Buyer question
Is a Savannah monitor monitor lizard good for beginners?
Usually not: our Animal Library rates the Savannah monitor monitor lizard 2 out of 5 for beginners (not a starter monitor).
Source: the Savannah monitor monitor lizard page in the Everybarn Animal Library. Savannah monitor monitor lizard in the Animal Library
The detail
The savannah monitor is a stocky West African monitor that is often sold as a starter monitor. Many are wild-caught or farmed imports, and it grows into a strong lizard that becomes obese quickly on a rodent-heavy diet.
- Best fit
- Keepers ready for a large lizard
- Handling
- 3 out of 5 (Can tame, can be defensive)
- Setup complexity
- 4 out of 5 (Big, hot, deep substrate)
- Feeding ease
- 4 out of 5 (Eats readily, overeats)
What to weigh
A hatchling in a small tank becomes a strong adult that needs an 8-foot enclosure. Obesity from rodent-heavy diets is a common, avoidable problem.