Savannah Monitor Sleeping Habits? (Must-Know Info)


Savannah monitors are good pets; however, just like any other pet, they need a perfect environment to thrive. You need to feed your savannah monitor and provide it with a good enclosure, comfy enough for it to sleep. After spending time with your pet, you are usually aware of their habits, and it can be concerning if they start to behave differently.

So, what are savannah monitor sleeping habits? Savannah monitors are nocturnal lizards. They sleep during the day and are active at night. In the wild, savannah monitors burrow into the ground where they sleep and hide from predators. Savannah monitors are also good climbers and can climb rocks and trees and sleep if they cannot find a good place to burrow. In captivity, savannah monitors will also burrow in the substrate inside their tank so that they can sleep.

Sleep is very important to all animals, and the number of hours an animal sleeps can tell a lot about its health or environment. Sleep allows your savannah monitor to replenish energy lost during the day and repair damaged body tissues. Read on for all the must-know info regarding the savannah monitor’s sleeping habits.

Why Is My Savannah Monitor Always Sleeping?

Savannah monitor lizards are active lizards, and they spend most of their time moving around in their cage and eating. Sometimes, a savannah monitor will spend a lot of time sleeping, and there are several reasons why it does this.

The main reason why your savannah monitor is always sleeping is illness. Lethargy is a symptom most savannah monitors exhibit when they are feeling unwell. Your pet becomes inactive and will not move even if you try to move it. If your savannah monitor continues to sleep for long hours, check for other signs of illness such as loss of appetite and loss of weight. You can take your savannah monitor to a vet for diagnosis if it continues sleeping for many hours.

Low temperature in its enclosure will cause your savannah monitor to sleep more than usual. Heat affects the mood of all reptiles. During cold weather, all reptiles reduce their movements, and some even go into brumation.

If the temperature is low, your savannah monitor will reduce its movements, and it will appear to be sleeping even during hours it is supposed to be awake. You can increase the temperature inside the tank to make your savannah monitor more active.

Stress can also cause your savannah monitor to sleep all the time. A stressed savannah monitor will sleep a lot because it does not want to interact with people or other lizards. Several issues can cause your savannah monitor to have stress, such as excessive handling, irregular temperature and humidity levels, and a new environment. If your savannah monitor has stress, find out the cause of the stress and fix it. If everything in your savannah monitor’s enclosure seems fine, you can take your pet to a vet for a professional diagnosis and treatment.

Why Does My Savannah Monitor Sleep So Much?

All animals that sleep have a specific number of hours they sleep each time. Adult savannah monitors sleep between 10 to 12 hours. There are few reasons why your savannah monitor is sleeping for more than 12 hours.

Your savannah monitor may be sleeping so much due to satisfaction. Your savannah monitor may have eaten its food, and, is still full; therefore, it has no reason to wake up. A savannah monitor’s schedule involves either hunting for food or looking for mates. If the savannah monitor is not hungry and it is not yet the mating season, it will continue sleeping because there is nothing to do. However, your savannah monitor does not add many hours to its regular sleep schedule, only two or three hours.

Another reason why your savannah monitor is sleeping so much is old age. As your pet grows older, it lacks the same energy to move around. Your old savannah monitor will prefer to stay in one place for a long time and sleep for a few more hours.

Old age also brings in several health complications, which can also make your savannah monitor sleepy. A savannah monitor can live up to 20 years old; therefore, it will not be very active during its last years.

The low temperature in the enclosure can also make your savannah monitor sleep for a long time. The temperature drop inside the tank drops will make your savannah monitor slow down. Checking the temperature is important because savannah monitors need heat for digestion.

You can use a digital thermometer and connect it to your smartphone, making it easy to adjust the temperature when you are far from home. During the day, keep the temperature between 94 – 100 degrees Fahrenheit and between 74 – 78 degrees Fahrenheit during the night.

Do Savannah Monitors Sleep in Water?

Humans and animals all tend to find a comfortable and safe place to sleep. There are many items inside a savannah monitor’s tank, such as the hides, branches, rocks, water bowl, and substrate. When it is time to sleep, your savannah monitor will choose the most comfortable place to sleep.

Savannah monitors do not sleep in the water, rather, they sleep in holes they dig in the substrate inside their tanks. Savannah monitors are native to Australia, specifically, in semi-arid lands with few water bodies; therefore, they do not interact with water a lot.

Some savannah monitors hate water and will struggle to get out of the tub if you gave them a bath. If your savannah monitor is sleeping in its water bowl, you need to check on it to ensure it does not drown.

Why Does My Savannah Monitor Sleep in His Water Dish?

When checking up on your savannah monitor, you might find it sleeping inside its water dish. There are several reasons your savannah monitor chose to sleep in the water dish.

The main reason your savannah monitor is sleeping in its water dish is to lower its body temperature. Savannah monitors, like other reptiles, are cold-blooded, and they regulate their body temperature through their environment. When the body temperature is too high, your savannah monitor will find a cold place to lower the temperature. If there is no place in the tank cold enough to lower its body temperature, your savannah monitor will rest in its water dish.

Also, irritating parasites may cause your savannah monitor to sleep in its water dish. If you do not clean your savannah monitor’s cage properly, parasites such as mites might cause your pet problems. Mites feed on the blood of the host animal. Their bites are itchy and irritating. Instead of spending most of its time scratching its body, your savannah monitor will immerse its body inside the water dish to try and get rid of the mites.

Your savannah monitor may also sleep in its water dish when it is dehydrated. A dehydrated savannah monitor will soak itself or take a nap inside the water dish as it tries to quench its thirst. You should check your savannah monitor for any sign of dehydration.

If your savannah monitor is dehydrated, try to give it fresh and clean drinking water. Do not make your savannah monitor drink the water it was sleeping in, since, sometimes, it may poop in the water, which makes it unsafe for consumption.

Do Baby Savannah Monitors Sleep a Lot?

Most people choose to acquire baby savannah monitors because it is easy to gain their trust and train them. When taking care of a baby savannah monitor, you have the opportunity to learn its behaviors and train them accordingly.

Baby savannah monitors sleep a lot. Baby savannah monitors will sleep for a long time if they are well-fed and their tank conditions are good. However, they require special care. For instance, they should be fed every day compared to adult savannah monitors, which should be fed twice or three times a week.

Therefore, if your baby savannah monitor keeps sleeping past their feeding time, you have to wake it up. You should also avoid handling a baby savannah monitor when it is sleeping.

However, the baby savannah monitor may sleep a lot due to relocation stress. The baby savannah monitor was used to the environment inside the pet store and moving it to a new home can be stressful to it, causing it to sleep a lot. Another reason could be a growth spurt. Growing rapidly can cause changes in your baby savannah monitor’s sleeping and eating habits. Low temperature can also cause the baby savannah monitors to sleep a lot.

Finally

Sleep is very important for your savannah monitor’s health. Your pet’s sleeping habits can tell you if there is something wrong with your pet. Savannah monitors are active at night. During the day, you can watch them sleep, making it easy to measure their sleeping time. If your savannah monitor is sleeping too much, try and find out the cause.

Savannah monitors usually burrow in the ground and sleep inside the holes. Your savannah monitor’s tank should have a deep enough substrate for your pet to dig a hole for sleeping. If your pet takes up other sleeping habits, such as sleeping in the water bowl, find out why and rectify it.

Bal Kang

Bal Kang is an owner of several pets including reptiles, cats and dogs. An avid writer, who loves to share her insights into caring for pets.

Recent Posts