Savannah monitor question?

[DierdreDreamwalker626]

Ii have no idea whether or not I'm putting this in the right place, but here goes:

Our Savannah monitor is having some problems pooping. He's not acting like he's in any pain or anything, but it's been over a week since he's actually gone. He keeps trying to go and a tiny bit comes out, but it's extremely apparent that he's having some trouble. Is there something that we can give him at home to help him along or is a visit to the vet in order?

 

[fuzzylogix]

try a small dose of mineral oil to help loosen the stool.

 

[5HiddenLizards]

How are your supplements? Sometimes if you give too much calcium it makes the urates really hard. That's about all I know on that subject.



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[DierdreDreamwalker626]

How are your supplements? Sometimes if you give too much calcium it makes the urates really hard. That's about all I know on that subject.



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It shouldn't be b/c of too much calcium. He's on a diet of raw, lean turkey meat sprinkled with a multivitamin. It has calcium in it (obviously) but he doesn't get any additional. ........ I just hope he didn't eat any of the bark in his cage. :/

 

[JordanAng420]

My savannah always poops in his water dish, or a warm bath if I make him one. You can try a warm bath, but if he continues to struggle, I would definately suggest a vet visit.

 

[5HiddenLizards]

My savannah always poops in his water dish, or a warm bath if I make him one. You can try a warm bath, but if he continues to struggle, I would definately suggest a vet visit.

+1
They do love warm baths. Those help.



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[DierdreDreamwalker626]

My savannah always poops in his water dish, or a warm bath if I make him one. You can try a warm bath, but if he continues to struggle, I would definately suggest a vet visit.

He's stopped pooping in his water bowl for the most part, since he's gotten WAY to big to even kind of get in it. (lol) We have him in the tub now in some warm water. He hasn't gone yet, he just keeps swimming laps. lol. Maybe we'll get him to go, if not it's a drive to the vet, I suppose.

On another note: Where do I get mineral oil at? I honestly don't have any clue what it even is. lol

 

[M_surinamensis]

He's on a diet of raw, lean turkey meat sprinkled with a multivitamin.

... just raw turkey? Nothing else? How big and how old is he, how long have you had him? Can you post a dorsal photo and a side view, both while he's standing on a flat surface?

If that is his sole diet, then it is wildly inappropriate. If he has been on it for any length of time, then he has probably developed numerous health complications as a result of it; some of which might be indicated in the photos I requested, but others would necessitate veterinary analysis to confirm. Furthermore, commercial poultry is one of the most common and virulent disease vectors for foodborne illness, some of which he may have been infected by, others he may simply be harboring.

We have him in the tub now in some warm water. He hasn't gone yet, he just keeps swimming laps. lol.

When you give them a bath, the water should not be deep enough to force them to swim. They should be able to stand and even lie comfortably on the bottom without having to make more effort than holding their head at a normal height to avoid being submerged.

Monitors are fairly capable swimmers when it is necessary, but savs have not evolved to do so with any frequency and forcing them to do so is stressful, fatiguing and leaves them prone to respiratory infections as a consequence of water getting into their lungs.

How long did you leave him in there?

Additionally, your tub, assuming it is the same one used for humans to bathe, is not the best choice for soaking a reptile. You clean it with chemical agents that are toxic or corrosive to a reptile and if that reptile does happen to defecate as intended, he's just dropped a mass of waste and bacteria into the place you go to wash yourself. Bacteria that can thrive and spread when exposed to moisture and heat. Things that can be addressed, but it's a hell of a lot easier to just get a big plastic tub and write "reptile bath" on the side with a marker.

 

[slayer]

From what you describe your Sav has a lot more issues then an inability to crap.
Please read through these links and apply what you learn
www.savannahmonitor.org
http://www.varanus.net/faq/

 

[DierdreDreamwalker626]

... just raw turkey? Nothing else? How big and how old is he, how long have you had him? Can you post a dorsal photo and a side view, both while he's standing on a flat surface?

If that is his sole diet, then it is wildly inappropriate. If he has been on it for any length of time, then he has probably developed numerous health complications as a result of it; some of which might be indicated in the photos I requested, but others would necessitate veterinary analysis to confirm. Furthermore, commercial poultry is one of the most common and virulent disease vectors for foodborne illness, some of which he may have been infected by, others he may simply be harboring.



When you give them a bath, the water should not be deep enough to force them to swim. They should be able to stand and even lie comfortably on the bottom without having to make more effort than holding their head at a normal height to avoid being submerged.

Monitors are fairly capable swimmers when it is necessary, but savs have not evolved to do so with any frequency and forcing them to do so is stressful, fatiguing and leaves them prone to respiratory infections as a consequence of water getting into their lungs.

How long did you leave him in there?

Additionally, your tub, assuming it is the same one used for humans to bathe, is not the best choice for soaking a reptile. You clean it with chemical agents that are toxic or corrosive to a reptile and if that reptile does happen to defecate as intended, he's just dropped a mass of waste and bacteria into the place you go to wash yourself. Bacteria that can thrive and spread when exposed to moisture and heat. Things that can be addressed, but it's a hell of a lot easier to just get a big plastic tub and write "reptile bath" on the side with a marker.

We've had him for about 2 years now. (Since he was only about 2 weeks old.) He's about 3 ft. long (tail and all.). I can't get my picture on here now cuz my ipod wire is hiding from me, but there is one picture of him in my album. I'll try to find that wire today. One thing though he is a chunky monkey. Could that mean that he has parasites as well? Should I just take him to a vet?

Turkey used to not be his sole diet. We fed him a variety of large insects when he was younger, but he's gotten so big that we honestly have no idea what else to feed him. We read in a care sheet that Lean turkey meat was good for him so that's what we started feeding him. What should we be feeding him?

As far as the bath goes, he can touch the bottom when we do put him in there. For some reason though he always dunks his head under and tries to swim. He apparently likes it. Idk. (lol) We usually only leave him in there for about 10-15 minutes. I don't like to leave him in there any longer b/c I don't want the water to cool down and him catch a cold or something. (Sounds silly, I know.) (lol) And I did put him in the "human tub" (lol) the other night b/c his had stuff in it from where we were rearranging, but normally he soaks in one of the HUGE plastic tubs.

 

[DierdreDreamwalker626]

From what you describe your Sav has a lot more issues then an inability to crap.
Please read through these links and apply what you learn
www.savannahmonitor.org
http://www.varanus.net/faq/

And now I feel like complete crap. We've been doing what the pet store told us to do since we got him. WE have read some things up since then and have done some of those things too. I did not realize that it was all so wrong.

Tell me what to do to get this all back on the right track.

 

[M_surinamensis]

there is one picture of him in my album.

Well, he's definitely obese in that photo. There are also some symptoms that are visible in the shape and proportions of his legs and feet. It might just be a result of the weight, but I'd definitely take him to a vet and have some bloodwork done. It's a common sign of kidney and liver dysfunction, which would be unsurprising based on the diet.

I don't really like the look of his eye, either, but that might be a trick of the angle, it's not a really informative shot of his face.

If that photo is six months old, listing him as one and a half, you just said he was two, then chances are the problems have become more significant.

Could that mean that he has parasites as well?

It's a possibility, though I'd be more concerned about the bacterial load than anything multicellular. Commercially produced poultry is not really very clean when raw.

Should I just take him to a vet?

Yes.

A photo is something I can look at and have suspicions as a result of, he is obese, he might be experiencing problems with a decline in organ function- a vet, looking at the animal directly, can manipulate the animal, change the angle, feel the muscle and skin tone, look closer and draw some blood. I see enough in that photo and in your description of his care to warrant a veterinary visit to check on those suspicions, but only a vet can give you an actual diagnosis. The obesity is definite, the rest are just things where indications may be present.

Turkey used to not be his sole diet. We fed him a variety of large insects when he was younger, but he's gotten so big that we honestly have no idea what else to feed him. We read in a care sheet that Lean turkey meat was good for him so that's what we started feeding him. What should we be feeding him?

Even larger insects mostly, or insect based pastes, should be about 75-85% of his diet based on mass. Other invertebrates and herps 10-15%. Birds and mammals should be a minority, at 5-10% or less; when feeding them, whole prey items are generally better than processed meat. Portion sizes and feeding frequency manipulated based on the specific condition and individual needs of the animal in question- in this case a lower caloric intake, much lower fat intake and see what a vet says about his kidney function and uric acid levels.

The lean ground turkey is something that is sometimes acceptable as a dietary supplement. It is something to use as a very small part of a regular feeding regime, or as a backup food item because it can be easily portioned and frozen, thawed as needed. It's really not an ideal food item though, and its use should generally be restricted to experienced keepers who are better able to gauge and adjust the diet of their animals, tracking nutritional intake and analyzing need.

That http://savannahmonitor.org/ site that Slayer linked is the best web resource I have ever seen for the species. I read through it a couple months ago and didn't actually see any mistakes, any misinformation or anything wrong.

The best book I have read was "The Savannah Monitor Lizard: the truth about Varanus exanthematicus" by Daniel Bennett and Ravi Thakoordyal

 

[DierdreDreamwalker626]

Well, he's definitely obese in that photo. There are also some symptoms that are visible in the shape and proportions of his legs and feet. It might just be a result of the weight, but I'd definitely take him to a vet and have some bloodwork done. It's a common sign of kidney and liver dysfunction, which would be unsurprising based on the diet.

I don't really like the look of his eye, either, but that might be a trick of the angle, it's not a really informative shot of his face.

If that photo is six months old, listing him as one and a half, you just said he was two, then chances are the problems have become more significant.



It's a possibility, though I'd be more concerned about the bacterial load than anything multicellular. Commercially produced poultry is not really very clean when raw.



Yes.

A photo is something I can look at and have suspicions as a result of, he is obese, he might be experiencing problems with a decline in organ function- a vet, looking at the animal directly, can manipulate the animal, change the angle, feel the muscle and skin tone, look closer and draw some blood. I see enough in that photo and in your description of his care to warrant a veterinary visit to check on those suspicions, but only a vet can give you an actual diagnosis. The obesity is definite, the rest are just things where indications may be present.



Even larger insects mostly, or insect based pastes, should be about 75-85% of his diet based on mass. Other invertebrates and herps 10-15%. Birds and mammals should be a minority, at 5-10% or less; when feeding them, whole prey items are generally better than processed meat. Portion sizes and feeding frequency manipulated based on the specific condition and individual needs of the animal in question- in this case a lower caloric intake, much lower fat intake and see what a vet says about his kidney function and uric acid levels.

The lean ground turkey is something that is sometimes acceptable as a dietary supplement. It is something to use as a very small part of a regular feeding regime, or as a backup food item because it can be easily portioned and frozen, thawed as needed. It's really not an ideal food item though, and its use should generally be restricted to experienced keepers who are better able to gauge and adjust the diet of their animals, tracking nutritional intake and analyzing need.

That http://savannahmonitor.org/ site that Slayer linked is the best web resource I have ever seen for the species. I read through it a couple months ago and didn't actually see any mistakes, any misinformation or anything wrong.

The best book I have read was "The Savannah Monitor Lizard: the truth about Varanus exanthematicus" by Daniel Bennett and Ravi Thakoordyal

Okay. All things have been duly noted. I am calling the herp vet now to make him an appt. Omg. I feel like crap now. I didn't realize that we have been doing things so wrong. I read and book marked both of the sources he provided and there's a new reptile store a few towns over so I'm bout to find out where they are exactly so I can see if they have some roaches or something that would be more appropriate to feed him.

Thank you so much for your help. You have no idea how much I appreciate the advice. I hope you don't think bad of us now. I swear if I would have known he could be this bad I would have taken him sooner and done all this. :/