Savannah Monitors tend to be one of the tamest of all monitor species. They are naturally quiet and do not demand a lot of attention. Savannah Monitors have a shorter snout and blunter face than other monitor species. They usually have a rusty tint to them and a pattern of several whitish circles on their skin. They also have long, skinny, blue or pink, forked, tongues that they flick about to explore their environment.
Growth and Lifespan
When they are born Savannah Monitors are about five inches, and within one year they may reach two feet. Within two years a Savannah Monitor should be about three feet long and weigh five or six pounds. After four years it may be more than four feet long and weigh more than ten to twelve pounds. Savannah Monitors can live ten to fifteen years with the proper care.
Claws
Monitor lizards have sharp claws that will need to be trimmed every so often. It will depend on how much ware a Savannah Monitor's claws get through exercise that will determine when they need to be snipped, and claw trimmers can be purchased at your local pet store. If you accidentally cut through a blood vessel, wipe the claw with disinfectant and dip the bleeding tip in cornstarch.
Temperament
Savannah Monitors tend to get squirmy and temperamental when you take them outdoors, so keep in mind that it is probably better to keep your Savannah Monitor indoors unless your monitor is super tame. Angry monitor lizards will also whip their tails, and if whipped by a Savannah Monitor bruising may result. Savannah Monitors also have sharp teeth that are about three to five millimeters long in large lizards. A bite from one of these lizards can require stitches.
Purchasing
Which Savannah Monitor should you purchase? Some Savannah Monitors will not make as good of pets as others, so be sure to choose a good Savannah Monitor when purchasing one. If it is possible buy a captive born monitor lizard because they tend to be more healthy and better pets. It is also a good idea to start out with a small monitor lizard. Choose a lizard that is less skittish and temperamental. Ask the pet store owner if you could hold the lizard before you buy it. Try and choose a calm lizard without making the mistake of choosing one that is sickly. Do not choose one with a skin and bones appearance. Also if purchasing a baby monitor be warned that as a defense baby Savannah Monitors will defecate or in other words excrete lizard droppings to try and get away. This nasty habit can be a real pain if you are holding your lizard, but it usually disappears in lizards older than half a year. Instead of defecating older lizards will resort to whipping their tails, hissing, and biting if they are not tame. Also when choosing your lizard keep in mind that sexing monitors is difficult because there are no external characteristics to differentiate males from females.