RecoveryLizards
Savannah monitor care guide
Varanus exanthematicus
Cheap to buy, expensive to keep properly. Adults need a room-scale cage, deep humid soil and a very hot basking surface; obesity and metabolic disease come from getting this wrong.
Fossorial — deep substrate for burrowing
Savannah monitor enclosure size
Fossorial — deep substrate for burrowing. An adult savannah monitor should live in at least 96" L × 48" W × 36" H; we build toward 144" L × 72" W × 48" H (12 × 6 × 4 ft, roughly 72 sq ft of floor and about a 2154-gallon glass equivalent).
8x4 ft is the floor, not the target — 12x6 ft is what an adult really uses.
- Hatchling / baby
- 72" L × 24" W × 24" H recommended · min 48" L × 24" W × 24" H
- Juvenile
- 96" L × 48" W × 36" H recommended · min 72" L × 36" W × 24" H
- Adult
- 144" L × 72" W × 48" H recommended · min 96" L × 48" W × 36" H
Temperature and heating
Halogen flood cluster over a rock basking platform on a dimmer.
- Basking / warm surface
- 130–150°F surface on a stone stack
- Warm side (ambient)
- 90–95°F ambient
- Cool side (ambient)
- 75–82°F ambient
- Night
- 72–78°F
Lighting and UVB
UVB: T5 UVB 10–12% across the basking zone (UVI 4–6). Run lights on a 12–14 hours photoperiod, on a timer, and replace UVB bulbs on the manufacturer's schedule even while they still emit visible light.
Humidity
Target 60–75% in the burrow. Keep deep substrate damp underneath; a dry cage causes dehydration and shed problems.
Substrate and depth
Topsoil / play-sand mix. Depth: 24+ in.
Enclosure tips and furnishing
- Large stone basking platform
- Deep humid burrowing soil
- Hide big enough for the whole animal
- Water tub large enough to soak
- Enrichment / foraging opportunities
Build list
- Custom 8–12 ft cage built for deep soil — Commercial enclosures cannot take the weight or footprint.
- Halogen flood cluster + T5 UVB 12% — Monitors need intense, focused basking heat and strong UVB.
- Digital thermostat — Every heat source must run through a thermostat — unregulated heat burns animals.
- Two digital probe thermometers + hygrometer — Read the warm side, cool side and humidity directly — stick-on dials are inaccurate.
- Bulk topsoil/sand (cubic yards) — 24 in of substrate across 8x4 ft is a genuine bulk order.
Savannah monitor FAQ
How big should an adult Savannah monitor enclosure be?
At least 96" L × 48" W × 36" H, and we recommend building to 144" L × 72" W × 48" H — about 12 × 6 × 4 ft, or a 2154-gallon glass equivalent. Fossorial — deep substrate for burrowing.
What temperatures does a Savannah monitor need?
Basking or warm surface 130–150°F surface on a stone stack, warm side 90–95°F ambient, cool side 75–82°F ambient, night 72–78°F. Halogen flood cluster over a rock basking platform on a dimmer.
Does a Savannah monitor need UVB?
T5 UVB 10–12% across the basking zone (UVI 4–6). Photoperiod: 12–14 hours.
What humidity does a Savannah monitor need?
60–75% in the burrow. Keep deep substrate damp underneath; a dry cage causes dehydration and shed problems.
What substrate is best for a Savannah monitor?
Topsoil / play-sand mix, at a depth of 24+ in.
How big does a Savannah monitor enclosure need to be for a hatchling?
Hatchling / baby: 72" L × 24" W × 24" H recommended, minimum 48" L × 24" W × 24" H. Scale up to the adult footprint as the animal grows.
Sources
Put this guide to work
Apply these targets to your own savannah monitor record, then log feedings, sheds and weights against them.