The Savannah monitor is a popular pet in the United States also because they are friendly and docile in nature. The Savannah monitor is not meant for beginners because they need lots of love and care and that is the reason you need an experienced person to take care of them. The Savannah monitor is lizards that are 4 feet long and have various eating habits due to their age. You need to know everything about the Savannah monitor so that you can take proper care of them.
The Savannah monitor should get the best of everything and that is why you need to give them the best of food. As food is the main thing on which the life of every living being is dependent. In this guide of Savannah monitor, we will discuss the topic that what we can feed Savannah, monitor, with.
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What can my Savannah monitor eat?
The Savannah monitor is carnivorous in nature which means that they eat other organisms in order to live a healthy life. The Savannah monitor usually feeds upon birds and mammals as a regular diet. The Savannah monitor needs fats and calories so that they can live a healthy life. They also feed upon insects and also the eggs of lizards and even chicken eggs.
You should make sure that your Savannah monitor should be fed with proper food. The food that you will feed to the Savannah not only will make them fit but also they will live a disease-free life. The Savannah monitor eats lots of things but not everything is suitable for them as some of the food items can be toxic for them. So make sure that the Savannah monitor eats fresh and organic and is also free from any sort of chemicals.
How often should you feed the Savannah monitor?
The Savannah monitors can eat up to 150 insects in a single day and if they eat insects they will do not gain much weight as compared to food like mammals, birds, and fats which will add lots of weight to their bodies. But you can feed the adult Savannah monitor should be kept on fast 4 to 6 months because this is how their body is built in the natural environment and in the wild they often fast for such a long time. You should know that the Savannah monitor needs all sorts of nutrients and the food that provide them with all these things should be fed to them.
The food fed to the younger lizard should be more as compared to the adult lizards. Do not be careless with their diet and take proper care of the food that you will feed them. The most important thing that you should be aware of is that whatever you will feed your lizard with should not be toxic or contaminated as it can prove fatal for them. You should be aware of the habits of your lizard so that you know when and how to feed them according to the health they are having.
What are the best-suited insects for the Savannah monitor?
The best-suited insects for the Savannah monitor that do not cause any sort of issue for them and are healthy for them and also provide them with lots of nutrients and have lots of other benefits are listed as below:-
- Ivory head roaches
- Dubias
- Hornworms
- Silkworms
- Centipedes
- Scorpions
- Snails
- Discoid
- Grasshoppers
- Mealworms
These are some of the best insects that are commonly fed to the Savannah monitor and also they have lots of health benefits for the Savannah monitors.
There are certain other insects that you can feed them with but these are the popular ones other insects that you can feed the Savannah monitor are super worms, black soldier fly larvae, etc. Make sure that you feed them with a proper diet and do not go for the insects that will be poisonous for them and also some can act as parasites on them. These lizards eat lots of insects in a day because these insects are not rich in fats and carbohydrates as compared to other foods.
Also, you need to make sure that the insects that you will feed the Savannah monitor with should be brought where they are bred in the captivity as they are safe and also they are full high-quality sources which give your lizard proper health.
But if you will feed them with wild insects it can be dangerous and toxic for them because it can be contaminated with pesticides, can act as parasites, and also they can cause some fatal diseases to your pet which is not at all acceptable. So always choose the insects that are safe for them and will not harm your lizard in any way.
Which insects are toxic for the Savannah monitor?
The insects that are toxic for the savannah monitor that can cause various issues to your lizard and can not only make them sick but can prove fatal for their health are listed as below so look out for these insects and make sure that not even by mistake you feed them to your Savannah monitor:-
- Fire ants
- Bees
- Wild hornworms
- Spiders
- Wasps
- Ladybugs
- Butterflies and caterpillars
These are some of the insects that are toxic for your Savannah monitor and you should watch out for these insects and do not feed them with these insects even by mistake as they can be fatal to their life. These insects are unsafe for your lizard because they have a negative impact on the body of the Savannah monitor.
Water for Savannah monitor
As we know that water is essential for any living being same is the case for the Savannah monitor. Before feeding on different food items you also need to give them water so that they can live a healthy life and also so that they can stay hydrated for a long time.
The Savannah monitor should be fed with water that is fresh and clean and also free from any chemicals so that they do not have to face any sort of issues. Also, you need to make sure that you give them with water supply 24 x 7 so that they can have it whenever they want.
Another important thing that you should be careful about is to change their water every day and also if you find that water is not good then change it then and there. Clean their water bowls if possible daily and if not possible then at least clean twice a week. The water that you should provide to the Savannah monitor should be hygienic and fresh so that they do not face any sort of issue.
Supplements for Savannah monitor
As we know that the Savannah monitor will not get all the nutrients from the food that they eat, so it becomes very important that we provide them with supplements so that they can get the nutrients that their body needs and they are not getting from the food they are eating. You need to provide them with supplements of calcium, multivitamins, etc. there are various ways in which you can feed them with all these supplements, and 2 important ways of giving them these supplements are listed below:-
- Dusting of supplements
One of the methods of providing them with supplements is by simply dusting it on your food and is a very simple way in which you can feed it to the Savannah monitor. By dusting the supplements you are able to feed them to the Savannah monitor and they will get all the essential nutrients that they need.
- Gut loading
This is another method in which you will feed the insects with supplements before feeding them to the Savannah monitor and after 24 hours you need to feed those insects to your lizard. This is also a very good method in which you can feed the supplements to the Savannah monitor and they will get all the nutrients that are important for them.
These are 2 ways in which you can feed the Savannah monitor with supplements and it is very important that you feed them with supplements because they provide them with all the nutrients that are deficient in their body.
Final thoughts:
The Savannah monitor is a pet that is docile yet friendly in nature and that is the reason they are popular in many regions. You need to take proper care of these pets so that they can live a happy and comfortable life inside captivity.
Also, you need to make sure that they get the best of everything. Another important thing that is important is that you feed them with food that is good for them and also healthy because toxic food can be fatal for them.
Make sure you spend lots of time with them whenever possible and also give them their personal space. Also spending time with them will help you to understand them in a better way and also will build a strong bonding between you two.
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