Monitor lizards

Obesity / fatty liver

SignsCommon in savannah monitors. Belly drags, inactivity, leaving food, thick tail base

PreventionAvoid overfeeding mice; base the diet on insects and crustaceans. Feed adults 2–3 times a week and give space to exercise

Gout

SignsSwollen joints, dragging limbs, loss of appetite, white deposits in the mouth

PreventionAvoid dehydration and excess protein. Keep a water bowl available at all times; use warm soaks for hydration

Metabolic bone disease

SignsDeformed jaw or limbs, tremors, difficulty walking, curved spine

PreventionDust food with calcium powder. Provide UVB light daily and replace the bulb every 6 months

Parasites

SignsCommon in wild-caught animals. Diarrhea, bloody stool, weight loss, poor appetite. Worms visible in stool

PreventionFecal test on arrival. Do not share equipment; remove feces daily and keep substrate clean

Respiratory infection

SignsOpen-mouth breathing, mucus from nose or mouth, wheezing, holding the head up without moving

PreventionAvoid low temperatures and humidity that is too low or too high. Make the basking spot hot enough

Retained shed

SignsSkin left on toes, tail tip or back. Toe tips turn black and necrotic

PreventionProvide a soak large enough for the whole body and moist burrowing substrate. Raise humidity during shedding

Thermal burns

PreventionAlways fit a wire guard on powerful basking bulbs. Keep distance from the body and measure with a thermometer

First aidWhite or black discoloration on back or belly. Do not cool; cover with clean gauze and see a vet the same day

Claw / toe injuries

PreventionClaws catch on wire mesh. Use board or acrylic walls. Lay substrate deep

First aidApply pressure to bleeding. If a claw is torn out at the root, see a vet. Necrotic toe tips need amputation

Snout abrasions

PreventionRubs the snout raw by charging at glass. Apply privacy film and add more hides

First aidKeep the wound clean; see a vet if it becomes raw or swollen. Easily progresses to mouth rot

Heatstroke

PreventionFor outdoor basking in summer, always provide shade and water and never look away

First aidIf it is limp with its mouth open, soak in room-temperature water and move to a cool place. If no recovery, see a vet immediately

Salmonellosis

RouteOral, via hands that touched feces, skin or water

PreventionWash hands with soap after handling. Do not wash equipment in the kitchen. Keep infants and toddlers away

Bite-wound bacterial infection

RouteMouth bacteria enter through bites and claw lacerations

PreventionThick gloves and long sleeves. If bitten, wash and always see a doctor for antibiotics

Reptile mites

RouteFrom the skin or enclosure to human skin

PreventionQuarantine wild-caught animals especially. Check for black specks between the scales

Parasites (roundworms, etc.)

RouteOral, via hands soiled with feces

PreventionWear gloves for cleaning and wash hands afterward. Regular fecal tests

Food

• Mainly invertebrates: insects, crayfish, snails, etc.
• Frozen mice only a few times a month (to prevent obesity)
• Juveniles daily, adults 2–3 times a week. Add calcium

Water

• Always provide a large water bowl the whole body can soak in
• Change daily. Change immediately if soiled with waste

Toys & play

• Make it forage (hide food in substrate or put it in containers)
• Thick driftwood, rocks, climbable structures
• Swimming in a water area (water monitors, etc.)

Nest, bed & hideout

• Large hides that fit the body snugly, on both the warm and cool sides
• Moist substrate at least 30 cm deep for burrowing

Bedding & litter

• Deep burrowing substrate such as soil or coconut fiber
• Avoid fine sand alone and cedar/pine products
• Remove feces daily; fully replace substrate regularly

Cage / housing material

Custom wood or acrylic enclosure, or a dedicated room. Must lock

Size & space

For adults, at least 2x total length by 1x. Over 2 m wide for savannah monitors

Layout

• Hot basking spot on one side
• Large water area and hide on the opposite side
• Mount UVB above a spot it can climb to

Placement notes

• Specified Animals require a permitted cage or facility
• Very heavy. Check floor load capacity and door strength

Exercise, free-roam & walks

• Daily room exploration. Block appliance cords and gaps
• Walks are generally unnecessary. Outdoors risks escape and being reported
• Start handling from a young age; never force it

Temperature & humidity

TemperatureBasking 45–55°C, warm side 32–35°C, cool side 26–28°C

HumiditySavannah 40–60%; water and tree monitors 70–80%

Summer & winter

• Summer: air conditioning if the room exceeds 30°C. Enlarge the water area
• Winter: multiple heat bulbs with a thermostat. Prepare for power outages

Nail trimming

Overgrown claws injure people and the animal itself. Large animals need 2 or more people to restrain; if not tame, have the vet trim them

Brushing, skin & coat care

Shedding care: let it happen naturally with warm soaks and moist substrate. Remove retained skin on toes with a cotton swab after a soak

Other care

Weigh monthly. Check the mouth, claws and vent. Do not miss tartar or pus around the mouth

Protection from predators

• Contact with dogs or cats is dangerous for both. Keep completely separated
• Outdoors risks escape, crows and heatstroke
• Housing with the same species leads to fighting and cannibalism. Keep singly

Foreign-body ingestion

Swallows substrate, pebbles and even food containers whole. Feed on a dish or paper. If the belly swells or stool stops, see a vet the same day

Being stepped on

Even large species are small as juveniles and get stepped on. Tell the family when it is out, close doors and watch your feet

Getting pinched

A tail or toe caught in a door breaks. Check the whole body's position before closing. Secure heavy rocks

Falls

Falls from a desk or shoulder break limbs. Handle while sitting on the floor; add branches below high spots in the enclosure to break falls

Escape

Forces doors open. A lock is essential. Escape of a Specified Animal must be reported immediately to the municipal office and police

Safe release procedure

1. Stay still and calm. Move other people away
2. Drip a little alcohol or vinegar on the mouth
3. Immersing in lukewarm water sometimes makes it release
4. Once free, return the animal to its enclosure and let it rest in the dark

After the release

Rinse under running water for 5 minutes and apply pressure. If the laceration is deep or bleeding does not stop, always go to a hospital for sutures and antibiotics

What to tell the vet & what to bring

Species, total length, weight, temperature and humidity settings, diet and feeding frequency, photo of stool. For large animals, bring a handler and a sturdy case

Checking consciousness, breathing & heartbeat

• Response to stimulus: pinch a toe or tail tip; tongue flicking
• Breathing: flank movement, about once every few seconds when healthy
• Color inside the mouth: pink is normal. Pale blue-white is dangerous

Stopping bleeding

• Press with clean gauze for at least 5 minutes
• For claw or toe bleeding, after pressure, secure lightly with a bandage
• Bleeding that will not stop or bleeding in the mouth: see a vet

Transport

• Juveniles in a plastic tub; adults in a sturdy cloth bag plus a hard case
• Wrap hand warmers in a towel so they do not touch the body. Transport dark and quiet