(Godzilla, the savannah monitor, is glamorous in this snapshot. He is probably dreaming about a big heap of Alpo wet dog food.)
The savannah monitor lives in dry, warm, savannah areas throughout central and southern Africa. In the wild, the savannah monitor eats anything from baby turtles, frogs, birds, smaller lizards, and rodents to eggs and insects. Predators of the monitor are large birds of prey, large cats, and native humans.
In the classroom it needs a cage big enough to stretch its legs- but it doesn't have to be huge. It needs to have light available so it can catch ultraviolet rays. The cage should have warmth and a place to hide. In captivity this lizard eats pre-killed rodents, baby chickens, eggs, or wet dog food. As a child the monitor eats crickets, meal worms, worms, and baby mice. Feeding times for both the adult and child should be scheduled properly so the monitor does not become obese.
The savannah monitor's first stage of life is the egg. The eggs don't hatch for about a year. After the third year of life, sexual maturity is reached. The lizard may live more than eleven years in captivity. The monitor usually lives alone, until mating season, which usually occurs from August through October. The eggs are layed in a nest that the mother has dug or in a termite mound. The mother is known to lick up the babies digestive particles to satisfy her vitamin requirements. Shortly after birth the mother leaves the babies to face life alone.
During the mating ritual, the male flicks his tongue on the neck of the female. To fight the male rivals stand on their hind legs and try to push the opponent over. Usually no biting occurs.
The name Varanus means monitor. The native Africans got the name from ancestors who thought the lizard would give warning when crocodiles were nearby so they could protect their village. Exanthematicus is from the Greek word meaning eruptions and pimples on back of neck.
Some things you should look out for if you are planning to become an owner of this unique animal are thermal burns from too much heat, nose rub, skin and foot infections, ticks and mites, and snappiness around feeding time.
One piece of interesting information is that the Savannah monitor has a protective shell around its brain, allowing it to swallow food whole.
(This savannah monitor is called Godzilla by our class. He is posing nicely for the camera in his "I- ain't-gonna-do-nothin" trademark style)