Care Guides
Ackie and Savannah Monitor Care: The Honest Guide
Monitor lizards are intelligent, charismatic, and demanding. They form genuine bonds with keepers, recognize individuals, and show problem-solving capabilities that no other commonly kept reptile matches. They're also among the most under-housed and overfed pet reptiles in the hobby. The most popular pet monitor species — ackies (Varanus acanthurus) and savannah monitors (V. exanthematicus) — have very different requirements despite both being smaller monitors. This guide covers what each needs and where the most common mistakes happen.
The two species compared
| Ackie monitor | Savannah monitor | |
|---|---|---|
| Adult size | 24–28 in (60–70 cm) | 3.5–4 ft (105–125 cm) |
| Adult weight | 250–500 g | 2–6 kg |
| Lifespan | 15–20 years | 10–15 years (often shorter due to obesity) |
| Origin | Australian arid scrubland | African savannah |
| Temperament | Bold, active, handleable | Variable — some calm, some defensive |
| Diet (wild) | Insects + small lizards | Insects + small mammals + carrion |
| Diet (captive) | Mostly insects | Mostly lean meat |
| Enclosure | 6 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft | 8 ft × 4 ft × 4 ft minimum |
The honest reality: ackies are intermediate-keeper monitors. Savannahs are advanced-keeper monitors despite being marketed as beginner-friendly — their pet-trade reputation for being easy is a result of decades of overfeeding and undersizing producing short-lived obese animals.
Ackie monitors
Enclosure
Adult ackies need a minimum of 6 ft × 3 ft × 3 ft (with deep substrate, see below). They are arid-environment burrowers that need at least 18 inches of substrate depth for proper burrow construction. PVC enclosures with reinforced bases are the standard.
Temperature gradient
- Basking spot surface: 130–160°F (54–71°C) — yes, that hot. Ackies thermoregulate against extremely hot rock surfaces.
- Warm side ambient: 95–105°F
- Cool side ambient: 75–85°F
- Nighttime drop: 70–75°F
Use a stack of halogen flood bulbs over a thick rock or stone slab to achieve the basking surface temperature. Standard reptile heat sources won't reach 130°F+ easily.
Diet
Ackies are insectivores. Their wild diet is roughly 80% insects with occasional small lizards and eggs. Captive diet:
- 70–80% insects: discoid roaches, crickets, BSFL, superworms — varied rotation
- 10–15% lean protein: occasional pinky mice, hard-boiled egg, lean ground turkey
- 5–10% calcium and supplementation: dust feeders with calcium 4–5× weekly, multivitamin 1× weekly
Feed juveniles daily, adults every 2–3 days. Portion: meal volume roughly equal to head size.
Substrate (the key thing)
Ackie substrate is non-negotiable: topsoil mixed with play sand at roughly 70/30 ratio, packed firmly enough to hold a burrow shape, and at least 18 inches deep. They construct multi-chamber burrows for thermoregulation, hiding, and humidity. Without burrow access, ackies become stressed and food-refusing within months.
Savannah monitors
The honest assessment
Savannah monitors are routinely sold to first-time monitor keepers as a "beginner monitor." This sets up failure. Wild savannahs eat seasonally — dry-season fasting is normal, fattening up during wet-season prey abundance. In captivity, they get year-round high-fat food and become obese within 2–3 years. Pet savannahs commonly die of fatty liver disease, kidney failure, and gout in their early teens — well short of their 15–20 year potential.
Enclosure
Adult savannahs need 8 ft × 4 ft × 4 ft minimum with at least 24 inches of substrate depth. They burrow as much as ackies but at much larger scale. Smaller enclosures produce stressed, behavioral-problem animals.
Temperature gradient
- Basking spot surface: 140–150°F
- Warm side ambient: 95–105°F
- Cool side ambient: 75–85°F
Diet — the biggest issue
Captive savannahs should eat lean protein, not the rich insect-and-rodent diets that drive obesity. Recommended:
- 40% insects: roaches, crickets, BSFL — fewer mealworms (high fat)
- 40% lean meat: cooked unseasoned chicken, turkey, lean ground beef
- 10% rodents: pinky mice or fuzzy mice occasionally — NOT adult mice or rats regularly
- 10% supplementation: dusted feeders, occasional egg
Feed juveniles every 2 days, adults every 4–7 days. The myth that savannahs need rats every few days is what's killing pet savannahs.
Both species: UVB
Both ackies and savannahs need strong UVB — T5 HO 10.0 or 12.0 spanning at least half the enclosure, replaced annually. UVB is non-negotiable for monitor health.
Handling
Ackies tolerate regular handling well — many become genuinely interactive. Savannahs vary wildly by individual; some are calm, some aggressive. Captive-bred savannahs handled from young age are typically calm. Wild-caught animals (still common in pet trade) often remain defensive.
Health red flags
Both species:
- Mucus around nose, open-mouth breathing: respiratory infection
- Soft jaw, bowed legs: MBD (UVB or calcium issue)
- Visible weight gain past species norm: obesity (especially in savannahs)
- Lethargy with refusal to eat: temperature, parasites, or organ disease
- Patchy or stuck shed: humidity issue (humid hide may be needed)
The most common monitor-keeping mistakes
- Enclosure too small: monitors need real space; aquarium tanks aren't enough.
- Substrate too shallow: 18+ inches for ackies, 24+ for savannahs. Burrowing is essential behavior.
- Diet too rich (savannahs): lean meat, not rodents-on-repeat, prevents obesity.
- Insufficient basking heat: monitors need 130°F+ surface temps, not standard reptile basking spots.
- Handling wild-caught animals expecting pet behavior: captive-bred only for first-time monitor keepers.
Bottom line
Ackie monitors are rewarding intermediate-keeper pets — small, charismatic, and bond-forming. Savannah monitors deserve their advanced-keeper status despite their pet-trade marketing — they require massive enclosures, deep substrate, and disciplined low-fat diets that most owners don't provide. For those willing to do it right, both species offer 15+ years of one of the most interactive reptile relationships available. For more on reptile husbandry, see our Creature Insights blog.
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