i have a savannah monitor and i was wondering how bad could its bite be...?

Question

the monitor is around 15 inches and of course has a bad temper
(which im still taming him)
i am quite well with reptiles but ive done researching and found out savannah monitors can cause stiches.
i was handling him today, with gardening gloves, when he bit the glove and held onto it for about 2 minutes, not letting it go.
when i finally set him down into his cage, he let go, and i looked at the mark he made. it looked like a row of thumbtack holes poked into a form of his mouth.
how much damage do you think he could actually do to me if he bit me?
he is about a year old now by the way.

Answer 1

Let's put it this way - the next to the last one I had (an adult) once put three teeth through my thumbnail and held on. Didn't hurt so much then as when the nail was growing over the bitten area about 2 days later! He only bit me one other time in all the years I had him and that was a flesh wound. No idea what caused him to bite either time and he was usually very calm and easy to handle.

Neither required stitches. I washed the wound with antibiotic soap and no infections. The teeth are fairly small, but the jaw strength is unbelievable.

One suggestion (from a monitor book I got when I got my first savannah) - get the stuff they use to train dogs not to bite. You can find this in pet stores. There are a couple different brands and they have a bitter taste (like bitter apple). Spray it on the glove and handle your lizard. It won't hurt him if he gets it in his mouth, but it tastes bad! As he stops biting you when you have gloves, you can start to handle him with your hands, spray a little on your hands. He'll know the smell. Eventually you can use less till you don't use it at all. Worth a try.

Also - and this should be common sense - but don't handle food or any other animals before handling your monitor. If you smell like food or prey, they're gonna bite!

Answer 2

Savannah Monitor Teeth

Answer 3

A serious bite from a full grown savannah would most certainly mean stitches. I'd get some welding gloves until he's tamed down.

In regard to an above post
Ummm... I think you are skewing information. All reptiles' mouths carry bacteria, and the varanid that is famous for its "bacterial soup" is the komodo dragon... To my knowledge the savannah monitor is not known to have anywhere near THAT infectious of a bite, though still not something to be taken lightly. And yes, Dr. Fry DID prove that varanids possess a venom, but then, so do garter snakes. They have not been shown to be dangerously venomous, and, in the case of the komodo dragon, the bacteria from the bite is still the most dangerous part, no doubt whatsoever. If you got seriously bitten by an adult savannah monitor, the venom they possess is the last thing you need to be worrying about.
Sorry, just setting the facts straight.

Answer 4

Savannah Monitor Bite

Answer 5

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
i have a savannah monitor and i was wondering how bad could its bite be...?
the monitor is around 15 inches and of course has a bad temper
(which im still taming him)
i am quite well with reptiles but ive done researching and found out savannah monitors can cause stiches.
i was handling him today, with gardening gloves, when he bit the glove and held onto it for about...

Answer 6

Pretty bad. They can not only cause stitches, but if the lizard is big enough, he can break a finger. I took my alpha savanna Zilla to a reptile "specialist" for a respritory infection. Zilla was just over 5 feet long and the vet insisted his tech restrain him, well she couldn't and it cost him 2 fingertips. It was the only time he ever bit anybody or showed aggression.They do have small teeth and really powerful jaws. Also their tail is mainly muscle and can leave nasty welts. As for everybody saying their bite is toxic, it isn't. There may be trace amounts of bacteria present but no more than any other carnivorous reptile. In captivity their diets are primarily feeder mice from petshops or bred rats themselves. There is a whole lot of difference on what they eat in the wild, and what they eat in captivity. Monitors are scavengers in the wild so basically all they eat is rotting flesh. A lot of bacteria in that. In captivity they kill eat fresh healthy rats or meat from the freezer so nothing there. Its like dart frogs, thier poison comes from poisonous ants they eat in the wild. In captivity they do not eat the ants and don't develop the poison. The only real danger from a monitor bite is severe pain and infection if not cleaned immediately.

Answer 7

There is a good chance that if he bites you that you will need stitches, if not it's going to bleed a lot. Make sure if he gets you not to panic(even though it will hurt) if you try to pull away or panic he's just going to hold tight and cause more damage. Wash it and put alcohol or peroxide on it, then put an antibacterial ointment and a band aide.

Answer 8

hi! i have always been a reptile freak and have studied them my whole life. The monitors teeth are designed to rip and basically shred its preys flesh. If i were you i'd be a bit cautious of how you handle this guy. one bite could send you to the hospital, and yes, for lots of stitches!

Answer 9

they have a serious bacterial flora in their mouth like any other monitor. one bite will lead to a nasty infection, not to mention the fact that they DO have sharp teeth and will rip you to shreds. dont let him get a hold on you. it will not be pretty.

Answer 10

Previously, it had been believed that the saliva of Varanid species contained a bacterial 'soup', serving to prevent a bite wound from clotting. This has since been disproved, as it is now understood that Varanid species do in fact utilize a form of venom (Fry et al., 2006
So i might be carfull.