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UroBrett Rtl402 UroBrett Rtl402 Rtl402 UroBrett Jbreddawg UroBrett Rtl402 |
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UroBrett View Profile |
Attempting to create basic care sheet
example to get started: Part 1 - THE ENCLOSURE: No pine, cedar, or unsealed plywood. The pine oil and the fumes from these are toxic. The glue used in plywood contains toxic chemicals and these fumes increase when heated. If using plywood to build an enclosure it must be sealed with something (exterior latex paint, clearcoat, etc) and must be left to cure at least two weeks before being used. |
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| 08/22/08 10:33am |
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Rtl402 View Profile |
Message To: UroBrett In reference to Message Id: 1839251 Attempting to create basic care sheet
Enclosure: There are 2 ways to keep a Uromastyx, the first, being a glass aquarium. Second, you could build your own enclosure out of Oak plywood ONLY. This is due to softer woods such as pine and cedar emit toxins at high temperatures that are dangerous to a Uromastyx. The enclosure should be 48"x24" at the very least, as these animals need a wide temperature gradient to survive. This being said, enclosures pet stores try and push, such as 20L or 30g just don’t cut it. Temperatures: Uromastyx have one of the highest heat requirements in the pet trade. They need a basking area of approx. 120F-140F, the hot end of the enclosure should have an ambient temperature of 95-100F, with the cool end being around 85F. Again, this has to have a gradual change, which is why you need to have a large enclosure. Nighttime temperatures should be around 75F. Should your temperatures drop below 75, you can use a ceramic heat emitter to raise the temps. DO NOT use red bulbs, as they will disturb the Uro’s sleep habits.. Lighting: High basking temperatures can be achieved using high wattage basking bulbs, daytime heat bulbs or household bulbs (for ambient temps). Uromastyx also need UVB light to properly digest their food. This can be added by using a florescent tube hung inside the enclosure, or by using a mercury vapor bulb, such as the mega-ray bulbs, that produce both heat and UVB over the basking spot. Any UVB you decide to use must not be blocked in any way from reaching the Uro, so if you are using a screen top, cut a hold where the UVB bulb will be. The screen top will block up to 50% of the UVB output and your Uro will not be able to properly digest their food. Substrate: There are a few varieties of substrates available for Uromastyx. Calcium sand is NOT one of them. Calcium sand has been proven to be deadly to Uro’s so please do NOT use it, ever. For Uromastyx under 6-7" in total length, newspaper or paper towels should be used. Once they are over 6-7", washed, sifted playsand is available in 50lb. bags at local hardware stores for a reasonable price. You can also use millet seed as well, but needs to be only about 1/2" deep and changed regularly to avoid mold. Sand should be replaced occasionally as well, but it is not necessary to change it as often as the millet. Food: Uromastyx are primarily vegetarian, and should be fed daily. Greens that are high in nutritional value are Escarole, Chickory, Dandelion greens, and Endive. They can also be fed bok choy, collard greens, mustand greens, shredded carrots, soaked lentils, squash, mangos, edible flowers (be careful with this one) and dandelion flowers (be careful here as well) When feeding dandelion flowers, do NOT randomly pick them from the yard. You need to be sure they are 100% free of ALL pesticides, herbicides or any other chemicals. The same applies to edible flowers. For a list of edible flowers, please utilize the search function, as this topic has been discussed often. Food such as crickets, meal worms, wax worms, etc. should be avoided, as there is no data that proves that a Uromastyx NEEDS this. They are excessively high in protein which can lead to kidney failure. General rule of thumb is do NOT feed insects. Handling: This is usually where pet stores will lead you astray. Uromastyx are not a cuddly pet, such as a dog or cat. Because of their high temperature needs, handling should be very minimal, such as when going to a vet or to clean their enclosure out entirely to change substrate out. Excessive handling causes stress and could also lead to problems down the road. If they need to be removed from their enclosure, try to keep some form of heat on them and do not keep them out too long. For newly acquired Uromastyx, it is always a good idea to take them to the vet early, and have a fecal check done. Most Uro’s at pet stores are WC imports, and have a high chance of containing parasites or worms. Doing a vet checkup early can help out more then you can imagine. There are plenty of detailed caresheets availble, as well as many experienced keepers on this forum, so if you have any additional questions, please use the search function and/or ask questions. As long as you put the effort into taking care of your Uro, it should live a very long, healthy and happy life. They truly are amazing pets. Good luck! |
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| 08/22/08 11:21am |
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UroBrett View Profile |
Message To: Rtl402 In reference to Message Id: 1839300 Attempting to create basic care sheet
I suggest the following: - add: something about providing a place to hide. That Uros need a low hide to feel secure (stress is reduced which is very important.) They prefer ones in which their backs touch the top and that they can fit into completely - two hide ideally -one should be placed at each end of enclosure away from basking light in the lower temp gradients. - add: that all rocks and hides should be placed directly on the cage floor, not on top of the substrate as digging can cause hide to shift and cause entrapment. (learned this myself the hard way several years ago when I first got Leopard Geckos and lost one this way) - add: not to use plastic plants (or silk ones) as decorations as uros may injest and impaction would likely result. |
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| 08/22/08 11:41am |
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Rtl402 View Profile |
Message To: UroBrett In reference to Message Id: 1839316 Attempting to create basic care sheet
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| 08/22/08 11:46am |
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Rtl402 View Profile |
Message To: Rtl402 In reference to Message Id: 1839321 Attempting to create basic care sheet
Enclosure: There are 2 ways to keep a Uromastyx, the first, being a glass aquarium. Second, you could build your own enclosure out of Oak plywood ONLY. This is due to softer woods such as pine and cedar emit toxins at high temperatures that are dangerous to a Uromastyx. The enclosure should be 48"x24" at the very least, as these animals need a wide temperature gradient to survive. This being said, enclosures pet stores try and push, such as 20L or 30g just don’t cut it. Pavers and slate are great to use for elevating a basking spot and creating hides for a Uro. Try to provide several hides throughout the enclosure, both on the hot and cool side. Also, be sure that anything you add to the enclosure should rest at the very bottom, not supported by any of the substrate. Uromastyx love to dig, and have been know to dig under heavy objects and severely injure and even kill themselves in the process. It is best to place all objects at the bottom of the enclosure prior to adding your substrate. Temperatures: Uromastyx have one of the highest heat requirements in the pet trade. They need a basking area of approx. 120F-140F, the hot end of the enclosure should have an ambient temperature of 95-100F, with the cool end being around 85F. Again, this has to have a gradual change, which is why you need to have a large enclosure. Nighttime temperatures should be around 75F. Should your temperatures drop below 75, you can use a ceramic heat emitter to raise the temps. DO NOT use red bulbs, as they will disturb the Uro’s sleep habits. Always try to have the enclosure setup prior to introducing the Uro and tweak the temperatures, as it will be easier for your newly acquired Uro to adapt to its new surroundings with the proper temperatures. Uromastyx also need low humidity. While the high temperatures will keep the humidity down a bit, if you encounter any issues with higher humidity, make sure you have no water in the enclosure, and if needed, a dehumidifier in the room will also remove humidity from the enclosure. (Any enclosures in a room with a/c may also see lower humidity levels) The best way to measure temperatures is with 2 very important tools. The first, a infrared temperature gun to determine the surface temp. at the basking spot. These can be found online for a very reasonable price. The second is a digital thermometer/hygrometer. These can be found in many pet stores, as well as online for a very reasonable price. Try and avoid using analog or stick on thermometers, as they can be inaccurate up to 20 degrees. Lighting: High basking temperatures can be achieved using high wattage basking bulbs, daytime heat bulbs or household bulbs (for ambient temps). Uromastyx also need UVB light to properly digest their food. This can be added by using a florescent tube hung inside the enclosure, or by using a mercury vapor bulb, such as the mega-ray bulbs, that produce both heat and UVB over the basking spot. Any UVB you decide to use must not be blocked in any way from reaching the Uro, so if you are using a screen top, cut a hold where the UVB bulb will be. The screen top will block up to 50% of the UVB output and your Uro will not be able to properly digest their food. Always read the mfg. directions for placement of mercury vapor bulbs and always, always be sure your Uro can NEVER touch a hot bulb. Substrate: There are a few varieties of substrates available for Uromastyx. Calcium sand is NOT one of them. Calcium sand has been proven to be deadly to Uro’s so please do NOT use it, ever. For Uromastyx under 6-7" in total length, newspaper or paper towels should be used. Once they are over 6-7", washed, sifted playsand is available in 50lb. bags at local hardware stores for a reasonable price. You can also use millet seed as well, but needs to be only about 1/2" deep and changed regularly to avoid mold. Sand should be replaced occasionally as well, but it is not necessary to change it as often as the millet. If you are using sand, be sure to allow it to fully dry before putting it into the enclosure. If you are using millet, it is good practice to freeze it prior to adding it to the enclosure, to kill off any bacteria that may exist. Food: Uromastyx are primarily vegetarian, and should be fed daily. Greens that are high in nutritional value are Escarole, Chickory, Dandelion greens, and Endive. They can also be fed bok choy, collard greens, mustard greens, shredded carrots, soaked lentils, squash, mangos, edible flowers (be careful with this one) and dandelion flowers (be careful here as well) When feeding dandelion flowers, do NOT randomly pick them from the yard. You need to be sure they are 100% free of ALL pesticides, herbicides or any other chemicals. The same applies to edible flowers. For a list of edible flowers, please utilize the search function, as this topic has been discussed often. Food such as crickets, meal worms, wax worms, etc. should be avoided, as there is no data that proves that a Uromastyx NEEDS this. They are excessively high in protein which can lead to kidney failure. General rule of thumb is do NOT feed insects. Handling: This is usually where pet stores will lead you astray. Uromastyx are not a cuddly pet, such as a dog or cat. Because of their high temperature needs, handling should be very minimal, such as when going to a vet or to clean their enclosure out entirely to change substrate out. Excessive handling causes stress and could also lead to problems down the road. If they need to be removed from their enclosure, try to keep some form of heat on them and do not keep them out too long. For newly acquired Uromastyx, it is always a good idea to take them to the vet early, and have a fecal check done. Most Uro’s at pet stores are WC imports, and have a high chance of containing parasites or worms. Doing a vet checkup early can help out more then you can imagine. There are plenty of detailed caresheets availble, as well as many experienced keepers on this forum, so if you have any additional questions, please use the search function and/or ask questions. As long as you put the effort into taking care of your Uro, it should live a very long, healthy and happy life. They truly are amazing pets. Good luck! |
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| 08/22/08 11:59am |
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UroBrett View Profile |
Message To: Rtl402 In reference to Message Id: 1839334 Attempting to create basic care sheet
I’m thinking a list of things that should not ever be fed should be incorporated - spinach, cabbage, broccoli, califlower, rubarb, corn. These things are all much too high in either phosphorus, goitrogens and/or oxalates. Also maybe include that desipite what the pet stores say - lettuce is mostly water and not nutritious enough. Beans and peas are high in protein and should be used sparingly. |
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| 08/22/08 12:19pm |
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Jbreddawg View Profile |
Message To: UroBrett In reference to Message Id: 1839351 Attempting to create basic care sheet
I think we should add enclosure sizes to avoid . Actual sizes, some people dont even know the size of a 20L is 36x12x12 . I have had people tell me there in a HUGH tank ,and come to find out it’s a 20L ! Sometimes I think a persons perception is not all that good. A 40Gallon Breeder 36x18x16 should be the smallest tank you should EVER use for a uro and even then VERY temporary and only if you are building or buying a larger enclosure in the VERY near future. My point is, if you are not going to bring a uro home WITH a 40 breeder or larger right from the start then DONT bring them home at all. I used to see it with fish all the time, pet store would sell them the tank,accessories,AND FISH to take home and set up ! Usually with uros its a 20L to go home with ! So for beginners , if they cant afford AT LEAST a 40breeder with plans to build or buy in the immediate future , then dont buy the uro. It may be for a completely different thread , but we should have something added to the caresheet about "rescuing" or "saving" a sick uro in very poor condition. I do think people buy sometimes because it was "cheap" and uros are anything but cheap ! |
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| 08/23/08 08:23am |
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UroBrett View Profile |
Message To: Jbreddawg In reference to Message Id: 1840142 Attempting to create basic care sheet
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| 08/25/08 10:14am |
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Rtl402 View Profile |
Message To: UroBrett In reference to Message Id: 1841885 Attempting to create basic care sheet
I will make some small adjustments later today and see how it looks. |
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| 08/25/08 11:18am |
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