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Housing the Savannah Monitor
Monitors require a lot of cage space. It is recommended that you not start with a small enclosure for the hatchling (or juvenile). Start with a 30 gallon or 55 gallon aquarium (or an enclosure that comes close to these measurements). This will allow the monitor plenty of space to grow while you plan on the enclosure for it when it reaches adulthood. Adults will require an enclosure no less then 6 feet long (preferrably 8 feet) and 18 inches wide (better if wider). The taller it is, the less likley the monitor will try to climb out. They are active climbers and very persistant in their climbing.
The substrate can be Cypress mulch, Astro Turf, newspapaer, or a store bought substrate such as Bed-A-Beast or Lizard Litter. There are numerous store bought substrates available today so you may want to try a few to find the one that best suits your needs. Remember, Cedar chips or shavings are toxic to reptiles and should never be used as a substrate or a building material for enclosures. Sand too, is not a good substrate for monitors and can cause problems if the monitor eats it.
Decorations MUST be secured! Monitors are great climber and diggers, so make sure that any branches, logs, driftwood is securely attached to the enclusre to prevent the animal from knocking it over or climbing up high and having the branch fall causing injury. Plastic plants add a natural look to the enclosure but have to be secured as well. The monitor will tear them up if they are just buried in the substrate. Better to silicone them in place inside the enclosure to prevent this.