since this will help prevent your monitor from contracting parasites as well as reduce possible injury to your monitor. In addition to rodents, many hobbyists also offer their monitors ground turkey. If using ground turkey, be sure to supplement with calcium, such as Herpcare Cricket Dust. Wild caught prey should be avoided due to the possibilities of parasites or possible toxins in the preys system. Adult monitors should generally be fed one to four mice once or twice a week. Take care not to over-feed since obesity is very common in this species. 

Maintenance: The enclosure should be spot cleaned daily and disinfected weekly. If using Terrarium Liner it is recommended to have at least two sets for ease of cleaning. This will allow you to simply swap the clean carpeting for the soiled so you may clean it. A 5% bleach solution is an excellent disinfectant. Be sure to thoroughly rinse the enclosure and carpeting before placing the monitor back. The water dish should be emptied and cleaned daily as soaking monitors will often defecate in the water dish. 

Recommended Products:
Zilla Terrarium Liner
Exo-Terra Sun Glo Daylight Heat Bulbs
Exo-Terra Thermometer
Herpcare Cricket Dust
Four Paws Nature's Vitamin Reptile Spray
Live crickets and mice