Savannah Monitor — Fact Sheet

Varanus exanthematicus · Savannah Monitor

📋 At a glance

🏠 Enclosure

• Large secure vivarium; monitors need space, heat, and strong construction
• Adult enclosure should prioritize floor area, deep substrate, climbing, and basking access
• Substrate: deep packed soil/sand/clay mix that supports digging
• Avoid small tanks, weak lids, loose unstable rock piles, and underpowered heat

🪨 Enclosure furniture

• Large basking platform, deep diggable substrate, secure hides, climbing branches or rock ledges
• Humid retreat below the dry surface
• Heavy decor must be supported from the floor, not resting on loose substrate

💡 Lighting

• Strong UVB and intense visible light are essential
• Best: linear high-output UVB plus bright LED/halide-style visible lighting and separate basking lamps
• Measure basking UVI and replace lamps on schedule
• Photoperiod: 10-12 h; no visible light at night

🌡️ Temperature

• Basking spot: 50-60 °C

• Warm zone: 30-35 °C

• Cool zone: 24-28 °C

• Night: 20-24 °C

• Clear gradient required; the animal must be able to move between warm, cool, and hidden zones

• Measure basking surfaces with an infrared thermometer and ambient zones with digital probes

• Avoid heat rocks and unguarded heat sources

💧 Humidity & water

• Dry surface with access to a more humid burrow or retreat for arid species
• Fresh water always available; larger species may need a soaking tub
• Ventilation must remove stale damp air
• Avoid bone-dry deep substrate and swampy floors

🪳 Diet

Feed regularly:

• Appropriately sized crickets, roaches, locusts, and other feeder insects

In moderation:

• Waxworms, mealworms, superworms, and fatty larvae

Avoid:

• Wild-caught insects, oversized prey, spoiled feeders

Supplements:

• Calcium as needed; vitamins in a controlled schedule; UVB does not get replaced by powders

🩺 Health — warning signs

• Lethargy or poor appetite → basking heat too low, stress, or disease
• Soft jaw or weak limbs → UVB/calcium issue
• Obesity → overfeeding or insufficient space
• Nose rub or damaged toes → enclosure stress or unsafe surfaces
• Retained shed on tail/toes → humidity or abrasion problem

Consult a reptile- or exotic-animal veterinarian for severe weakness, injury, breathing signs, swelling, or prolonged refusal to eat.