A simple and easy-to-clean cage is the best thing, especially for adult Savannah Monitors. Unless you have the room and the time, overly decorated cages can be a pain to keep clean and maintain. These lizards "poop" often and in large amounts. They will also probably dig up, trample, or shred any plants or decorations that you put in their cage. Again, this is something that I learned the hard way!
There are several types of ground cover that you can use for Savannah Monitor cages. I use artificial turf, and have had good success with it. It can be cut to fit, taken out and washed when dirty, and inexpensively replaced when worn out. Other types of ground cover that we have used are wood chips and newspaper. If using wood chips, avoid using cedar since it is toxic. Newspaper is definitely the easiest, and probably the cleanest option if changed frequently when dirty.
I recommend that your Savannah be provided with some type of shelter. They enjoy having a place to go where they can feel safe and enjoy some privacy. We have used both cork bark shelters and cardboard box shelters. You can also build them a shelter out of wood, or use an enclosed kitty litter box or something similar.
Savannah monitors come from a hot, fairly dry climate. They need to be kept pretty warm in captivity also. The daytime temperature should reach 85-95 degrees fahrenheit during the day, and about 10 to 15 degrees cooler at night. You will need a thermometer in the cage to keep track of the temperature. Heat during the day can be provided with basking lights. You can also use heat tape, reptile heating pads, and hot rocks to supplement the light heat. Heating pads and hot rocks should be checked often to make sure they are not getting hot enough to burn your lizard(105 degrees and above can cause burns). Savannah monitors are active during the day, so they should be provided with between 12 and 14 hours of daylight. At night, your monitor can be kept warm with infrared lights, reptile night lights(available in most pet stores), ceramic heat emitters, heat tape, or some sort of reptile-safe heating pad. It's really up to you what you prefer. Be sure to follow all directions on heating and lighting equipment to avoid a fire hazard.
Your lizard's cage should be kept clean for the sake of their health and well-being. Feces should be cleaned up as soon as possible after your lizard defecates, and the cage should be cleaned and disinfected thoroughly at least once a week. It is best to use a disinfectant solution made specifically for animals, preferably reptiles. We have started using a solution called "Wipe Out" made by Zoo Med. It seems to work well, and has a pleasant odor. It should be available in many pet stores that cater to reptiles and their owners.
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