Alex you look Exhausted!! And your holding your baby in a swaddle!! Dont worry! Parenthood is hard! And though it may seem to be a unrewarding and unpaid full-time job,I know you will continue to be a GREAT MOTHER! 🤱
Have you done a video on reptile bites? I’m sure you’ve been bitten by a lot of animals so it would be interesting to see what you think on the pain scale for them.
Recently my cousin rescued a Savannah monitor lizard. Her husband works for a trash company and found a glass tank with the lizard and everything it had inside the trash can. They didn't know who did it but he decided to take it home and there building a big enclosure for them. They actually didn't know what lizard it was at first but my cousins cared for reptiles before so she thought she could do it. my mother showed me the picture and I recognized it immediately telling her it was a Savannah monitor lizard. But now we're working together to make sure the lizards health is stable.
Get it dewormed asap. Paracites are very very common in monitors, especially poorly cared for monitors. Its much harder for them to thrive if they have paracites so id get it checked right away. Also be aware that youll need an enclosure thats roughly 4ft by 8ft for an adult savannah/bosc monitor. Monitors are extremely intelligent and will not do well in cramped enclosures.
I'm sure they took it to the vet and have a good sized enclosure, you need to read dude, he said they had reptiles before and they are building a large inclosure for it
Aarya Patel All I've done is offer friendly, useful advice that would benefit any new savannah owner. Whether hes had other reptiles or not, monitors are a whole different ballgame and its better to be safe than sorry. If you've got a problem with that, thats too bad. I'm offering him my advice anyways because I care about that animals health MUCH more than I care about your opinion.
I think his creaky voice is kind of deterring and many people are scared of reptiles and amphibians heck my cousin ran screaming from the zoo because there was a 40-foot snake in a tank that scared him
It physically hurts me that people were asking if you released it or gave it to petco... It's like they didn't watch your videos on why doing both of those are bad...
Ive got a 6ft Male Nile and I get asked constantly if I still have him. The reason they ask is because its very rare for someone to keep a monitor for its entire lifespan. Its annoying though for sure though and even a little insulting.
The Petco near me sells baby Savannah monitors and I personally hate that they do that because anybody could just get one and have no idea how to take care of it...
It's should almost be them asking people if they know how to care for said animal, such as temps, humidity etc and to prove that they have had experience in the past. Very sad though and I think something should be done, but people are just in it for money.
Josh 1275 I agree. I think certain reptiles should require a mandatory written test before purchase. If you dont score above a certain percentage you wouldn't be allowed to purchase the animal. Its a very simple solution, but i think it would be very effective. It would have to be enforced by the state though, not the shops themselves. If pet stores provided the testing they could easily lie in order to make an extra sale. Another issue is young kids buying large reptiles and then leaving them with their parents when they move out. I used to work at a reptile specialty shop and a large portion of the animals people would bring us were abandoned by kids who moved out and left them with their parents who didnt know how to care for them. Most of the time they were monitors, or even large pythons like burmese pythons and reticulated pythons. I think if you are under a certain age you should have to provide a "life plan" for the animal and explain how you will care for it once you move out (unless you plan to live with your parents until you are 40 lol).
@@alexcrowder1673 Yeah, I would love to see something like that take place and not just for reptiles etc. Maybe mammals such as Rabbits too. Like you said about working in a reptile specialist, I used to work at an animal rescue centre and the amount of rabbits they would have coming in and or there is just unbelievable. Such a difficult pet to own but people don't do their research and think it'll be fine for a young child. It's really sad. Though enforcing it would have some issues, like you said and also that people will just get annoyed if they have to prove it but I would much rather have something like that implemented. Maybe we should start a petition lol!
Kudos for now sticking to an invertebrate only diet 👍🏾 The biggest problem with Savannah enclosures is that there's no attempt to accurately replicate their natural habitat or behaviours. This is because people don't want to take on the massive requirements and is why they die so young. Whilst these guys need very high basking temps to digest all the protein they eat, they also need to be able to escape from it, cool down and rehydrate. In the wild they do this by retreating into deep burrows that have close to 100% humidity at the base. To successfully keep these guys healthy you need at the very least 2 feet of damp burrow holding substrate. Ideally a bio active sand soil mix. For a full grown Savannah the correct enclosure weighs a hell of a lot. If you don't have that substrate depth your Savannah will be unhealthy and not live as long.
a_true_classic _never_dies Yes! I was hoping I’d see a “correct” comment. My girlfriend had an adult female Sav in a 8’x4’x4’ with two feet of soil to allow for those high humidity pockets! Lots of insects too and of course the high basking spot! Nice to see another comment on proper care!
Excellent advice! If you are in a pinch you can also use "humid hideboxes" to replicate the humidity inside a burrow, but I'd only use that as a temporary solution (like while a permanent tank with deep soil is being built). Monitors are actually so intelligent that they can suffer from depression just like people. Allowing them to dig does wonders for preventing that. Feeding them insect heavy diets like you mentioned helps keep them occupied as well. After all, happy animals tend to live longer! It helps with obesity too. Idk why but it seems like nearly 80% of adult savannahs are obese these days. As far as substrate goes I like using a mixture of sand and soil so that the burrows are a little more solid and less likely to collapse. Just make sure you dont use soil with any pesticides or fertilizers. I personally like to freeze the soil beforehand to kill any pesky bugs/parasites that may be living in the soil. It takes awhile, but it gives me a little peace of mind.
I used to reptile sit for a friend who rescued one from a neglective home. And they were very difficult to care for. But I really enjoyed caring for him regardless of the difficulty. Like from a science perspective it was nice to try to learn and understand their needs. Our main concern was husbandry. And how much we had to pay attention to the little guy (not so little guy he's pretty huge 🙃). We built a huge indoor outdoor enclosure for my friends monitor. I wouldn't recommend as a pet either not without understanding it's a SERIOUS commitment. My friend is in his late 30s and has the time etc to care for him. I wouldn't recommend this pet for anyone who doesn't have a lot of time and patience. Or to anyone who wants a new one and not a rescue. I honestly feel like these shouldn't be sold. Bc of how they are usually wild captured. Edit: Friggen love her name!!!! 🌺🌼🌸 And how you went about naming her
Dude I use very finely crushed glass as substrate for all my reptiles and it works _amazing!_ Seriously, don't knock it until you try it - it looks SO COOL the way it glistens and sparkles under the lights. The reptiles like it so much; they think it's so pretty that they actively avoid stepping in it because they don't wanna mess it up! That's evidence enough that it's the best substrate material.
I love how you take responsibility for the influence you have on young people! Love your vids and how knowledgeable you are, and the genuine love you have for your animals.
Monitor lizards are awesome but you’re totally right, husbandry for many varanid species is spotty at best. From my experience with caring for smaller varanids and researching other species, you’re going about it correctly. They need more space than you think, high humidity, high (130 minimum) basking spots, insect based diets with occasional rodents, and patience.
20% off goherping.com/shop with "Bonnibel" at checkout! P.S. Forgot to mention, she only has like an inch of substrate... I had a mix of coconut fiber and cypress mulch, but ran out while replacing it, and had to order more lol.
Love your channel fyi, I’m 42 and will never retain the kind of knowledge you have, I’m so impressed with you, your maturity and modesty, humour too, and I just love learning from you
My Savannah monitor is probably my favorite of the group. He's totally a sweetheart, I did do the "swoop in and grab" him method and it works fine for me. He will let me know when to leave him alone tho, with hisses and jerky movements but he has yet to whip or bite or run. If I pick him up anyway he'll poop on me as a last ditch effort lol before settling down. Then he's perfect to handle. So I just prepare for that possibility when I want to hold him. Once he's in my hands he usually doesn't want to let go, so I just run some water over him while I hold him. He eats a pinky every week, variety of what bugs I have and yes, eggs. A good source of calcium is chopped up chicken feet from the grocery stores, but he also loves chicken hearts, ground, mackerel, salmon, shrimp, basically he'll eat whatever I offer, and I just give the fattier foods in smaller amounts. I keep his basking temp in the mid 140s and the gradient from high 80s to about 100. He's on a sand and peat moss mix substrate which does get ingested at times when he's in that "kill" mode and he grinds his food across the ground before swallowing. I keep the imagitarium XL corner water dish in his enclosure and he uses it as necessary. He's housed in a melamine enclosure that's tarped around the edge to maintain the substrate humidity and there's a potted plant in the middle of the enclosure that serves many purposes. He's still much younger than Bonnibel, but just about the same size. I still expect that puberty will be challenging, but he has been an amazing example of his species!!
I have two myself. They grow quickly. They used to hiss and whip as babies but now like you mentioned with time they realize you aren't a threat. I tap the corner of their enclosure and got them used to that when I'm going to feed them. They come running and jumping up trying to get what I have like hungry pups. At first I used to put their food in a dish and keep an eye out to see if they each ate. Then I gradually went to tongs. Now I hand feed them and they run over and get the food from my fingers. They ate a bit intimidating at first but they grow on you. I'm committed to keeping them long term. You are right about the care being controversial and people saying different things. I ended up just researching what their natural environment and conditions are and their wild diet. Super interesting animals. I'm at home almost all the time and stay up at nights so I spend time with them and check up on them. They are just awesome to look at. My son likes them because he says they look like Godzilla lizards. Haha. Great video and sorry about the long winded comment. Keep it up. I look forward to more of your monitor videos. You are a great kid and like others mentioned seem very responsible.
What a wonderfully informative video. You have earned yourself a new subscriber. We adopted a Nile Monitor that had been abused a few years ago, and it was a terrible situation for a while. Luckily, he has learned that we are not the previous owners and he did a complete 180 in attitude. Good luck with Bonnibel. I’m glad she seems to be in a good home now. It’s slow progress with our monitor friends, but so worth it.
I wish i had known about you before as i had 2 bosc monitors both were rescued 1 samson had a big burn on his back from an oven i lost him after all the care due to his burns and then i had Zeus he ended up having fatty liver disease and i had to have him put to sleep he was 4 but i did have a 12 ft vivarium built and now its empty i have not got the heart to get anymore cos no care sheet is correct everone tells you something different.
13:56 Alex-"What's princess Bubblegum 's name? Bonnibel. So this is Bonnibel." Bonnibel-" I'm a beeeeeeautiful princess... who wants to eat your soul and destroy the world as you know it, leaving darkness, pain and misery in my wake. Fear me mortal...fear the princess."
I believe Kevin over at NERD works with Savannah's - they are all captive bred and he works with them as babies to try and tame them down. Not sure if you've looked at his channels but he might have some ideas to get your girl more used to you. It really is a matter of slowly building trust between you and the reptile.
Great video! I have owned a Savana for 3 years. She is a great lizard but high maintenance for sure. I have mine trained so she comes out to eat in a plastic tub, I put a small cat harness on her and we go outside and walk. She poops outside then she can get on my shoulder and we walk around the yard. After that she goes into the shower for as long as I will leave her. She loves the shower. I wrap her in a towel after and we snuggle. I also spray her at least once a day. It may sound weird but she loves sardines (packed in water) and live shrimp or feeder fish. You seem to be doing a great job raising your lizards. Keep it up and don't listen to the negatives.
Man, I don’t know if you’ve ever used this stuff but I got it when I first adopted my second beardie because he was a rescue too and kept having stuck shed issues; you can buy shed aid and let me tell you it works wonders. I used the ZooMed one. I don’t know, this is probably old news to you, but you didn’t mention anything about it so I wanted to say something.
I think mimicking their natural habit is good enough as a care sheet, obviously taking out any hazards such as substrate type,etc but imo where they naturally occur is the best reference.
I totally agree. I keep about 34 lizards at home and all of which with the exception of my Giant Day Gecko there is little to no info on. My Wall Lizards I used advice from people keeping them in Europe and just by replicating the conditions in the wild here in NY/NJ were they are introduced. But ones like my Anolis aeneus or Agama impalearis I care for totally off of reading scientific articles featuring them and replicating their natural environment which is my main method of caring for animals, no matter the species.
Just wanted to let you know that your content is truly amazing. Not only are you a great public speaker and very educated, your video quality and editing skills are sooooooo amazing. Your videos are so professional and I don’t know how you have the time to upload so often and still care for all your animals! Your doing an amazing job. Also, I have to add that your are hilarious and quite handsome too:) just another perk of watching your videos!
We just put one down a wild one today that was raiding our chicken coup. (it might have been a rock monitor I did not look close.) They get huge and love eggs and tend to live in termite mounds. I could not imagine one in captivity they need a lot of space in the wild and typically raid the nests of birds, snakes and crocodiles for food. They will eat most anything they can catch that is smaller than themselves. Here air temp varies from 40F Night, 65F day to 80F night to 100F day Humidity goes from very dry to very wet depending on the time of year. Cold dry, hot wet alternating every 6 months.
this is amazing. you're very helpful and detailed in explaining your reasoning's etc. I'm 17 and am an experienced reptile keeper, I have 6 geckos, 2 snakes and couple of frogs, and i REALLY want a Savannah Monitor but I am well aware that keeping one right now in my situation is not a good idea. I wish other people could understand that for their situations too, and not keep an animal that will be neglected or rejected. thank Alex :)
Anyone thinking about getting one! Do your research! Their enclosure is gonna cost a couple hundred to build, their food gets expensive. You have to spend all of your spare time trust building at first. They are great pets but can be expensive.
My varium cost 700 quid to build and would love to get another bosc but until some success information is available (i have done loads of research) i will have to let the vivarium stay empy.
Great video bud I'm 34 yrs old and I have loved reptiles since I was like 5 everyone said oh he'll grow out of that but I never did if anything my love for reptiles grew more cuz I could afford more things anyway great to see young guys like u still into reptiles.keep up all the great work u do
Everybody has their own procedures In a snake or lizard room, I've learned that from my own experiences with snakes, 2 lizards, spiders, and scorpions. Keep up the good work and enjoy
Alex you are such a great ambassador for the awesome critters you caregive over and share with the public, You give great tools and skills, you express with such detail and knowledge....you have agreat wisdom and practical way in education, Thankyou for giving of what you know... and helping folk become better more informed at really honouring and taking responsibility, when they choose to invest in these special animals that deserve nothing least than the respect yougive and teach....Thankyou you are such a lovely, special soul... keep up the good work.... and let those that make uninformed choices of comments that critisize,....dissolve from your space, so you may keep up the good work so many are grateful for,and that you help...It unfortunate that there are many mean spirited people with so much to learn....Stay true to you... you are a gift to many...Thankyou..
I've heard from some people (while of course some others have said the opposite) that, especially when she's bigger, you can just leave the cage open and let her walk around and explore you/the room to help her warm up to you more (note: she will hide under furniture)
A tip for variations in care is to research their natural habitat and replicate it as best you can. It’s worked for me with hermit crabs and giant African black millipedes.
You know what you can do? Make sure she has deep dirt to dig in..it really calms them. Mist the dirt sometimes like it's raining. Also leave Dubia roaches in her home. They are a good food source and also clean up the dirt. Another thing...make panels (make are removable) for 3 sides of the tank. On days she is stressed put the panels up...I make them from foam board. Just some ideas..It could help.
I have always loved monitors for the fact that they are so smart and have tons of personality, I do have to say in my opinion your on the right track and I to have just rescued a monitor, granted it's a nile but still a monitor. Was flighty in the beginning and now I'm able to spot clean, feed and stroke its jaw without it running for the hills! Great vid man!!
Great job so far with your monitor. It looks stunted as far as growth goes. I bought a 6 inch baby in May. It's a 16 inch monster now. Training was easy because it was a baby. I just hung around during feeding, helped find bugs that were hiding. He comes right to me now. He thinks he is a fellow human or accepted me as a fellow monitor. They are super smart! If you work with them, you end up with a cool reptile friend. Don't give up on building him a big cage. It pays off. It's easier to maintain temperature and humidity with a big mostly sealed cage. Your monitor will enjoy having dirt to dig and hide in.
My savannah monitor was my favorite reptile I have kept. Sure he hid for the first year and a half but after that and with regular work taming him down he became one of the best lizards ever. Like a big puppy woddling around my house XD Only reason I had to get rid of him was because I got an actual puppy and it looked like he wanted to eat it a lot of the time. The risk of injury between them was high and he wasn't getting the exercise he needed so I regretfully had to pass him on. The rehoming people that took him loved how tame he was and still use him in their interactive talks they do for parties and whatnot.
Can only agree. They tend to be quite a handfull to handle when they get some size. Above all they can be whery aggressiv and their bite is NO joke. Also their diet is expensive. Sure rats and Meat can be cheap but they need a varied diet whit lots of insects also. And feeding a large one with insects is really expensive. And they need a BIG tank and The option to dig burrows is preferable. Would not recomend this kind of monitor to anyone exepth thoose that Have tons of experience with big monitors and Have The space to build a Great size tank.
Glad to see your channel exploding, you're totally honest when it comes to the care of these animals and that can save a person from making an impulsive mistake and the animal suffering. Some animals require more care than most people could imagine and some look cool (Looking at you Green Iguana)but can make difficult and even dangerous pets. Keep up the good work!
I have been researching them with experienced people for six years now I will be getting them in the future for a pet project type thing I want to do but you speak so much truth in this video for the sav thanks for sharing this bro 🤙❤️
I am so glad you warned people not to just jump into owning any pet but especially reptiles. I have rescued 3 so far all who came from homes with insufficient or no heat, no uvb, no vitamins, and an insufficient diet.. please guys dont just own a pet for the sake of it being cool.. these animals rely on you for absolutely everything.. research research and more research!
Great job working with her needs and going at her pace! Desensitization and counter-conditioning for the win!! Every animal is different and therefore their adjustment and training must be different. She's going to blossom under your patient care. It's good to see she went into a safe home where she'll get the dedication she needs. Varanids are so smart, it hurts me to know how many of them live their lives without enrichment. Keep up the good work - and thank you for the honest reaction to people seeing yours and going out to get one. They really shouldn't be kept by just anyone; the care is more work than a dog to me. I would love to have a monitor one day - a total bucket list, never gonna happen, but it would be wicked cool if it did pet. Also, when you do begin training her don't go into it thinking she's "just" a reptile - animals (non human ones) don't get the credit for their smarts that they deserve. Yeah, they're bad at pretending to be people... but they're not human. Stick me out on the savanna where she would do fine and see how long I last. Figure out what motivates her (food) and help her figure out what you want (the biggest hurdle- how well do you speak lizard?) and you'll be fine. Training is just teaching. I like to think of it as a dance. Sorry, long winded. But well meant! She looks healthier and sounds way happier. Go you!!
this was really great i recently got my savanah from the reptile expo that comes thru town so i was lucky enough to handle them all first and see how each one reacted to the crowd around us and being handled at same time before i picked one we got home and i let her get used to her new surroundings before i really engaged with her more one on one i also have a tegu that is about 3 and half feet long already that we also got from the expo he was the only one they had and was already at about 3 feet the seller didnt seem to know too much about his past other than he got him from a pet store and knew he could sell him to a better home at the expo we had been doing research on tegus for little over a year and were planning on a baby but ofc we fell in love with the big guy and he was pretty calm about being held over all story is i believe every lizard or animal even have their own personalities and its our job to just let them be who they are they can detect danger or if they dont wanna be messed with at that time they will say so in their own way my savanah now is a darling but she still lashes out at times if there is fast movement or if she just doesnt wanna be removed from her log and our tegu is the most lazy lizard ever but he is our dog he sleeps in our bed and his basking is set up in our closet we have a big walk in closet
sounds like u r doing things right. U r right about getting information and general care and the contradicting forms around. U r at an advantage though, i had mine in the 80's where there was virtually no information around. They can make great pets if u take the time as with all things. Great job love the vids! cheers.
For anyone that’s looking into getting an animal that has extremely debated care: join a forum! I’ve found that forums are the best place to find info for tougher animals, like tegus, tortoises, monitors, and other large animals. However, also keep in mind that some forums are going to be incorrect, so be sure to search around a few.
I'm glad you made this video, I got alot of good info from it 👍 I recently bought a baby Savannah monitor from Petco & hes very skittish but actually does seem to enjoy head rubs. I did alot of research about the husbandry but how you got yours to be more comfortable with you was great info. I'd love to hear more updates on her to come :)
Good on ya for the "please don't." They're one of the cheapest monitors in the pet-trade but their needs are WAY higher than a lot of other reptiles. I almost got one a while back (I saw one in a pet-store and it looked absoluetly miserable and that tugged at my heart-strings.) But in hindsight, I know I wouldn't have been able to provide it a good place to live. I realized that if I wanted to keep a reptile, I should start with a crested gecko... And I did. He's a rescue as well, and he's a "no touchy" reptile (he went too long being neglected that he reverted back to his natural impulse of avoiding handling... which hammered in the lesson that reptiles really don't like being handled. At best they'll tolerate it, but it's still going to be a source of stress.) But that's okay. I find myself appreciating him just the same as if he was handle-able. Probably more so since I don't have to freak out about not missing a handling session. A lot of people seem to think reptiles are affectionate... No, not really. If you want a pet to cuddle, get a mammal. I would personally suggest a pair of rats.
The more they see you and see your not a threat, the more they get used to you. For soaking, you discovered the best way. Mine love sitting or relaxing in water that they can stand in, but if they can't touch their feet on the bottom and have to swim they stress a bit. I see a few comments on here about study the nature habitat and momic it, that's exactly what a monitor breeder told me (he also said avoid monitor groups, as that conflict thing is severely rampant, but not as much as the insults and pointless "drama") Your insect diet is awesome and on par- when they're terrifies just toss the insects in and walk away, eventually they see that your supplying food but not harming and will take food from you. The whole conflict between owners in the community makes it immensely difficult to figure out how to care for them if you haven't already got it down. I usually say take both sides, pick the middle ground and your okay.monitors are my favorite and have become my specialty, but I typically hate talking to monitor owner's especially the ones who say they're experts. I like how you go about it though, I'd love to see their progress. As well as the rest of what's in that room, I like your care so I'd like to see the rest
Maybe my input is irrelevant because my adult male is puppy dog tame and hardly even gets an attitude with me but maybe it’ll give some perspectives about savs. I got him when he was the size of my thumb and he, like all other smart baby lizards, was a little shit. What I did when he was little was putting his enclosure on the ground with only one side clear for viewing and he only had two hides that were rather open so even if he felt scared he still had to see me. Being on the ground lessens the amount of space they see versus being eye level or higher. I held him for under half an hour everyday and when he got bigger that increased and he got to roam around the room to gain confidence in his surroundings by being able to check it out and smell it. I always bathed him at least once a week and he used to not like it but eventually came to love warm water and when he came to like the water it got him to like me because I’d pet him while he was relaxing in the bath and I’d be sitting outside the bath while he was in a relaxing state. Also on cold nights I’d wrap him in a warm towel (just throw a towel in the laundry dryer) and cuddle him and that helped a lot in him trusting me. Also putting things that smell like you in their enclosure helps. Ie a shirt in their hide. As for food I fed him a mix of turkey, egg, and blueberries on some days and dubias on other days when he was small then for a while I fed him largely mice by also dubias and now I feed him crickets with occasional mice and sometimes raw meat if I won’t eat it in time.
Actually that is one of the fastest ways to get mine use to me. Granted im 39, It took me a couple days to get it use to me by using this method though i would cover its head and pet the rest of it body which was uncovered. Sometimes i would cover its head with a worm cloth just a worm wash clothes. don't need to use a cloth any more. Just realize just like people animals are different from one another. I also covered the side for mine any ways.
I have one quite a bit larger, he loves being handled and putting his head on my neck or chest. Yes mine sheds the same, they love water and bathing and they love boiled eggs.
me watching this video: oh oh i see mhmm mhmm **writes info down** ahh yes very important my fish: ?? me: i mIGHt get one one day!! My two room apartment: ???
Good job on your video I have a Savannah monitors and the information you give about them are very accurate and I came across the same issues while I was researching for my savannah monitor and nine times out of 10 all the Savannah monitors from Craigslist are going to be very poor condition and even the ones you get out of pet stores are not always look the healthiest but keep up the good work you're doing a good job that's good scene in young man take interest in this cuz I have my whole life but I am no expert by any means just enjoying animals and I do my own research
I’m semi experienced with reptiles and got to the point where a Savannah monitor wouldn’t be a big deal. I decided to go with an iguana instead because of care requirements.
how occasional can you interact with your tamest python (i think that's sunny). like let them slither around or chill with you. I dont want to stress my BP out and don't want to overdo it.
Instead of building her a hugely heavy enclosure look into a grow tent. They’re lighter , cheaper, and easy to zip tie lights onto. You can close off the vents for humidity for her to keep it high. They’re actually an awesome alternative to tanks or even huge melamine/pvc enclosures.
My Savannah monitory, Kyle, hisses at me when i pass by his enclosure. I try to handle him for a while when he soils his cage. I give him a warm soak, and have a little hand bag kennel he can stay in while i clean his cage, instead of pillow casing bagging him. Mine is from a breeder at a reptile expo. I see a few similar mannerisms that I have had while raising past Green Iguana's, so I'm trying to just go off those so far. he's only managed to bite me twice (didn't expect him to be able to reach all the way around to his tail base). Currently he's got a diet of boiled eggs, sometimes i leave the yolks in, sometimes i take them out, depending on the frequency of feedings. He doesn't seem to eat meal worms often, so i'm still working with his diet.
Alex you look Exhausted!!
And your holding your baby in a swaddle!!
Dont worry! Parenthood is hard!
And though it may seem to be a unrewarding and unpaid full-time job,I know you will continue to be a
GREAT MOTHER! 🤱
Nickz2500 😆😆😆
Nickz2500 wtf😂
Shark Demarco *r/wooosh*
Shark Demarco
That's part of the joke.
Shark Demarco no he means mom
Have you done a video on reptile bites? I’m sure you’ve been bitten by a lot of animals so it would be interesting to see what you think on the pain scale for them.
Recently my cousin rescued a Savannah monitor lizard. Her husband works for a trash company and found a glass tank with the lizard and everything it had inside the trash can. They didn't know who did it but he decided to take it home and there building a big enclosure for them. They actually didn't know what lizard it was at first but my cousins cared for reptiles before so she thought she could do it. my mother showed me the picture and I recognized it immediately telling her it was a Savannah monitor lizard. But now we're working together to make sure the lizards health is stable.
GamerVinx that’s awesome
Get it dewormed asap. Paracites are very very common in monitors, especially poorly cared for monitors. Its much harder for them to thrive if they have paracites so id get it checked right away. Also be aware that youll need an enclosure thats roughly 4ft by 8ft for an adult savannah/bosc monitor. Monitors are extremely intelligent and will not do well in cramped enclosures.
I'm sure they took it to the vet and have a good sized enclosure, you need to read dude, he said they had reptiles before and they are building a large inclosure for it
thats so cool man, i cant believe people can actually do something like that
Aarya Patel All I've done is offer friendly, useful advice that would benefit any new savannah owner. Whether hes had other reptiles or not, monitors are a whole different ballgame and its better to be safe than sorry. If you've got a problem with that, thats too bad. I'm offering him my advice anyways because I care about that animals health MUCH more than I care about your opinion.
I think that you're such an underrated UA-camr. You're funny, have awesome information, and reptiles are just so freakin awesome!
And unlike most, he actually takes criticism/advice! Definitely one of the best.
I think his creaky voice is kind of deterring
and many people are scared of reptiles and amphibians
heck my cousin ran screaming from the zoo because there was a 40-foot snake in a tank that scared him
@@peebus497 u realise the largest snake in the world is less then 40 ft😂?
It physically hurts me that people were asking if you released it or gave it to petco... It's like they didn't watch your videos on why doing both of those are bad...
Xavier Horn, Same Here! Some People. :)
I think they were joking
Xavier Horn r/wooosh
Ive got a 6ft Male Nile and I get asked constantly if I still have him. The reason they ask is because its very rare for someone to keep a monitor for its entire lifespan. Its annoying though for sure though and even a little insulting.
bonnibel is a precious name omg
The Petco near me sells baby Savannah monitors and I personally hate that they do that because anybody could just get one and have no idea how to take care of it...
It's should almost be them asking people if they know how to care for said animal, such as temps, humidity etc and to prove that they have had experience in the past. Very sad though and I think something should be done, but people are just in it for money.
Josh 1275 I agree. I think certain reptiles should require a mandatory written test before purchase. If you dont score above a certain percentage you wouldn't be allowed to purchase the animal. Its a very simple solution, but i think it would be very effective. It would have to be enforced by the state though, not the shops themselves. If pet stores provided the testing they could easily lie in order to make an extra sale. Another issue is young kids buying large reptiles and then leaving them with their parents when they move out. I used to work at a reptile specialty shop and a large portion of the animals people would bring us were abandoned by kids who moved out and left them with their parents who didnt know how to care for them. Most of the time they were monitors, or even large pythons like burmese pythons and reticulated pythons. I think if you are under a certain age you should have to provide a "life plan" for the animal and explain how you will care for it once you move out (unless you plan to live with your parents until you are 40 lol).
@@alexcrowder1673 Yeah, I would love to see something like that take place and not just for reptiles etc. Maybe mammals such as Rabbits too. Like you said about working in a reptile specialist, I used to work at an animal rescue centre and the amount of rabbits they would have coming in and or there is just unbelievable. Such a difficult pet to own but people don't do their research and think it'll be fine for a young child. It's really sad. Though enforcing it would have some issues, like you said and also that people will just get annoyed if they have to prove it but I would much rather have something like that implemented. Maybe we should start a petition lol!
1try wet catfood
@@donnamorgan144 Wrong chat?
That intro killed me😂
the outro was better
Makayla Crockett, LOL! :)
DERPMANDER
It is I
Yorp same
Kudos for now sticking to an invertebrate only diet 👍🏾 The biggest problem with Savannah enclosures is that there's no attempt to accurately replicate their natural habitat or behaviours. This is because people don't want to take on the massive requirements and is why they die so young. Whilst these guys need very high basking temps to digest all the protein they eat, they also need to be able to escape from it, cool down and rehydrate. In the wild they do this by retreating into deep burrows that have close to 100% humidity at the base. To successfully keep these guys healthy you need at the very least 2 feet of damp burrow holding substrate. Ideally a bio active sand soil mix. For a full grown Savannah the correct enclosure weighs a hell of a lot. If you don't have that substrate depth your Savannah will be unhealthy and not live as long.
a_true_classic _never_dies Yes! I was hoping I’d see a “correct” comment. My girlfriend had an adult female Sav in a 8’x4’x4’ with two feet of soil to allow for those high humidity pockets! Lots of insects too and of course the high basking spot! Nice to see another comment on proper care!
Excellent advice! If you are in a pinch you can also use "humid hideboxes" to replicate the humidity inside a burrow, but I'd only use that as a temporary solution (like while a permanent tank with deep soil is being built). Monitors are actually so intelligent that they can suffer from depression just like people. Allowing them to dig does wonders for preventing that. Feeding them insect heavy diets like you mentioned helps keep them occupied as well. After all, happy animals tend to live longer! It helps with obesity too. Idk why but it seems like nearly 80% of adult savannahs are obese these days. As far as substrate goes I like using a mixture of sand and soil so that the burrows are a little more solid and less likely to collapse. Just make sure you dont use soil with any pesticides or fertilizers. I personally like to freeze the soil beforehand to kill any pesky bugs/parasites that may be living in the soil. It takes awhile, but it gives me a little peace of mind.
have to get all my animals off of their broken glass substrate.
Let's be honest here, there are no scientific studies proving broken glass isn't a good substrate so it cant be all bad.
@@toddydog3 I mean, I'd think because that's an ethical problem with that study...
😂😂😂
JazzyHands And quit dusting the crickets with cyanide
JazzyHands same thing as sand
I used to reptile sit for a friend who rescued one from a neglective home. And they were very difficult to care for. But I really enjoyed caring for him regardless of the difficulty. Like from a science perspective it was nice to try to learn and understand their needs. Our main concern was husbandry. And how much we had to pay attention to the little guy (not so little guy he's pretty huge 🙃). We built a huge indoor outdoor enclosure for my friends monitor. I wouldn't recommend as a pet either not without understanding it's a SERIOUS commitment. My friend is in his late 30s and has the time etc to care for him. I wouldn't recommend this pet for anyone who doesn't have a lot of time and patience. Or to anyone who wants a new one and not a rescue. I honestly feel like these shouldn't be sold. Bc of how they are usually wild captured.
Edit: Friggen love her name!!!! 🌺🌼🌸 And how you went about naming her
I completely agree there care is so difficult. I would love one someday but certainly not anytime soon.
I think keeping monitors is like falconry. It takes insane dedication and you still probably won't end up with what we consider a "pet".
Dude I use very finely crushed glass as substrate for all my reptiles and it works _amazing!_ Seriously, don't knock it until you try it - it looks SO COOL the way it glistens and sparkles under the lights. The reptiles like it so much; they think it's so pretty that they actively avoid stepping in it because they don't wanna mess it up! That's evidence enough that it's the best substrate material.
I love how you take responsibility for the influence you have on young people! Love your vids and how knowledgeable you are, and the genuine love you have for your animals.
I don’t use broken glass I use glass dust
That's really the way to go. Broken glass can cause impaction and doesnt hold its shape when they dig.
I've tried this but it doesn't hold moisture or humidity well lmao. 🤣🤣😅
Try glass fibers. That’s the happy medium!
@@toddydog3 i use lava for my bearded dragon
That’s called sand
wait what? broken glass isn't a good substrate? really??
What about burning coals?
@@bluepilltaker it's good for arid enclosures it's amazing for bioactiveness
Top notch editing
Monitor lizards are awesome but you’re totally right, husbandry for many varanid species is spotty at best. From my experience with caring for smaller varanids and researching other species, you’re going about it correctly. They need more space than you think, high humidity, high (130 minimum) basking spots, insect based diets with occasional rodents, and patience.
i'd use broken glass as my own bedding before i'd use it on my pets
(i wouldn't do that)
Za warudo
20% off goherping.com/shop with "Bonnibel" at checkout!
P.S. Forgot to mention, she only has like an inch of substrate... I had a mix of coconut fiber and cypress mulch, but ran out while replacing it, and had to order more lol.
GoHerping i fell so proude all of my snakes are giving me full sheds
GoHerping adventure time weeb
The way you named her is so precious :’) It’s clear you adore her even though she isn’t all that warm and fuzzy about you yet 💕
Love your channel fyi, I’m 42 and will never retain the kind of knowledge you have, I’m so impressed with you, your maturity and modesty, humour too, and I just love learning from you
My Savannah monitor is probably my favorite of the group. He's totally a sweetheart, I did do the "swoop in and grab" him method and it works fine for me. He will let me know when to leave him alone tho, with hisses and jerky movements but he has yet to whip or bite or run. If I pick him up anyway he'll poop on me as a last ditch effort lol before settling down. Then he's perfect to handle. So I just prepare for that possibility when I want to hold him. Once he's in my hands he usually doesn't want to let go, so I just run some water over him while I hold him. He eats a pinky every week, variety of what bugs I have and yes, eggs. A good source of calcium is chopped up chicken feet from the grocery stores, but he also loves chicken hearts, ground, mackerel, salmon, shrimp, basically he'll eat whatever I offer, and I just give the fattier foods in smaller amounts. I keep his basking temp in the mid 140s and the gradient from high 80s to about 100. He's on a sand and peat moss mix substrate which does get ingested at times when he's in that "kill" mode and he grinds his food across the ground before swallowing. I keep the imagitarium XL corner water dish in his enclosure and he uses it as necessary. He's housed in a melamine enclosure that's tarped around the edge to maintain the substrate humidity and there's a potted plant in the middle of the enclosure that serves many purposes. He's still much younger than Bonnibel, but just about the same size. I still expect that puberty will be challenging, but he has been an amazing example of his species!!
I have two myself. They grow quickly. They used to hiss and whip as babies but now like you mentioned with time they realize you aren't a threat. I tap the corner of their enclosure and got them used to that when I'm going to feed them. They come running and jumping up trying to get what I have like hungry pups. At first I used to put their food in a dish and keep an eye out to see if they each ate. Then I gradually went to tongs. Now I hand feed them and they run over and get the food from my fingers. They ate a bit intimidating at first but they grow on you. I'm committed to keeping them long term. You are right about the care being controversial and people saying different things. I ended up just researching what their natural environment and conditions are and their wild diet. Super interesting animals. I'm at home almost all the time and stay up at nights so I spend time with them and check up on them. They are just awesome to look at. My son likes them because he says they look like Godzilla lizards. Haha. Great video and sorry about the long winded comment. Keep it up. I look forward to more of your monitor videos. You are a great kid and like others mentioned seem very responsible.
What a wonderfully informative video. You have earned yourself a new subscriber. We adopted a Nile Monitor that had been abused a few years ago, and it was a terrible situation for a while. Luckily, he has learned that we are not the previous owners and he did a complete 180 in attitude.
Good luck with Bonnibel. I’m glad she seems to be in a good home now. It’s slow progress with our monitor friends, but so worth it.
I wish i had known about you before as i had 2 bosc monitors both were rescued 1 samson had a big burn on his back from an oven i lost him after all the care due to his burns and then i had Zeus he ended up having fatty liver disease and i had to have him put to sleep he was 4 but i did have a 12 ft vivarium built and now its empty i have not got the heart to get anymore cos no care sheet is correct everone tells you something different.
13:56 Alex-"What's princess Bubblegum 's name? Bonnibel. So this is Bonnibel."
Bonnibel-" I'm a beeeeeeautiful princess... who wants to eat your soul and destroy the world as you know it, leaving darkness, pain and misery in my wake. Fear me mortal...fear the princess."
I believe Kevin over at NERD works with Savannah's - they are all captive bred and he works with them as babies to try and tame them down. Not sure if you've looked at his channels but he might have some ideas to get your girl more used to you. It really is a matter of slowly building trust between you and the reptile.
Glad to hear about the progress! Bonnibel looks great!
Great video! I have owned a Savana for 3 years. She is a great lizard but high maintenance for sure. I have mine trained so she comes out to eat in a plastic tub, I put a small cat harness on her and we go outside and walk. She poops outside then she can get on my shoulder and we walk around the yard. After that she goes into the shower for as long as I will leave her. She loves the shower. I wrap her in a towel after and we snuggle. I also spray her at least once a day. It may sound weird but she loves sardines (packed in water) and live shrimp or feeder fish. You seem to be doing a great job raising your lizards. Keep it up and don't listen to the negatives.
Man, I don’t know if you’ve ever used this stuff but I got it when I first adopted my second beardie because he was a rescue too and kept having stuck shed issues; you can buy shed aid and let me tell you it works wonders. I used the ZooMed one. I don’t know, this is probably old news to you, but you didn’t mention anything about it so I wanted to say something.
Every monitor is different, do what works for you and her ❤️
I think mimicking their natural habit is good enough as a care sheet, obviously taking out any hazards such as substrate type,etc but imo where they naturally occur is the best reference.
I totally agree. I keep about 34 lizards at home and all of which with the exception of my Giant Day Gecko there is little to no info on. My Wall Lizards I used advice from people keeping them in Europe and just by replicating the conditions in the wild here in NY/NJ were they are introduced. But ones like my Anolis aeneus or Agama impalearis I care for totally off of reading scientific articles featuring them and replicating their natural environment which is my main method of caring for animals, no matter the species.
Bravo for rescuing her!!! Great job!!!!
I bought my first sav 33 years ago. I wish I had seen your video then.
Great job
Just wanted to let you know that your content is truly amazing. Not only are you a great public speaker and very educated, your video quality and editing skills are sooooooo amazing. Your videos are so professional and I don’t know how you have the time to upload so often and still care for all your animals!
Your doing an amazing job.
Also, I have to add that your are hilarious and quite handsome too:) just another perk of watching your videos!
We just put one down a wild one today that was raiding our chicken coup. (it might have been a rock monitor I did not look close.) They get huge and love eggs and tend to live in termite mounds. I could not imagine one in captivity they need a lot of space in the wild and typically raid the nests of birds, snakes and crocodiles for food. They will eat most anything they can catch that is smaller than themselves. Here air temp varies from 40F Night, 65F day to 80F night to 100F day Humidity goes from very dry to very wet depending on the time of year. Cold dry, hot wet alternating every 6 months.
this is amazing. you're very helpful and detailed in explaining your reasoning's etc. I'm 17 and am an experienced reptile keeper, I have 6 geckos, 2 snakes and couple of frogs, and i REALLY want a Savannah Monitor but I am well aware that keeping one right now in my situation is not a good idea. I wish other people could understand that for their situations too, and not keep an animal that will be neglected or rejected. thank Alex :)
sees goherping video
*switches off adblock*
Anyone thinking about getting one! Do your research! Their enclosure is gonna cost a couple hundred to build, their food gets expensive. You have to spend all of your spare time trust building at first. They are great pets but can be expensive.
My varium cost 700 quid to build and would love to get another bosc but until some success information is available (i have done loads of research) i will have to let the vivarium stay empy.
Great video bud I'm 34 yrs old and I have loved reptiles since I was like 5 everyone said oh he'll grow out of that but I never did if anything my love for reptiles grew more cuz I could afford more things anyway great to see young guys like u still into reptiles.keep up all the great work u do
Everybody has their own procedures In a snake or lizard room, I've learned that from my own experiences with snakes, 2 lizards, spiders, and scorpions. Keep up the good work and enjoy
Smart young man!!!.. open to knowledge.. and smart enough to know when not to care what someone else does or has to say
Alex you are such a great ambassador for the awesome critters you caregive over and share with the public, You give great tools and skills, you express with such detail and knowledge....you have agreat wisdom and practical way in education, Thankyou for giving of what you know... and helping folk become better more informed at really honouring and taking responsibility, when they choose to invest in these special animals that deserve nothing least than the respect yougive and teach....Thankyou you are such a lovely, special soul... keep up the good work.... and let those that make uninformed choices of comments that critisize,....dissolve from your space, so you may keep up the good work so many are grateful for,and that you help...It unfortunate that there are many mean spirited people with so much to learn....Stay true to you... you are a gift to many...Thankyou..
I've heard from some people (while of course some others have said the opposite) that, especially when she's bigger, you can just leave the cage open and let her walk around and explore you/the room to help her warm up to you more (note: she will hide under furniture)
Dem Photoshop skills at the beginning tho
Lol I love your thought process for naming your pets. I really love Bonnibel’s name origin.
A tip for variations in care is to research their natural habitat and replicate it as best you can. It’s worked for me with hermit crabs and giant African black millipedes.
Sage Exotics it also works for fish, and any other small exotic animal. After all, we are supposed to recreate their natural habitat.
I second this... this is how I step into any new animal I take in
You know what you can do? Make sure she has deep dirt to dig in..it really calms them. Mist the dirt sometimes like it's raining. Also leave Dubia roaches in her home. They are a good food source and also clean up the dirt. Another thing...make panels (make are removable) for 3 sides of the tank. On days she is stressed put the panels up...I make them from foam board. Just some ideas..It could help.
I found this from AdriftLotus’s playlist and I can’t stop watching
I have always loved monitors for the fact that they are so smart and have tons of personality, I do have to say in my opinion your on the right track and I to have just rescued a monitor, granted it's a nile but still a monitor. Was flighty in the beginning and now I'm able to spot clean, feed and stroke its jaw without it running for the hills! Great vid man!!
Great job so far with your monitor. It looks stunted as far as growth goes. I bought a 6 inch baby in May. It's a 16 inch monster now. Training was easy because it was a baby. I just hung around during feeding, helped find bugs that were hiding. He comes right to me now. He thinks he is a fellow human or accepted me as a fellow monitor. They are super smart! If you work with them, you end up with a cool reptile friend. Don't give up on building him a big cage. It pays off. It's easier to maintain temperature and humidity with a big mostly sealed cage. Your monitor will enjoy having dirt to dig and hide in.
My savannah monitor was my favorite reptile I have kept. Sure he hid for the first year and a half but after that and with regular work taming him down he became one of the best lizards ever. Like a big puppy woddling around my house XD Only reason I had to get rid of him was because I got an actual puppy and it looked like he wanted to eat it a lot of the time. The risk of injury between them was high and he wasn't getting the exercise he needed so I regretfully had to pass him on. The rehoming people that took him loved how tame he was and still use him in their interactive talks they do for parties and whatnot.
That is the cutest baby ever, Alex. Congrats on being a mom
I use a mix of broken glass and hot coals in my beardies enclosure
Can only agree.
They tend to be quite a handfull to handle when they get some size. Above all they can be whery aggressiv and their bite is NO joke.
Also their diet is expensive. Sure rats and Meat can be cheap but they need a varied diet whit lots of insects also. And feeding a large one with insects is really expensive. And they need a BIG tank and The option to dig burrows is preferable. Would not recomend this kind of monitor to anyone exepth thoose that Have tons of experience with big monitors and Have The space to build a Great size tank.
Glad to see your channel exploding, you're totally honest when it comes to the care of these animals and that can save a person from making an impulsive mistake and the animal suffering. Some animals require more care than most people could imagine and some look cool (Looking at you Green Iguana)but can make difficult and even dangerous pets. Keep up the good work!
I have been researching them with experienced people for six years now I will be getting them in the future for a pet project type thing I want to do but you speak so much truth in this video for the sav thanks for sharing this bro 🤙❤️
The glass helped ours realise we weren't a threat and absolutely love the bath tub "seemed to" got to about 4ft
it’s awesome that her behaviour has become so much more relaxed!
the only thing holding me back from getting a Savannah Monitor is the fact that I'm broke, I already have about 10 ten snakes and 5 types of geckos
I am so glad you warned people not to just jump into owning any pet but especially reptiles. I have rescued 3 so far all who came from homes with insufficient or no heat, no uvb, no vitamins, and an insufficient diet.. please guys dont just own a pet for the sake of it being cool.. these animals rely on you for absolutely everything.. research research and more research!
Great job working with her needs and going at her pace! Desensitization and counter-conditioning for the win!! Every animal is different and therefore their adjustment and training must be different. She's going to blossom under your patient care. It's good to see she went into a safe home where she'll get the dedication she needs. Varanids are so smart, it hurts me to know how many of them live their lives without enrichment. Keep up the good work - and thank you for the honest reaction to people seeing yours and going out to get one. They really shouldn't be kept by just anyone; the care is more work than a dog to me. I would love to have a monitor one day - a total bucket list, never gonna happen, but it would be wicked cool if it did pet.
Also, when you do begin training her don't go into it thinking she's "just" a reptile - animals (non human ones) don't get the credit for their smarts that they deserve. Yeah, they're bad at pretending to be people... but they're not human. Stick me out on the savanna where she would do fine and see how long I last. Figure out what motivates her (food) and help her figure out what you want (the biggest hurdle- how well do you speak lizard?) and you'll be fine. Training is just teaching. I like to think of it as a dance.
Sorry, long winded. But well meant! She looks healthier and sounds way happier. Go you!!
I just cant get over the fact you have your sav swaddled lmao I love it
Bonnibel is so cute! I hope you have great luck with your little princess bubblegum.
this was really great i recently got my savanah from the reptile expo that comes thru town so i was lucky enough to handle them all first and see how each one reacted to the crowd around us and being handled at same time before i picked one we got home and i let her get used to her new surroundings before i really engaged with her more one on one i also have a tegu that is about 3 and half feet long already that we also got from the expo he was the only one they had and was already at about 3 feet the seller didnt seem to know too much about his past other than he got him from a pet store and knew he could sell him to a better home at the expo we had been doing research on tegus for little over a year and were planning on a baby but ofc we fell in love with the big guy and he was pretty calm about being held over all story is i believe every lizard or animal even have their own personalities and its our job to just let them be who they are they can detect danger or if they dont wanna be messed with at that time they will say so in their own way my savanah now is a darling but she still lashes out at times if there is fast movement or if she just doesnt wanna be removed from her log and our tegu is the most lazy lizard ever but he is our dog he sleeps in our bed and his basking is set up in our closet we have a big walk in closet
sounds like u r doing things right. U r right about getting information and general care and the contradicting forms around. U r at an advantage though, i had mine in the 80's where there was virtually no information around. They can make great pets if u take the time as with all things. Great job love the vids! cheers.
I Bought Mine Yesterday On Sheer Impulse Because No One Wanted Him 😂 . I Slowly Am Regretting But I Love Larry 🤷🏽♀️
how is he
@@haileecamacho4491 he's great
For anyone that’s looking into getting an animal that has extremely debated care: join a forum! I’ve found that forums are the best place to find info for tougher animals, like tegus, tortoises, monitors, and other large animals. However, also keep in mind that some forums are going to be incorrect, so be sure to search around a few.
I'm glad you made this video, I got alot of good info from it 👍 I recently bought a baby Savannah monitor from Petco & hes very skittish but actually does seem to enjoy head rubs. I did alot of research about the husbandry but how you got yours to be more comfortable with you was great info. I'd love to hear more updates on her to come :)
Good on ya for the "please don't."
They're one of the cheapest monitors in the pet-trade but their needs are WAY higher than a lot of other reptiles. I almost got one a while back (I saw one in a pet-store and it looked absoluetly miserable and that tugged at my heart-strings.) But in hindsight, I know I wouldn't have been able to provide it a good place to live.
I realized that if I wanted to keep a reptile, I should start with a crested gecko... And I did. He's a rescue as well, and he's a "no touchy" reptile (he went too long being neglected that he reverted back to his natural impulse of avoiding handling... which hammered in the lesson that reptiles really don't like being handled. At best they'll tolerate it, but it's still going to be a source of stress.)
But that's okay. I find myself appreciating him just the same as if he was handle-able. Probably more so since I don't have to freak out about not missing a handling session.
A lot of people seem to think reptiles are affectionate... No, not really. If you want a pet to cuddle, get a mammal. I would personally suggest a pair of rats.
I recently got my first reptile (i'm 14). He is a B/W tegu. Super friendly.
Im 10 and last for my birthday i got a leopard Gecko!
Pog
U better know how to take care of it
bro im 12 now hes doing amazing
@@wrigleystrauss3771 nice job bro what did you name him
She looks calm and happy being held
Thank you for your videos. Thank you for sharing your experiences and research with everyone. It has definitely helped.
I’m 30 and I still want to get a monitor because you have one. But I won’t. Yet.
The more they see you and see your not a threat, the more they get used to you. For soaking, you discovered the best way. Mine love sitting or relaxing in water that they can stand in, but if they can't touch their feet on the bottom and have to swim they stress a bit.
I see a few comments on here about study the nature habitat and momic it, that's exactly what a monitor breeder told me (he also said avoid monitor groups, as that conflict thing is severely rampant, but not as much as the insults and pointless "drama")
Your insect diet is awesome and on par- when they're terrifies just toss the insects in and walk away, eventually they see that your supplying food but not harming and will take food from you.
The whole conflict between owners in the community makes it immensely difficult to figure out how to care for them if you haven't already got it down. I usually say take both sides, pick the middle ground and your okay.monitors are my favorite and have become my specialty, but I typically hate talking to monitor owner's especially the ones who say they're experts. I like how you go about it though, I'd love to see their progress. As well as the rest of what's in that room, I like your care so I'd like to see the rest
Please record her eating scrambled eggs! That sounds so cute
Just ordered my pin and poster. Can't wait!!!!!
Maybe my input is irrelevant because my adult male is puppy dog tame and hardly even gets an attitude with me but maybe it’ll give some perspectives about savs.
I got him when he was the size of my thumb and he, like all other smart baby lizards, was a little shit. What I did when he was little was putting his enclosure on the ground with only one side clear for viewing and he only had two hides that were rather open so even if he felt scared he still had to see me. Being on the ground lessens the amount of space they see versus being eye level or higher. I held him for under half an hour everyday and when he got bigger that increased and he got to roam around the room to gain confidence in his surroundings by being able to check it out and smell it. I always bathed him at least once a week and he used to not like it but eventually came to love warm water and when he came to like the water it got him to like me because I’d pet him while he was relaxing in the bath and I’d be sitting outside the bath while he was in a relaxing state. Also on cold nights I’d wrap him in a warm towel (just throw a towel in the laundry dryer) and cuddle him and that helped a lot in him trusting me. Also putting things that smell like you in their enclosure helps. Ie a shirt in their hide. As for food I fed him a mix of turkey, egg, and blueberries on some days and dubias on other days when he was small then for a while I fed him largely mice by also dubias and now I feed him crickets with occasional mice and sometimes raw meat if I won’t eat it in time.
I saw one at a pet shop once! It dug up all the crickets and flipped over the big heavy water bowl.😂
But I loved how much of a rebel it was.
Actually that is one of the fastest ways to get mine use to me. Granted im 39, It took me a couple days to get it use to me by using this method though i would cover its head and pet the rest of it body which was uncovered. Sometimes i would cover its head with a worm cloth just a worm wash clothes. don't need to use a cloth any more. Just realize just like people animals are different from one another. I also covered the side for mine any ways.
I have one quite a bit larger, he loves being handled and putting his head on my neck or chest. Yes mine sheds the same, they love water and bathing and they love boiled eggs.
Yay new go helping vid uploaded right as I was watching your updated Ball python setup video while I set up a tank for my first snake! Take care Alex!
"Broken glass as substrate" 😂
would love to see a savannah monitor bonding video or stream
me watching this video: oh oh i see mhmm mhmm **writes info down** ahh yes very important
my fish: ??
me: i mIGHt get one one day!!
My two room apartment: ???
You get one room your monitor gets the other👍🏽
Good job on your video I have a Savannah monitors and the information you give about them are very accurate and I came across the same issues while I was researching for my savannah monitor and nine times out of 10 all the Savannah monitors from Craigslist are going to be very poor condition and even the ones you get out of pet stores are not always look the healthiest but keep up the good work you're doing a good job that's good scene in young man take interest in this cuz I have my whole life but I am no expert by any means just enjoying animals and I do my own research
You can put black card stock over the outside of the glass to help the animal feel more secure
I really enjoy your videos. I'm extremely impressed with your knowledge. Please keep up the good work and keep the videos coming.
I’m semi experienced with reptiles and got to the point where a Savannah monitor wouldn’t be a big deal. I decided to go with an iguana instead because of care requirements.
The intro was everything
My brothers monitor loved hardboiled eggs shells n all. Has loved them since she was little
Can u do a video of her in her enclosure just walking around. It's fun to watch tbh
how occasional can you interact with your tamest python (i think that's sunny). like let them slither around or chill with you. I dont want to stress my BP out and don't want to overdo it.
Twisted once or twice a week is a good amount. Just don’t handle after feeding
"Don't use broken glass as substrate!" Okay, I admit it, I LOL'd.
Instead of building her a hugely heavy enclosure look into a grow tent. They’re lighter , cheaper, and easy to zip tie lights onto. You can close off the vents for humidity for her to keep it high. They’re actually an awesome alternative to tanks or even huge melamine/pvc enclosures.
oooh that's a great idea, I'll check them out!
Great intro! Are you planning on doing more livestreams, would love to see that!
My Savannah monitory, Kyle, hisses at me when i pass by his enclosure. I try to handle him for a while when he soils his cage. I give him a warm soak, and have a little hand bag kennel he can stay in while i clean his cage, instead of pillow casing bagging him. Mine is from a breeder at a reptile expo. I see a few similar mannerisms that I have had while raising past Green Iguana's, so I'm trying to just go off those so far. he's only managed to bite me twice (didn't expect him to be able to reach all the way around to his tail base). Currently he's got a diet of boiled eggs, sometimes i leave the yolks in, sometimes i take them out, depending on the frequency of feedings. He doesn't seem to eat meal worms often, so i'm still working with his diet.