They are, when handled...so friendly, he run to the cage when i get home to be held and hugged. He is not the first Savannah to do this either! Although this is more common in larger Monitors also.
Great video! There was a woman that did videos of her sticking her fingers out of holes in a cardboard box and alternating with mealworms… her Sav never bit her fingers, always snatched the worms. Showed incredible intelligence (and trust!).
My first Savannah monitor was puppy dog tame, and was incredibly intelligent. Has been handleable since I got him, and sweeter than any of my dogs lol.
I've watched 2 of your videos now and I love your commentary, interaction, and overall messages that you have in your videos. I really appreciate your hard work and the videos that you put out. I just got a 4 week old baby savannah and I love him! I love your enclosure and have been trying to find ways to replicate it. Please show more because I love seeing your reptiles! Thank you again!
I'd like to point out how entuned you are with your animals. When Simba was done with pets, he slightly backed up and you stopped. Even really big animals lovers often miss subtle cues like that with their animals. Just little things like that make me love your channel. Great bond.
It doesn’t matter about the species it matters about the personality and in the go herping video the savannah monitor wasn’t being aggressive it was being defensive.
11:30 i noticed that the tegu stops from being hasty as it seemed to notice you rebuilding the burrow back so it can go back to hiding. it's kinda like one thing i learned as a cat owner in the past that you gotta listen and look for body language that tells you when the pet has has enough, like if i had carried a cat, and it wanted to get out, it would usually be with some squirming but in the time as i learned to "listen" to these signs and they also knew that i do, it in the end was just raising some paw and such to tell me that they want to be put back to the floor. animals whether cats or dogs or even lizards, they have their own way of telling you what they want and it just takes the effort from you as the owner to listen to it, this is something i have seen from people who dont know anything about reptiles and generalize them as being cold hearted and only primal as they of course dont know anything but also dont put in the effort to even understand. of course times like puberty on lizards can cause some rougher mood swings and such thatr can make things more difficult than normal but jsut like said in this video, you need to keep working with them to keep the trust between you and them, and make them understand that you wont cause harm. but now im speaking from not personal experience but from what i have seen from videos and i actively seek for more which always gives a better understanding "it's like parenting in a way" this is what Goherping said on one video about how to calm down an angry bearded dragon which seems very fitting here
My female gecko had a serious attitude problem when I got her. She had MBD and wasn’t feeling well after being housed with a male. Took some time for her to come around...she would squeak and bite while I was trying to feed her that horrific smelling goop supplement. I named her Savage because it fits. Fast forward a year and she’s my sweetheart! She’ll fall asleep on my chest after her bath! Any creature will have an attitude if abused and neglected and GoHerping knows this and shouldn’t have made a blanket assumption. I’m guessing he hates green iguanas too since the one in his video was kicking his a$$! Animals can sense an overinflated ego 😉
i have a 14 year old savannah monitor i havent caged in 10 years. he lives in my room. my closet is his heat area he spends 80% of his time. he is free to climb into bed with me and my wife and gets hand fed by me and my 9 year old daughter. he shares space with a rottweiler and a cat. he likes them both. he and the cat use eachother for heat more often than my dog lets him. i have no scars on my hand from hand feeding and i have no idea where to even buy tongs so theyve never been of assistance. being scared of your monitor is a good way to never fully bonding with it. my monitor has just a few grains of sand left in his hourglass..if i took youtuber's advice 14 years ago on how to raise him i'd probably have a grumpy, trustless 4 foot lizard locked in a cage wishing he could use my belly for warmth. so far i like Animal1 guy's opinion on savannah's more than the person he's dedicating the video to. also not everyone should let their monitor have free roam of the house. we have no carpet and no places for him to hide as our house was designed around my lizards needs
I love how he just flattens like a pancake when it's time for pets. So cute! Very informative video. I agree, it's not just the animal type, it's how it's raised and what experiences it has that effects the behavior of these creatures
@Animal1Guy where did you get that captive bred savannah? I am looking for a captive bred baby and I’ve done a ton of research and am getting an 8x4x4 soonish
My savannah monitor Alberto is absolutely 💯 the best lizzard I've ever had. Ive owned a reptile rescue for awhile now and I have 75 personal family member reptiles and amphibians. Mainly snakes and leopard geckos however my top favorite to work with period has to be the savannah monitor. I've had over a dozen rehab and rehome savannah monitors and I've got a forever savannah monitor Alberto. He is my gem. My serious best man.
Great video and discussion. I've a 1+ year old Savannah Monitor which was farmed from Toga, Africa, and fortunately - he's great. He's a little squirmy when he'd rather not be held or in need of a bowel movement, and other times he's happy to relax on an arm or lap. I used to take naps with him, and he'd happily sleep under a cover on my chest where hidden and warm. As you noted though - due to their intelligence they require time, attention and patience as it's about building their trust. Depending on what's being fed mine is hand or tong fed. But in any case - I ensure he scents me so that he differentiates between my hand and food due to their feeding response. As you noted; the swimming exercises too are great for building trust and familiarity. Due to their size and requirements I'd not say they are a beginner lizard by any means, but it's also unfair when some have had a bad experience and share tainted opinions of these great animals. I will say that I saw your other view where yours is chewing on a ball. Thought it was great, and look forward to giving it a try with my own.
I’ve wanted one for years and only now am I looking to get one due to the fact I don’t have the commitments I used to I can do so…. Most of raising any animal is common sense and a whole lot of research I’ve clocked out at 1000hrs of research and still going so I can make the best possible life for it
Goherping just didn't know what he's doing with the monitor. He threw trust out the window and force handled it, causing it to be in a constant fight or flight state.
I dunno about people who say Savannahs are bad pets. I've had them going back into the 90's when they all were wild caught/captive hatched. I had 4 of them spanning over 20 years. A couple were babies and a couple were adults when I got them. They were all awesome pets. They walked around the house and hung out with you. My one guy used to climb up onto me and sleep on my chest when I was lying on the couch. Smart as hell. Came over when you called them. Back in those days, Tegus were considered to be wicked nasty, in the same vein of Nile Monitors.
What is difference in behaviors of captive or wild caught baby Savannah Monitors? Both of mine were wild caught from Africa and both so docile and loving.
My first monitor was a Savannah monitor when I was 13. The best monitor I’ve owned. Extremely docile. I’ve owned 2 more since then I seriously recommend them as a first time monitor to any of my bodies looking to get a monitor! They’re extremely slept on as a first time beginner monitor, as long as your ok with the size
I think projectpets tegu vs savannah was a lot better then goherpings he give all the info one would need for each and he had both since birth so if people need to watch his
I do agree with you two point your animals are very very well provided for and taking care of but that's the difference between experience and not this kids a young kid who like you has a heart of gold and all you have to do is watch the video to know that they were not handles they will not raised up proper or anything so now he's coming in have to tune do it differently and if you listen in his video he says very clearly I do not know how to do this very well so give the kid his credit 💳 he deserved it
absolutely i didn't believe he had enough experience with monitors or even tegus period to make that video! He has no clue what that sav went through before he got it with it being rescue. I have 6 monitors and my sav is one of my most trusted but i trust all of my reptiles that i own! I just felt only having one with his following base it wasn't a valid video to post. Hopefully he will make a follow up cringe video in the future about it and i'm sure he will. You'll never get the best of anything when you rescue but over time and a lot of consistent time with any reptile they can be just as good if not better then any monitor but not always! Thank you for making this video!
As a not for my Sav. He now chooses to sleep next to me in my bed, and has been used in live photo shoots even with infants etc, never bitten etc. You need to know your lizard and respect what it is, and learn/watch body signs etc.
Everything is great info.even opinions truthfully told through experience are very helpful.i had a pet shop owner tell me years ago there is not a single large lizard you can become close friends with or really even handle after its matured, that was just totally untrue.i also heard that bearded dragons are the most docile?not in my experience.i had a green tree python named Marty and he was easier going than the beardies.you could get anything in an animal but you will never get the animal you see in someone else’s video
Recently I got an adult red tegu female, when i bought her, she was very chill, one day after in her enclosure she is very aggressive, anything she saw moving she tried to bite it. I start socializing with her but seriously, she is very aggressive with everything
Red Tegus can be more aggressive then black and white. Esp their feed response! A few things to check. Are the UV level being sent out correct? To much UV can stress a reptile out and make them aggressive. Also is she getting enough food and the correct kinds so we know its not a hunger response. When feeding her, do you use a ball to get the aggression out? Ball training helps a lot with big lizards as it allows them to run and bite and get the energy out so it doesn't build up. For Tegus, does she have enough substrate to dig in? If she was calm and then became aggressive something is causing it, normally it can be adjusted though!
Great videos👍🏽🤠🤠!! Just a question: I have an adult cat, and am really interested in getting a pet Savannah Monitor , in your opinion, do monitors generally get along with cats?
Literally just adopted a Savannah about the same age as yours. He's the absolute sweetest thing in the world. Takes food very gently and will nap on your chest all day if you let him. They make wonderful pets if you have the space and experience you need. I got lucky and he was already tame when I adopted him even though i have no idea what his history is. But if you don't know what you're doing or how to get them to trust you, you can make an already defensive monitor even more so. Also I would love to see his whole enclosure and where you got it from/how you built it if you built it yourself. 😊
AFAIK the only thing is it's easier to find a tegu CB than a savannah monitor. I've seen some folks say there is a bit of difficulty with it or not many people are doing it. It makes me sad when I see small cheap savannah monitors at shows and know they have to be WC or harvested from wild mothers.
you are correct. its easier only because Tegus sell for more money, and so its not worth it to many people to breed savannahs sadly as I feel they are way cooler pets! There was a lot of bad information on them, and they were one of the first larger lizards sold as pets which led to a lot of young deaths and people thinking they were hard to care for.
@@Animal1Guy Yeah, it's the bias that some snakes that havn't been in the hobby as long have- when you're getting a WC animal, they're going to have a lot of issues, and not be as friendly. A couple generations of CB makes a huge difference, and eliminates a lot of parasites etc problems. I got Clawdius from someone else at like a year and half old from a friend's son who couldn't keep him. He said he was captive bred but I'm skeptical- he did say he saw him hatch, so maybe the eggs were gathered.
I'd say they both can make equally great pets. Savannah Monitors take a little more work to get there. Both are deceptively small and cute as babies. Tegus are easier to care for. All things being equal, Tegus are objectively better pets but that doesn't mean Savannah Monitors are bad pets.
Wait, are savannahs being bred in captivity now? This video seems to imply that that's the case, but last time I checked that was a pretty rare occurrence. Unless I'm really out of the loop?
While I agree that behavior is not the reason to pick one over the other, both Tegus and Savs will get to 5-6 ft as males, 3-4ft as females. Diet is another thing. Tegus as omnivores are going to be much easier to feed and since Savs are at that border of medium to large lizard they can't feed on rodents as a staple so they are going to require a crap ton of inverts which will be more expensive. The other reason Tegus would win are that it is much easier to find CBB than with Savs. That all being said I prefer the Sav because as adults the Sav will have more energy and a stronger feeding response in general.
Hey so I just watched your recent leopard gecko eye cleaning video. My leopard gecko seems to be having the same issue, she has always had shedding problems and is my only gecko with shedding issues. But recently about 3 weeks to a month ago I noticed she was having a very hard time getting her head skin off so I decided to help her as usual, her eyes have been closed since and she keeps shedding like crazy, it seems like she is shedding almost every week! Do you have any idea of what I should do, shes drinking water and I'm hand feeding her but I want her to be able to see. Sorry for the long message.
Hey no problem on the message size!!! You should get something to use as eye drops so you can check. It can be Saline, drops for reptiles or humans, or distilled or reverse osmosis water. Just not any water from the tap or minerals. Then I would start by having her be in a humid container for 10-15min to loosen any potential skin up, then with a qtip dipped in the clean water. getly check her eyes.
I dont, They grow sooo fast to full size, and at the time I did not have time to make multiple videos. The care is pretty much the same, Have a water bowl they can soak in, and keep it clean, a basking area and a dark hide they can dig. Its pretty much the same thing, but scale it down in smaller sizes. ALSO they should eat everyday, 1-2 times a day at that age till they are 6 months old.
The issue is that savannahs are far far cheaper (because of cheap imports) and so people who have no business getting such a large lizard... get one anyway. And Savannahs need way more socialization as well particularly when compared to Argentine Tegus. So its a combination of bad owners, disease-ridden imports, large size AND a high socialization/care requirement that makes most Savannah monitors difficult pets.
you are 100% spot on. there are captive bred savannahs, but the market is flooded with wild caught. Simba now here since he is potty trained roams the house, and likes to sleep in my bed under the electric blanket lol
I honestly thought that he just didn't have any reliable experience, and instead of drawing from the conclusions of others, just inserted a lot of his personal opinion. I noticed he tends to do that with some of his more "unruly" animals he keeps, and considering the Monitor he had, had serious growth issues and was a rescue, it really wasn't very fair to say that Savannah Monitors generally don't make good pets. My two cents? I think, like any animal, they can be tamed to any capacity the owner and animal wish to be possible. I include the animal, because they have individual personalities too, and maybe don't want to be "puppy dog tame".
Maybe I'm being harsh, but I don't care for goherpings channel at all or alot of the advice or info he gives out along with adopting animals in for free and re-selling them on his website. I get hes just a kid, so I won't be 2 critical but he has quite a bit of learning to do.
I think Chinese water dragon would have a harder enclosure and needs s to meet. But I don't own one so idk just the need for water and the humidity is what comes to mind.
The main problem with the Chinese Water Dragon is most are imports and they have a tendency to crash and die quickly. There's a few issues with the Savannah Monitor; for one you're going to need a lot of food, they will eat you out of house and home. The food also has to be very lean so that usually means insects, lots of them. The next is nobody is really sure about their care requirements, like for example basking temperature. Finally they need a large horizontal enclosure which is going to take up a lot of room. It's a pretty active lizard and they'll use all the space (plus you'll need room to get a temperature gradient. The water dragon is going to need a large enclosure too but it should be more vertically oriented. There does need to be a good water area but this will help with humidity levels and keeping a water area isn't all that bad if you install a filter (saying this as someone who owns fish). The Savannah Monitor is definitely going to be more costly and requires tamimg. Chinese Water Dragons as a whole are pretty docile but unless they start becoming widely available captive bred it might be tricky going the first couple of months.
Depends on the tegu. The Argentine black and white can get up to 5ft even the blues can get that big, so definitely more of a moderate level not quite entree reptile. They require a LOT of time other wise yes any large lizard can become territorial/untrustworthy. Overall is nice you are going through some comprehensive stuff:) I can't wait until we get outta in its 8ft enclosure these animals are so intelligent!
I definitely do not recommend this as a beginner lizard. i would recommend a ackie to learn husbandry. once you have husbandry down you can move from their. i got a sav as my first one but i dedicated my life to work and my reptiles and my girl helps me with alot of stuff so im able to have the time to do so.
Hi there, Liam! Captive bred savannah monitors are rare due to the fact that there is still a lot of unknowns regarding SM care & breeding. There are only a small handful of people worldwide who have been successful, and even fewer who have had more than one successful cycle. Almost all SM are wild caught or CB (captive hatched, not the same as Captive Born and Bred), and unless a breeder has proper documentation of copulation assume wild caught above all. And trust me, with the rarity of successful breeding, someone would have the documentation to back up their statements! Almost all WC SM come with parasites, which means you will have at the very least two vet visits in order. The first for the initial check up and parasite screening and the second for a follow up if necessary. Before buying a SM note that they do not have a good track record in the thriving department for captivity, but a large amount of us are working extremely hard to narrow down why. A large part of that goes into husbandry. As of right now with up to date research and observation, the minimum savannah monitor enclosure (whether a juvenile or adult) is 8ftX4ftX4ft and if at all possible the more height the better as they are avid climbers. In all honesty the larger the enclosure the better! They do not thrive in tanks and so before you run to the pet store to buy your SM, build them their proper enclosure. Don't put it off! Lastly before I answer your question, check out the Facebook groups 'Non-Judgemental Savannah Monitor Group' and 'Savannah Monitor Group' for complete in depth files for proper care and support. The second has the best files! The breeder that I know of is located in the UK and his name is Dean Cheetham. Great guy! Knows his stuff. I don't believe he ships overseas, but if you ask in the second group I mentioned, 'Savannah Monitor Group', someone there will answer with a proper list. One last thing before I go, if after all of this you're still considering a SM, be patient with them. They may not be overly cuddly or tegu-like all the time, but they're still animals that deserve love and the utmost best care possible. They're expensive to care for and worth absolutely every penny. If you have any questions you can find me in either groups I mentioned, my name is Celeste Webb. -CW
Females normally stay tame forever when young. Males can start tame and will get a little ippy when they become adults due to hormones but they go away and become normal again in a couple of months
Of course if you put in the time you can get a chill monitor. I thought it was generally accepted that tegus are easier to tame down, so in that way I dont think herp was completely wrong. Literally every keeper that I've listened to you aside from you that brings up monitors says they are a step up in difficulty from your beardies, tegus, uromaystic ect.
4:20 that is everything a tegu is Do not get a savannah if that's the only reason/ excuse, with a tegu, theres LESS of a chance to die. Savannah monitors eat insects in the wild, it's very hard to get that out of them, and get them on a better diet. Many die within a few years not just because of this, but of many other reasons as well as this. Tegus have been bred captively and rebred for many more years then a savannah monitor, this meaning we know more about the correct care for a tegu than a savannah monitor. And in addressing the tegu and savannah being intermediate keeper level is SO WRONG these lizards are for experienced keepers ONLY. Addressing the "show quality" of the animals. Depending on your tegu the babies won't hide as much if you handle them, they stop hiding after a few weeks, savannah monitors do the same thing! In addition, yes a MALE tegu can get to a bigger size BUT a female only gets 2-3 ft, thats the same as a Savannah. You can even get a smaller breed and the males will get up to 3 to 3 1/2 ft. While yes you can tame down a savannah it's much harder because they have more of that natural instinct. Tegus will tame down much easier. Of course that's not true for every animal, but for the majority it is. This man has put a lot of work into his savannah monitor, and got a pretty chill one, yes. BUT he is spreading a lot false information about both animals, especially the tegu. Some of it was true but much of it was only one sided, and down right false. Do not take his advice when deciding on getting a tegu or a savannah monitor, just from this video. That being said for those of you who have healthy Savannah monitors, thats awesome, and/or if you think a savannah monitor is a good choice at the time. Another thing about this is that both the tegu and the savannah can do equal damage. But Savannah's are much harder to tame, and take more time then a tegu. On the enclosure. Though the tegu may be bigger, the savannah actually needs a bigger enclosure because they are more active. The tegu is cheaper, because they need many insects as well as other foods with that. If you want some good info on these two lizards, go to clints reptiles, tegu vs savannah monitor. As well as his other videos speaking solitarily on savannahs, and his videos speaking solitarily on tegus. In his vs video he compares a "puppy dog" tame savannah and tegu.
Why did this nonsense come up in my recommendations... your talking about goherps statements being opinions, when this video is nothing but opinionated. Savanna monitors, and even monitors in general are not for the average reptile keeper.care for them is not easy in no way, and overall tegus are better for pets. Videos like these are why several poor innocent monitors get terrible homes. Misinformed
Both their cares are high level. Tegus can be absolutely territorial and aggressive and require way more nuanced care than monitors lol. Saying monitors are not for average and tegus are better is the misinformation
@@hunterinfected6 ur statement is flawed, all reptiles are territorial in a sense especially big lizards. It’s a dominant thing, and apart in their brain that clicks when they feel invaded. The thing about tegus is that they’re many ways to “train” tegus and put them in a habit state of mind. Both are very different in care and personality ways, but both also shldnt be for beginners. Never once did I say they should, but which one is BETTER for one. As we reptile owners are very stubborn and typically don’t care what other people say unless it’s coming from a reliable, educated source. If we want it, well get it.
@@imnotagamer22 Lmao tegus are not better pets that’s your opinion. Stop deflecting they’re both on the same level. In fact you need way more diverse diet and lighting for a tegu making them a higher maintenance animal. You can train monitors in many ways too, I would even say even way more with bigger ones like water monitors. You’re just a tegu fanboy at this point
This video has a lot of misinformation. All goherping said was that in his experience tegus were better and I have to agree since on average even if you work with a savannah they can become aggressive/defensive whereas with a tegu as long as you work with it and its an argentine they almost always become wonderful pets. Also, captive-bred savannahs are incredibly rare due to the fact that there as only been one documented case where female a savannah hasn't died immediately after laying eggs. Therefore any savannah that you find under $1000 is almost definitely wild-caught. Savannahs also need more area than tegus due to their activity
A lot of opinion here but thanks. My point is a sample size of 1 is not enough to make it a factual statement. CB Savannahs are not as rare as you think. I would assume you are mixing cb and cbb together as the same thing since captive eggs are hatched all the time. Every adult savannah I have experienced has always been chill and likes to either bask, or lay in its water and sometimes dig its cave larger. This is based off of a sample size well over 50. Now Tegus are amazing also, and I think a little more chill though.
Why do people keep feeding rodents they are insectivorous I mean it can be done with rodents but why not follow it’s natural diet that small percentage of not insects is prob nests they stroll by and eggs they snatch because of the opportunistic traits but What y’all think 💭
Hi, you are going off of old information it seems. I would ask how many Savannahs you have helped raise to live over 15 years old? and be healthy the entire time.
You do realize that science that video was his own opinion then there is n need to disprove what he said. If people are interested then they are going to look at more than just his video. Not ever savannah monitor is gonna be nice or mean. This video just seems so unneeded
@@Animal1Guy from him, or from you? From him, he was talking about the spider gene like he was an expert and then Kevin proved him wrong by showing MULTIPLES of spider gene ball python with no issues. That was just one, of many.
this video needs to be seen by more people i as well thought savannahs were bad pets thanks for clearing this up
They are, when handled...so friendly, he run to the cage when i get home to be held and hugged. He is not the first Savannah to do this either! Although this is more common in larger Monitors also.
Seriously are you prepared for the size of cage you need!!?
@@asublueeyes4583 its only like 8 feet or is it 6 feet? cant remember atm but not massive but a black throat monitor woooo thats a big cage
Great video! There was a woman that did videos of her sticking her fingers out of holes in a cardboard box and alternating with mealworms… her Sav never bit her fingers, always snatched the worms. Showed incredible intelligence (and trust!).
My first Savannah monitor was puppy dog tame, and was incredibly intelligent. Has been handleable since I got him, and sweeter than any of my dogs lol.
definitely wanna see Simba in the bathtub, how he plays and has fun 😍😍😍😍
It’s not a dog they don’t play 😂
@@asublueeyes4583 he litterally plays tug of war and goes on walks with him
Oh my goooosh!!! As soon as the pets start, Simba laid down like such a little ham! That is so precious ♥
You're right dude... A lot of savannah monitors are so cool
Cheers bro. I’ve always wanted to get one, and watching his video was disappointing... until I found you.
I've watched 2 of your videos now and I love your commentary, interaction, and overall messages that you have in your videos. I really appreciate your hard work and the videos that you put out. I just got a 4 week old baby savannah and I love him! I love your enclosure and have been trying to find ways to replicate it. Please show more because I love seeing your reptiles! Thank you again!
thank you
I'd like to point out how entuned you are with your animals. When Simba was done with pets, he slightly backed up and you stopped. Even really big animals lovers often miss subtle cues like that with their animals. Just little things like that make me love your channel. Great bond.
thank you!
So glad you made this video, these babies are just incredible ♡
thank you
It doesn’t matter about the species it matters about the personality and in the go herping video the savannah monitor wasn’t being aggressive it was being defensive.
11:30 i noticed that the tegu stops from being hasty as it seemed to notice you rebuilding the burrow back so it can go back to hiding.
it's kinda like one thing i learned as a cat owner in the past that you gotta listen and look for body language that tells you when the pet has has enough, like if i had carried a cat, and it wanted to get out, it would usually be with some squirming but in the time as i learned to "listen" to these signs and they also knew that i do, it in the end was just raising some paw and such to tell me that they want to be put back to the floor.
animals whether cats or dogs or even lizards, they have their own way of telling you what they want and it just takes the effort from you as the owner to listen to it, this is something i have seen from people who dont know anything about reptiles and generalize them as being cold hearted and only primal as they of course dont know anything but also dont put in the effort to even understand.
of course times like puberty on lizards can cause some rougher mood swings and such thatr can make things more difficult than normal but jsut like said in this video, you need to keep working with them to keep the trust between you and them, and make them understand that you wont cause harm. but now im speaking from not personal experience but from what i have seen from videos and i actively seek for more which always gives a better understanding
"it's like parenting in a way" this is what Goherping said on one video about how to calm down an angry bearded dragon which seems very fitting here
My female gecko had a serious attitude problem when I got her. She had MBD and wasn’t feeling well after being housed with a male. Took some time for her to come around...she would squeak and bite while I was trying to feed her that horrific smelling goop supplement. I named her Savage because it fits. Fast forward a year and she’s my sweetheart! She’ll fall asleep on my chest after her bath!
Any creature will have an attitude if abused and neglected and GoHerping knows this and shouldn’t have made a blanket assumption. I’m guessing he hates green iguanas too since the one in his video was kicking his a$$! Animals can sense an overinflated ego 😉
100% agree with you. It depends on handling and environment.
13:30 “yeah he’s mad already!” Zooms in on Zimba chilling with the cutest face 😂😂😂😂🦎💙
He is sooo precious....sooo sweet.❤
i have a 14 year old savannah monitor i havent caged in 10 years. he lives in my room. my closet is his heat area he spends 80% of his time. he is free to climb into bed with me and my wife and gets hand fed by me and my 9 year old daughter. he shares space with a rottweiler and a cat. he likes them both. he and the cat use eachother for heat more often than my dog lets him. i have no scars on my hand from hand feeding and i have no idea where to even buy tongs so theyve never been of assistance.
being scared of your monitor is a good way to never fully bonding with it. my monitor has just a few grains of sand left in his hourglass..if i took youtuber's advice 14 years ago on how to raise him i'd probably have a grumpy, trustless 4 foot lizard locked in a cage wishing he could use my belly for warmth. so far i like Animal1 guy's opinion on savannah's more than the person he's dedicating the video to.
also not everyone should let their monitor have free roam of the house. we have no carpet and no places for him to hide as our house was designed around my lizards needs
All good points!
where does he poop!
12:30 look at that pancaked ham 😅
lolol
Getting a captive bred sav here soon my dream animal!!
You should let us watch him in a baby pool or something where he swims. I bet it's so cool.
Yep they like to crawl on you if you sit in a ground cage with them.
Savs don’t generally like to swim.
2:30 Aww Simba does the pancake snoogle wiggle just like our Beardie does. So cute.
damn chinese water dragon as first lizard is wild good job haha i respect
I love how he just flattens like a pancake when it's time for pets. So cute!
Very informative video. I agree, it's not just the animal type, it's how it's raised and what experiences it has that effects the behavior of these creatures
Thanks for watching! he loves pets!
@Animal1Guy where did you get that captive bred savannah? I am looking for a captive bred baby and I’ve done a ton of research and am getting an 8x4x4 soonish
i dont have a normal breeder that does is often
The big guy looked like he was trying to tan his arms, with them spread out. And the little one just wanted his privacy.
lolol
My savannah monitor Alberto is absolutely 💯 the best lizzard I've ever had. Ive owned a reptile rescue for awhile now and I have 75 personal family member reptiles and amphibians. Mainly snakes and leopard geckos however my top favorite to work with period has to be the savannah monitor. I've had over a dozen rehab and rehome savannah monitors and I've got a forever savannah monitor Alberto. He is my gem. My serious best man.
Great video and discussion. I've a 1+ year old Savannah Monitor which was farmed from Toga, Africa, and fortunately - he's great. He's a little squirmy when he'd rather not be held or in need of a bowel movement, and other times he's happy to relax on an arm or lap. I used to take naps with him, and he'd happily sleep under a cover on my chest where hidden and warm. As you noted though - due to their intelligence they require time, attention and patience as it's about building their trust. Depending on what's being fed mine is hand or tong fed. But in any case - I ensure he scents me so that he differentiates between my hand and food due to their feeding response. As you noted; the swimming exercises too are great for building trust and familiarity. Due to their size and requirements I'd not say they are a beginner lizard by any means, but it's also unfair when some have had a bad experience and share tainted opinions of these great animals.
I will say that I saw your other view where yours is chewing on a ball. Thought it was great, and look forward to giving it a try with my own.
I’ve wanted one for years and only now am I looking to get one due to the fact I don’t have the commitments I used to I can do so…. Most of raising any animal is common sense and a whole lot of research I’ve clocked out at 1000hrs of research and still going so I can make the best possible life for it
Goherping just didn't know what he's doing with the monitor. He threw trust out the window and force handled it, causing it to be in a constant fight or flight state.
Tegu is like: "Oh no! They found me!" 😅
I dunno about people who say Savannahs are bad pets. I've had them going back into the 90's when they all were wild caught/captive hatched. I had 4 of them spanning over 20 years. A couple were babies and a couple were adults when I got them. They were all awesome pets. They walked around the house and hung out with you. My one guy used to climb up onto me and sleep on my chest when I was lying on the couch. Smart as hell. Came over when you called them. Back in those days, Tegus were considered to be wicked nasty, in the same vein of Nile Monitors.
What is difference in behaviors of captive or wild caught baby Savannah Monitors? Both of mine were wild caught from Africa and both so docile and loving.
Is it ok to feed savanna monitor meat like grow turkey,shrimp chicken hearts etc.... on the regular?
Love this video! Thank you for the good information!
Glad it was helpful!
I finish watching the ads every time I watch/rewatch a video. Gj
My first monitor was a Savannah monitor when I was 13. The best monitor I’ve owned. Extremely docile. I’ve owned 2 more since then I seriously recommend them as a first time monitor to any of my bodies looking to get a monitor! They’re extremely slept on as a first time beginner monitor, as long as your ok with the size
I would like to see you play with your monitor in bathtub.
I think projectpets tegu vs savannah was a lot better then goherpings he give all the info one would need for each and he had both since birth so if people need to watch his
I do agree with you two point your animals are very very well provided for and taking care of but that's the difference between experience and not this kids a young kid who like you has a heart of gold and all you have to do is watch the video to know that they were not handles they will not raised up proper or anything so now he's coming in have to tune do it differently and if you listen in his video he says very clearly I do not know how to do this very well so give the kid his credit 💳 he deserved it
absolutely i didn't believe he had enough experience with monitors or even tegus period to make that video! He has no clue what that sav went through before he got it with it being rescue. I have 6 monitors and my sav is one of my most trusted but i trust all of my reptiles that i own! I just felt only having one with his following base it wasn't a valid video to post. Hopefully he will make a follow up cringe video in the future about it and i'm sure he will. You'll never get the best of anything when you rescue but over time and a lot of consistent time with any reptile they can be just as good if not better then any monitor but not always! Thank you for making this video!
As a not for my Sav. He now chooses to sleep next to me in my bed, and has been used in live photo shoots even with infants etc, never bitten etc. You need to know your lizard and respect what it is, and learn/watch body signs etc.
Thank you!
Everything is great info.even opinions truthfully told through experience are very helpful.i had a pet shop owner tell me years ago there is not a single large lizard you can become close friends with or really even handle after its matured, that was just totally untrue.i also heard that bearded dragons are the most docile?not in my experience.i had a green tree python named Marty and he was easier going than the beardies.you could get anything in an animal but you will never get the animal you see in someone else’s video
i have a savannah monitor hes a year old but hes verry small what should i do
I've wanted a Tegu for the experience and, I *personally* , love them
Is your adult bosc feeding mainly on insects? Do you think feeding mainly rodents would be fine?
I have a 3 year old female. I feed mice , eggs , fish , horned worms , crickets , and super worms. I’ve no issues. Just keep their weight down.
My vet told me not to get a tegu as they can be drama queens.. my bearded dragon said, "Hold my beer... vet said she was a real drama queen
Recently I got an adult red tegu female, when i bought her, she was very chill, one day after in her enclosure she is very aggressive, anything she saw moving she tried to bite it. I start socializing with her but seriously, she is very aggressive with everything
Red Tegus can be more aggressive then black and white. Esp their feed response! A few things to check. Are the UV level being sent out correct? To much UV can stress a reptile out and make them aggressive. Also is she getting enough food and the correct kinds so we know its not a hunger response. When feeding her, do you use a ball to get the aggression out? Ball training helps a lot with big lizards as it allows them to run and bite and get the energy out so it doesn't build up. For Tegus, does she have enough substrate to dig in? If she was calm and then became aggressive something is causing it, normally it can be adjusted though!
I like how they can flatten out haha and yes these monitors and water monitors are very smart.
This deserves a sub.
Do you have any taming/trust building vids?
I do!
Seriously stuck between a tegu, a Sav, or another similar sized monitor. Was also considering maybe a mangrove monitor too. Any ideas guys?
Could you send me a captive bred Savannah monitor breeders information? It’s hard to find one.
Its hard, There is no money in it. I can ask if he wants his info passed on.
Great videos👍🏽🤠🤠!! Just a question: I have an adult cat, and am really interested in getting a pet Savannah Monitor , in your opinion, do monitors generally get along with cats?
Some do, some dont, its a tough one. bearded dragons and other lizards do fine it seems.
My cat loves my bearded dragon! 🤣
Literally just adopted a Savannah about the same age as yours. He's the absolute sweetest thing in the world. Takes food very gently and will nap on your chest all day if you let him. They make wonderful pets if you have the space and experience you need. I got lucky and he was already tame when I adopted him even though i have no idea what his history is. But if you don't know what you're doing or how to get them to trust you, you can make an already defensive monitor even more so. Also I would love to see his whole enclosure and where you got it from/how you built it if you built it yourself. 😊
AFAIK the only thing is it's easier to find a tegu CB than a savannah monitor. I've seen some folks say there is a bit of difficulty with it or not many people are doing it. It makes me sad when I see small cheap savannah monitors at shows and know they have to be WC or harvested from wild mothers.
you are correct. its easier only because Tegus sell for more money, and so its not worth it to many people to breed savannahs sadly as I feel they are way cooler pets! There was a lot of bad information on them, and they were one of the first larger lizards sold as pets which led to a lot of young deaths and people thinking they were hard to care for.
@@Animal1Guy Yeah, it's the bias that some snakes that havn't been in the hobby as long have- when you're getting a WC animal, they're going to have a lot of issues, and not be as friendly. A couple generations of CB makes a huge difference, and eliminates a lot of parasites etc problems.
I got Clawdius from someone else at like a year and half old from a friend's son who couldn't keep him. He said he was captive bred but I'm skeptical- he did say he saw him hatch, so maybe the eggs were gathered.
2 feet head to tail or 2 feet bed to base of tail? Because Colombian golden tegu like 2 and haft feet maybe 3 I haven't message him in a while.
I'd say they both can make equally great pets.
Savannah Monitors take a little more work to get there.
Both are deceptively small and cute as babies.
Tegus are easier to care for.
All things being equal, Tegus are objectively better pets but that doesn't mean Savannah Monitors are bad pets.
12:11 Epic sploot!
ha
Nothing more to be said. Good video 👍
Where did you find a CB Savannah? Didn’t even know that CB was a thing with this species
they are all over actually!
Wait, are savannahs being bred in captivity now? This video seems to imply that that's the case, but last time I checked that was a pretty rare occurrence. Unless I'm really out of the loop?
They are, but its still not as common as other monitors. Most come from wild caught.
My local reptile store, Reptile Rapture, has accidently bred them, like 3 times
WC or CB monitor? I wanna buy a Savannah also
CB is always nice, but if gotten young enough they tame nicely
While I agree that behavior is not the reason to pick one over the other, both Tegus and Savs will get to 5-6 ft as males, 3-4ft as females. Diet is another thing. Tegus as omnivores are going to be much easier to feed and since Savs are at that border of medium to large lizard they can't feed on rodents as a staple so they are going to require a crap ton of inverts which will be more expensive. The other reason Tegus would win are that it is much easier to find CBB than with Savs. That all being said I prefer the Sav because as adults the Sav will have more energy and a stronger feeding response in general.
He literally said it was not a care guide
It's cute 😍🥰
thanks!
@@Animal1Guy how big is your terrarium ?
Love the hideout. 👍
Hey so I just watched your recent leopard gecko eye cleaning video. My leopard gecko seems to be having the same issue, she has always had shedding problems and is my only gecko with shedding issues. But recently about 3 weeks to a month ago I noticed she was having a very hard time getting her head skin off so I decided to help her as usual, her eyes have been closed since and she keeps shedding like crazy, it seems like she is shedding almost every week! Do you have any idea of what I should do, shes drinking water and I'm hand feeding her but I want her to be able to see. Sorry for the long message.
Hey no problem on the message size!!! You should get something to use as eye drops so you can check. It can be Saline, drops for reptiles or humans, or distilled or reverse osmosis water. Just not any water from the tap or minerals. Then I would start by having her be in a humid container for 10-15min to loosen any potential skin up, then with a qtip dipped in the clean water. getly check her eyes.
@@Animal1Guy thank you so much! It seems like she licked one of her eyes clean already, but I'm going to wash ould both anyways.
How would you recommend to tame a skittish tegu?
I'd go watch Kevin on Nerd . But be patient and don't worry about touching yet just sit there and let him come to you and don't Hoover over him .
And never give up. Trust is earned , not given.
Actually goherping he is not alone in that opinion. But still I agree with you and every animal is an animal.
for sure, theres lot of bad savannah info out sadly.
Would love to talk to you, dude! I just rescued a 4 year old sav. He’s actually pretty good, but I want to get him more tame and calm.
they tame down so nice!
Do you have Savannah monitor baby care videos?
I dont, They grow sooo fast to full size, and at the time I did not have time to make multiple videos. The care is pretty much the same, Have a water bowl they can soak in, and keep it clean, a basking area and a dark hide they can dig. Its pretty much the same thing, but scale it down in smaller sizes. ALSO they should eat everyday, 1-2 times a day at that age till they are 6 months old.
Can these things eat snakes ? Like venomous ones?
King Weeb they can eat what they want to, but usually no. Savannah monitors eat insects
Omgoodness he is so flat, just like a hamster.
I’m a huge fan of Simba! 😍🥰
The issue is that savannahs are far far cheaper (because of cheap imports) and so people who have no business getting such a large lizard... get one anyway. And Savannahs need way more socialization as well particularly when compared to Argentine Tegus. So its a combination of bad owners, disease-ridden imports, large size AND a high socialization/care requirement that makes most Savannah monitors difficult pets.
you are 100% spot on. there are captive bred savannahs, but the market is flooded with wild caught. Simba now here since he is potty trained roams the house, and likes to sleep in my bed under the electric blanket lol
Pls make Pixie frog update I would love to see him when he comes out of hibernation
Tegus get 4.5 feet and the monitors get about 5 feet not 2 feet they are not beginner lizrards
No they typically get 2.5-4ft
In your opinion they are not. Although, with proper research, any reptile can be a beginner pet, as long as you give the good parameters.
You do realize they’re are more different species of monitors and tegus that come in different sizes, right???
I honestly thought that he just didn't have any reliable experience, and instead of drawing from the conclusions of others, just inserted a lot of his personal opinion. I noticed he tends to do that with some of his more "unruly" animals he keeps, and considering the Monitor he had, had serious growth issues and was a rescue, it really wasn't very fair to say that Savannah Monitors generally don't make good pets.
My two cents? I think, like any animal, they can be tamed to any capacity the owner and animal wish to be possible. I include the animal, because they have individual personalities too, and maybe don't want to be "puppy dog tame".
I agree!
Maybe I'm being harsh, but I don't care for goherpings channel at all or alot of the advice or info he gives out along with adopting animals in for free and re-selling them on his website. I get hes just a kid, so I won't be 2 critical but he has quite a bit of learning to do.
good comment
My savannah monitor is nearly 10 months old and he or she (not sure) is no where near that size
Probably a female then. Savannah monitors are known to get to full size between 1-1.5 years of age
Animal1 Guy yeah I think so
I think Chinese water dragon would have a harder enclosure and needs s to meet. But I don't own one so idk just the need for water and the humidity is what comes to mind.
The main problem with the Chinese Water Dragon is most are imports and they have a tendency to crash and die quickly. There's a few issues with the Savannah Monitor; for one you're going to need a lot of food, they will eat you out of house and home. The food also has to be very lean so that usually means insects, lots of them. The next is nobody is really sure about their care requirements, like for example basking temperature. Finally they need a large horizontal enclosure which is going to take up a lot of room. It's a pretty active lizard and they'll use all the space (plus you'll need room to get a temperature gradient.
The water dragon is going to need a large enclosure too but it should be more vertically oriented. There does need to be a good water area but this will help with humidity levels and keeping a water area isn't all that bad if you install a filter (saying this as someone who owns fish). The Savannah Monitor is definitely going to be more costly and requires tamimg. Chinese Water Dragons as a whole are pretty docile but unless they start becoming widely available captive bred it might be tricky going the first couple of months.
Depends on the tegu. The Argentine black and white can get up to 5ft even the blues can get that big, so definitely more of a moderate level not quite entree reptile. They require a LOT of time other wise yes any large lizard can become territorial/untrustworthy. Overall is nice you are going through some comprehensive stuff:) I can't wait until we get outta in its 8ft enclosure these animals are so intelligent!
I definitely do not recommend this as a beginner lizard. i would recommend a ackie to learn husbandry. once you have husbandry down you can move from their. i got a sav as my first one but i dedicated my life to work and my reptiles and my girl helps me with alot of stuff so im able to have the time to do so.
I found Ackies harder. Faster moving less calm, harder to set up the tank and the size for such a small lizard.
@@Animal1Guy interesting. I love getting good feed back from others. Thank you.
All depends on the research done prior and knowing your ability and financial limits.
Where could I get a captive breed savannah monitor??
Hi there, Liam! Captive bred savannah monitors are rare due to the fact that there is still a lot of unknowns regarding SM care & breeding. There are only a small handful of people worldwide who have been successful, and even fewer who have had more than one successful cycle. Almost all SM are wild caught or CB (captive hatched, not the same as Captive Born and Bred), and unless a breeder has proper documentation of copulation assume wild caught above all. And trust me, with the rarity of successful breeding, someone would have the documentation to back up their statements! Almost all WC SM come with parasites, which means you will have at the very least two vet visits in order. The first for the initial check up and parasite screening and the second for a follow up if necessary. Before buying a SM note that they do not have a good track record in the thriving department for captivity, but a large amount of us are working extremely hard to narrow down why. A large part of that goes into husbandry. As of right now with up to date research and observation, the minimum savannah monitor enclosure (whether a juvenile or adult) is 8ftX4ftX4ft and if at all possible the more height the better as they are avid climbers. In all honesty the larger the enclosure the better! They do not thrive in tanks and so before you run to the pet store to buy your SM, build them their proper enclosure. Don't put it off! Lastly before I answer your question, check out the Facebook groups 'Non-Judgemental Savannah Monitor Group' and 'Savannah Monitor Group' for complete in depth files for proper care and support. The second has the best files!
The breeder that I know of is located in the UK and his name is Dean Cheetham. Great guy! Knows his stuff. I don't believe he ships overseas, but if you ask in the second group I mentioned, 'Savannah Monitor Group', someone there will answer with a proper list. One last thing before I go, if after all of this you're still considering a SM, be patient with them. They may not be overly cuddly or tegu-like all the time, but they're still animals that deserve love and the utmost best care possible. They're expensive to care for and worth absolutely every penny. If you have any questions you can find me in either groups I mentioned, my name is Celeste Webb.
-CW
Savannah monitors are wild! No matter what
My savannah is still young and he’s already very tame and a lot of fun to play with, it’s like having a dog but better. Lol
Females normally stay tame forever when young. Males can start tame and will get a little ippy when they become adults due to hormones but they go away and become normal again in a couple of months
@@Animal1Guy that’s good to know. I just thought we’re cool already lol
Simba=ham! 😆
lol yes!
Make more videos
I try to get at least 1 video a week, but some times I can get 2-3 on a weekend!
It does bug me when people say X lizard looks like a dinosaur. I know what you mean, but dinosaurs don't look anything like lizards.
Of course if you put in the time you can get a chill monitor. I thought it was generally accepted that tegus are easier to tame down, so in that way I dont think herp was completely wrong. Literally every keeper that I've listened to you aside from you that brings up monitors says they are a step up in difficulty from your beardies, tegus, uromaystic ect.
Goherping's is over rated and i have no clue how he has so many subscribers
lol
4:20 that is everything a tegu is
Do not get a savannah if that's the only reason/ excuse, with a tegu, theres LESS of a chance to die. Savannah monitors eat insects in the wild, it's very hard to get that out of them, and get them on a better diet. Many die within a few years not just because of this, but of many other reasons as well as this. Tegus have been bred captively and rebred for many more years then a savannah monitor, this meaning we know more about the correct care for a tegu than a savannah monitor.
And in addressing the tegu and savannah being intermediate keeper level is SO WRONG these lizards are for experienced keepers ONLY.
Addressing the "show quality" of the animals. Depending on your tegu the babies won't hide as much if you handle them, they stop hiding after a few weeks, savannah monitors do the same thing!
In addition, yes a MALE tegu can get to a bigger size BUT a female only gets 2-3 ft, thats the same as a Savannah. You can even get a smaller breed and the males will get up to 3 to 3 1/2 ft.
While yes you can tame down a savannah it's much harder because they have more of that natural instinct. Tegus will tame down much easier. Of course that's not true for every animal, but for the majority it is.
This man has put a lot of work into his savannah monitor, and got a pretty chill one, yes. BUT he is spreading a lot false information about both animals, especially the tegu. Some of it was true but much of it was only one sided, and down right false.
Do not take his advice when deciding on getting a tegu or a savannah monitor, just from this video. That being said for those of you who have healthy Savannah monitors, thats awesome, and/or if you think a savannah monitor is a good choice at the time.
Another thing about this is that both the tegu and the savannah can do equal damage. But Savannah's are much harder to tame, and take more time then a tegu.
On the enclosure. Though the tegu may be bigger, the savannah actually needs a bigger enclosure because they are more active. The tegu is cheaper, because they need many insects as well as other foods with that.
If you want some good info on these two lizards, go to clints reptiles, tegu vs savannah monitor. As well as his other videos speaking solitarily on savannahs, and his videos speaking solitarily on tegus. In his vs video he compares a "puppy dog" tame savannah and tegu.
Why did this nonsense come up in my recommendations... your talking about goherps statements being opinions, when this video is nothing but opinionated. Savanna monitors, and even monitors in general are not for the average reptile keeper.care for them is not easy in no way, and overall tegus are better for pets. Videos like these are why several poor innocent monitors get terrible homes. Misinformed
Both their cares are high level. Tegus can be absolutely territorial and aggressive and require way more nuanced care than monitors lol. Saying monitors are not for average and tegus are better is the misinformation
@@hunterinfected6 ur statement is flawed, all reptiles are territorial in a sense especially big lizards. It’s a dominant thing, and apart in their brain that clicks when they feel invaded. The thing about tegus is that they’re many ways to “train” tegus and put them in a habit state of mind. Both are very different in care and personality ways, but both also shldnt be for beginners. Never once did I say they should, but which one is BETTER for one. As we reptile owners are very stubborn and typically don’t care what other people say unless it’s coming from a reliable, educated source. If we want it, well get it.
@@imnotagamer22 Lmao tegus are not better pets that’s your opinion. Stop deflecting they’re both on the same level. In fact you need way more diverse diet and lighting for a tegu making them a higher maintenance animal. You can train monitors in many ways too, I would even say even way more with bigger ones like water monitors. You’re just a tegu fanboy at this point
This video has a lot of misinformation. All goherping said was that in his experience tegus were better and I have to agree since on average even if you work with a savannah they can become aggressive/defensive whereas with a tegu as long as you work with it and its an argentine they almost always become wonderful pets. Also, captive-bred savannahs are incredibly rare due to the fact that there as only been one documented case where female a savannah hasn't died immediately after laying eggs. Therefore any savannah that you find under $1000 is almost definitely wild-caught. Savannahs also need more area than tegus due to their activity
A lot of opinion here but thanks. My point is a sample size of 1 is not enough to make it a factual statement. CB Savannahs are not as rare as you think. I would assume you are mixing cb and cbb together as the same thing since captive eggs are hatched all the time. Every adult savannah I have experienced has always been chill and likes to either bask, or lay in its water and sometimes dig its cave larger. This is based off of a sample size well over 50. Now Tegus are amazing also, and I think a little more chill though.
Why do people keep feeding rodents they are insectivorous I mean it can be done with rodents but why not follow it’s natural diet that small percentage of not insects is prob nests they stroll by and eggs they snatch because of the opportunistic traits but What y’all think 💭
U are for sure spitting facts tho
Hi, you are going off of old information it seems. I would ask how many Savannahs you have helped raise to live over 15 years old? and be healthy the entire time.
You do realize that science that video was his own opinion then there is n need to disprove what he said. If people are interested then they are going to look at more than just his video. Not ever savannah monitor is gonna be nice or mean. This video just seems so unneeded
He is a bit of an amateur tbh, he makes a ton of statements against people like Kevin from NERD which is ridiculous.
Could you let me know what statements you find wrong?
@@Animal1Guy from him, or from you? From him, he was talking about the spider gene like he was an expert and then Kevin proved him wrong by showing MULTIPLES of spider gene ball python with no issues. That was just one, of many.