Savannah Monitor

Savannah Monitor care at a glance

Adult length

0.8–1.2 m (2.5–3.9 ft)

Adult weight

2–5 kg (4.4–11 lb)

Lifespan

10–15 years

Basking / warm side

49–60 °C (120–140 °F)

Cool side

26–29 °C (79–84 °F)

Night minimum

22 °C (72 °F)

Humidity

50–70%

UVB

Recommended

Diet

Insects, snails and whole prey

Activity

Diurnal

Lifestyle

Terrestrial

Basking figures are surface temperatures. Needs deep, diggable substrate.

Typical values from common keeping practice. Individual animals and setups vary.

Savannah Monitor research

108 published papers in the HerpAtlas library. Most cited below, or see the latest research →

• Ventricular Haemodynamics in the Monitor Lizard Varanus Exanthematicus : Pulmonary and Systemic Pressure Separation

  Journal of Experimental Biology · 1982 · cited 98 times

• The functional anatomy of the shoulder of the savannah monitor lizard (Varanus exanthematicus).

  Journal of morphology · 1983 · cited 84 times

• Afferent connections of the cerebellum in various types of reptiles.

  The Journal of comparative neurology · 1982 · cited 63 times

• Muscle Recruitment During Terrestrial Locomotion: How Speed and Temperature Affect Fibre Type Use in a Lizard

  Journal of Experimental Biology · 1990 · cited 63 times

• Ventilation and gas exchange in lizards during treadmill exercise.

  The Journal of experimental biology · 1997 · cited 60 times

• Unidirectional pulmonary airflow patterns in the savannah monitor lizard.

  Nature · 2013 · cited 53 times

• Patterns of cardiovascular and ventilatory response to elevated metabolic states in the lizard Varanus exanthematicus.

  The Journal of experimental biology · 2000 · cited 51 times

• Prey Odor Discrimination in the Varanoid Lizards Heloderma suspectum and Varanus exanthematicus

  Ethology · 1989 · cited 49 times