As has been stated before, were they are naturally from is Grass Land and not Desert, they are from a area with very rich Soil. The same is true of the Humidity, Studies have shown that in the Wild Savs are mostly only active in the Wet rainy season in Africa, and as it starts to dry up they move less and less and become dormant and stay in their nice humid burrows until the next rainy season. By giving a Sav in captivity little humidity and a dry substrate, you are mimicking its Dormant period in the Wild, and there fore it will not eat and grow as it should. My newest Sav I got in April when it was only 4 inches long, and it is now over two feet just a few months later because I follow a strict Protocol with Monitors.
1.) It is now well documented Fact that a Rodent only diet or one high in them can and does lead to obesity and eventually death in Savs. Yes they love them and take them easier than they do most other food items, but who doesn't prefer Junk food. In the Wild Savs are more insectivorous by nature, and take the occasional Fish, Bird, Egg, Crab, etc when the opportunity arises and this should be replicated in captivity to the best of one's abilities. Mine gets a mouse once every two weeks, and his main diet is cricket and other assorted insects, boiled eggs, low fat hamburger once a month, and feeder fish.
2.) They demand high temp Basking areas between 120-150, especially if feed a diet high in Rodents. Monitors naturally can tolerate higher basking temps than most of Reptiles, and Sav's higher ones than most other monitors. Bare ion mind when we say high basking temps we are only preferring to surface heat and not ambient air temps. An ambient air temp Gradient of between 84-95 is preferable.
3.) Humidity humidity humidity and then just to make sure, add some more. They need an overall enclosure humidity of between 60-80%, not just a Humid hide and their Substrate should be moist at all times. This is why many state that keeping them in Glass tanks is a no no, because most cannot regulate the high basking temps they need and maintain a temp gradient and proper Humidity. Personally I keep mine in a Large Tank, but I have a Temp and Humidity controlled Reptile room that maintains a stead 84 degrees and 70% humidity. To maintain a gradient in his tank, I elevated his basking spot and use a row of 45 Watt bulbs that lessen the drying out of his tank. I spray it a bit weekly, and doing this it maintain a 75% humidity pretty well. Most do not have this ability though, and a wooden set-up will be needed.
4.) Substrate and lots of it, Savs love to dig and from my own personal observations, those that cannot stress out and do not thrive. They also need structures to dig under IMO. I use a mix of Coconut Coir and Soil mixed together, and then
placed at about a foot in depth in my set-up with flat stones and a rock structure I made to dig underneath which he seems to love. Keep the substrate moist and you will have a very happy Monitor.
5.) A large dish or Tub of Water kept Clean for them to drink in, soak in, and defecate in. My Sav soaks for hours in his tub about once every 8 or so Days, no fail so I always keep his tub full and clean. He defecates in it daily though, which makes cage cleaning easier.
These five things I follow religiously in maintaining My Savs, and I have not had one day, have a hard shed, lose Digits or pieces of it tail, etc.
As to the lack of uvb, this is a touchy Subject because it goes against established Reptile doctrine, but research shows that Monitors get very little Benefit from it and get almost all their D3 from their diet much like a Snake. Of course it doesn't hurt to use on, but from most experts opinion it is useless
![1207201112272 [640x480].jpg](https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/data/attachments/541/541025-36356f1fdf928d432ac714f8f5af954a.jpg?hash=NjVvH9-SjU "1207201112272 [640x480].jpg")
![1207201112275 [640x480].jpg](https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/data/attachments/541/541022-e87ba9178a650e2ccc5673473dc9a736.jpg?hash=6HupF4plDi "1207201112275 [640x480].jpg")
![1107201112229 [640x480].jpg](https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/data/attachments/541/541023-0fad136d50e378bc22ff0a284e283bf0.jpg?hash=D60TbVDjeL "1107201112229 [640x480].jpg")
![0907201112227 [640x480].jpg](https://www.monsterfishkeepers.com/forums/data/attachments/541/541024-8e4c4a76672db2004a3982bd86af28b4.jpg?hash=jkxKdmctsg "0907201112227 [640x480].jpg")
