reptar the savannah monitor lizard

Question
QUESTION: i recently purchased a juvenile savannah monitor lizard for my school zoology pet as required for the class, i have been given different care information by multiple sources as to how often to feed him, and thought that consulting an expert wouldnt hurt. the lizard is irritable, and and isnt exactly fond of me handling it. are there any techniques that i could use to help tame my lizard, and hopefully make it more docile since i will be have to transport it to and from school regularly. any information would be very greatly appreciated. thank you.

ANSWER: Hello Cody,

Do you have any pictures of your savannah?  
How long have you had him for? It normally takes them a couple of weeks to get settled into their new home.
What are you feeding him?
What type of carrier are you using to transport him from home to school?  That is great you take him home with you instead of leaving him at school alone.  I know that he appreciates that!
You could try using his favorite foods to hand feed him a little bit & that usually helps in taming them a little.  They associate something good when you handle them.  
Are you using any UVB lighting?  If so, what type & brand are you using, a fluorescent tube bulb or a compact/coil light?  Do you have a bright white basking light as well?
What are the temperatures in the tank currently & what type of thermometer do you use to measure the temperatures with?  A stick on type, a digital probe or a temp gun?

Daily handling is a good idea, in short spurts so he becomes accustomed to being handled.

Let me know how things are coming along.

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Tracie,

i don't have pictures of him, and have only had him about two weeks, but was just interested in starting off on the right foot with an animal i don't have any experience with. when i bought him, i was told to feed him on a weekly basis one mouse. but he was seeming very skittish and had alot of quick head movements, which i know is a sign of hunger in snakes that ive cared for in the past. i started feeding him bi-weekly and he has become much less irritable. for his heat light i am using a red bulb, which is what was recommended to me by the handler where i purchased the savannah. as far as UVB goes, i use a 110 coil light kept at the opposite end of the cage from his heat lamp. another question arose last night when i and a friend were feeding him; would giving him crickets time to time as a treat be a positive or negative steps in trying to get him settled in?

thanks for your time,
cody

Answer
Hello Cody,

I think feeding him some crickets would be fine.  That may help him out a bit.  Try to stick ith feeding him weekly, or more frequently if you are going to add some crickets.  
I would switch out the basking light for a bright white light as the red bulb is not quite bright enough for him.
Unfortunately, the coil UVB light could be causing some aggravation.  These particular lights, if you are referring to the Reptisun 10 or the Reptiglo 10 emit low wavelength UVB and are harmful to them.  
The best UVB light is the Reptisun 10 tube bulb.  You can get that from  www.petmountain.com
The UVB needs to be mounted directly by the bright white basking light to protect the eyes.  Use one end of the tank for the basking & UVB area & the other end of the tank a little cooler with less light.

Let me know how he is doing.

Tracie