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Home » Savannah Monitor Food & Diet: What You Need to Know

Savannah Monitor Food & Diet: What You Need to Know

Savannah Monitors are native to Africa and primarily carnivorous and in the wild.

These large monitor lizards are opportunistic feeders and will eat whatever they can catch in the wild.

They eat a wide variety of prey items including insects, rodents, birds, and eggs. As pets, they should be fed a diet that is high in protein and low in fat.

Good options for feeding include gut-loaded insects, such as crickets, mealworms, and superworms, as well as frozen-thawed rodents.

It’s important to vary their diet and provide supplements, such as calcium and vitamin D3, to ensure they receive proper nutrition.

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Best food for Savannah Monitor
A Savannah Monitor’s diet comprises mainly whole prey insects, but you can also feed them raw meat, fish & egg

List of Safe Foods for Savannah Monitors

When it comes to feeding your Savannah Monitor, there are a variety of foods that are safe for them to eat.

Some of the best foods to offer include gut-loaded insects like crickets, superworms, mealworms, silkworms, grasshoppers, and cockroaches.

These insects should be fed a nutritious diet before being offered to your lizard.

Other options include low-fat foods like cooked egg whites or crayfish.

Pre-killed mice or rats can also be offered, but only occasionally to reduce the risk of obesity.

Insects:

  • Dubia roaches
  • Hornworms
  • Silkworms
  • Black soldier fly larvae (Nutrigrubs)
  • Superworms
  • Mealworms
  • Crickets
  • Discoid roaches
  • Ivory head roaches
  • Locusts/Grasshoppers
  • Scorpions
  • Centipedes
  • Beetles
  • Orthopterans (grasshoppers, crickets, katydids)
  • Waxworms (as an occasional treat)

Other protein sources:

  • Chicken eggs (cooked or raw)
  • Quail eggs (cooked or raw)
  • Whole freshwater fish (perch, tilapia, catfish, sunfish)
  • Salmon fillets (as an occasional treat)
  • Crayfish (as an occasional treat)
  • Pre-killed mice or rats (as an occasional treat)

Feeding Schedule for Savannah Monitors

The feeding schedule for Savannah Monitors varies depending on their age and size.

Juvenile Savannah Monitors should be fed more frequently than adults as they are growing and require more protein for development.

It is recommended to feed juvenile Savannah Monitors every day or every other day.

Adult Savannah Monitors, on the other hand, require less frequent feeding as they have slower metabolisms.

It is recommended to feed adult Savannah Monitors 2-3 times a week, depending on their size and appetite.

It is important to note that overfeeding can lead to obesity, which can cause health issues such as liver disease and decreased lifespan.

It is essential to monitor your Savannah Monitor’s weight and adjust their feeding schedule accordingly.

How to feed

When feeding your Savannah Monitor, it is important to offer a variety of foods to ensure they receive a balanced diet.

A good rule of thumb is to offer insects that are no larger than the width of your lizard’s head. This helps to prevent choking and impaction.

Additionally, feeding live prey should be done with caution as they may bite and injure your pet.

You should also avoid feeding your Savannah Monitor wild-caught insects, as they may be carrying parasites or diseases that can harm your pet.

In addition to providing your Savannah Monitor with the right kind of food, you should also ensure that they have access to fresh water at all times.

A shallow water dish should be provided, as well as a misting system or spray bottle to keep the enclosure humid.

Savannah Monitors are known to defecate in their water dish, so be sure to clean it regularly.

Supplements and Vitamins

To ensure that your Savannah Monitor is receiving all of the necessary vitamins and minerals, it is important to offer supplements.

Calcium powder should be dusted onto their food at every feeding, and a multivitamin supplement can be offered once a week.

Calcium is an especially important nutrient for reptiles like the Savannah Monitor.

These lizards require a lot of calcium to maintain healthy bones, as well as to support other important bodily functions.

In fact, a lack of calcium can lead to a condition called metabolic bone disease, which can cause a variety of health problems.

To ensure that your Savannah Monitor is getting enough calcium, you can dust their food with a calcium powder at every feeding.

This powder can be purchased at most pet stores that sell reptile supplies. Alternatively, you can provide your Savannah Monitor with a calcium supplement in the form of a liquid or gel.

In addition to offering a varied diet and supplements, gut-loading is also an important aspect of feeding your Savannah Monitor.

Gut-loading is the process of feeding nutritious foods to the insects that you will be feeding to your pet. By doing this, the insects become a more nutritious meal for your Savannah Monitor.

When gut-loading insects, it is important to feed them a variety of foods that are high in vitamins and minerals.

Some good options include dark leafy greens, carrots, sweet potatoes, and squash.

These foods can help to ensure that the insects are packed with nutrients that your Savannah Monitor needs to thrive.


Are savannah monitors omnivorous?

Savannah monitors are mainly insectivores, which means they mostly feed on insects.

As opportunistic feeders in the wild, they eat whatever they can catch, including fish and eggs.

They are strict carnivores who do not consume plants nor fruits.

What to feed juvenile savannah monitors?

Juvenile savannah monitors should be fed a high-protein diet that is low in fat.

Good options for feeding include gut-loaded insects, such as crickets, mealworms, superworms, silkworms, grasshoppers, and cockroaches.

They can also be fed low-fat foods like cooked egg whites or crayfish.

What are the best foods for adult savannah monitors?

Adult savannah monitors require less frequent feeding than juveniles and should be fed a varied diet that is high in protein and low in fat.

Good options for feeding include gut-loaded insects, such as crickets, mealworms, and superworms, as well as frozen-thawed rodents.

Other options include low-fat foods like cooked egg whites or crayfish.

Pre-killed mice or rats can also be offered, but only occasionally to reduce the risk of obesity.

How often should I feed my savannah monitor?

The feeding schedule for savannah monitors varies depending on their age and size.

Juvenile savannah monitors should be fed every day or every other day, while adult savannah monitors should be fed 2-3 times a week, depending on their size and appetite.

What supplements and vitamins do savannah monitors need?

To ensure that your savannah monitor is receiving all of the necessary vitamins and minerals, it is important to offer supplements.

You should dust calcium powder onto their food at every feeding, and a reptile multivitamin supplement can be offered once a week.

Reptiles like the savannah monitor require a lot of calcium to maintain healthy bones, as well as to support other important bodily functions.

Repticalcium Calcium Supplement
Zoo Med Repti Calcium without D3
Reptile-friendly Calcium SupplementRepcal Calcium without D3
Reptile Multivitamin Supplement
Fluker’s Repta Vitamin Reptile Supplement

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