Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello,
I bought my Egyptian about six weeks ago. I got him from a pet shop where he was being kept in a "viv" and in the same "viv" were half a dozen baby sankes in small clear containers in a cold damp cellar.
I though this strange and asked to see the uro. I checked his eyes, nose, vent etc and found he had 4 toes missing but otherwise seemed healthy. I felt so sorry for the guy I had to buy him (I was looking anyway). I took him home and put him in his new viv with good temps, lighting etc. He immediately perked up and started eating and eating and eating.....
He was regular pooping but he hasnt gone for a few days now and I was wondering does the warm water work to make them go to the loo the same as it does with beardies? I have tried a couple of times to no avail and was hoping for any suggestions.
Sorry for the long story but I thought it was worth sharing. Any thoughts on the shop would be welcome...
Thanks for any time spent responding in advance.
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AndyD

1 Mexican Kingsnake
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Green Basilisk
1 Egyptian Uromastyx

Can maybe you rephrase this into something more definable? It could be just me but it seems like your question is so wide open as to defy a good answer. The immediatly obvious thing is the condition at the "PET SHOP." Sounds like the usual case of reptile husbandry gone all afoul for reasons of profit &/or beginner inexperience. I'd better quit now before the moderators cut me off for being opinionated. Got cut short last week for responding to the fellow who got truly crude & rude. Remember him?

now now, there is no need to get snippy, everyone makes the pet store "rescue" mistake. god knows i did but i at least tried to get the place shut down afterwards. plus sometimes they will catch your eye and you just have to take them once they do that, although i will never do it again

that being said, i would highly recommend taking your friend to a vet, the conditions at the pet store sounded less than ideal and only god knows what parasites he might have. plus he might be really impacted.

well darn i was going to give you an article on impaction but the link i have no longer works
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vonnie
***The first law of dietetics seems to be: if it tastes good, it's bad for you. — Issac Asimov ***

Sorry for the confusion.
What I really wanted to ask is what are the best methods for encouraging a Uro to go to the toilet? Can I use the warm bath method as I have used before on my Bearded Dragon or is it known not to work? I have tried a couple of times with no results.
I feed him seed and vegetables. His substrate is playsand which I have now replaced with newspaper for the time being. I have read a few posts regarding substrate and it seems that many people use sand. Is this wrong?

Regarding the "PET SHOP", I have since found out that a freind has reported the shop to the RSPCA as he has had problems with snakes and mites purchased from the same shop. They have had part of the shop closed down!!

Thanks for the responses guys...appreciated.
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AndyD

1 Mexican Kingsnake
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Green Basilisk
1 Egyptian Uromastyx

my expierence with uros is that the bath method is not recommended. a uro needs to stay hot and dry. if it is impacted and sand is a real good cause for impaction ( in small guys)you can try a very tiny drop of mineral oil mixed with water in a syring, given oraly. the thing with this is its very difficult to get a uro to open his mouth if he dont want to. so the next suggestion is if he is still eating his vegs, put that tiny little drop of mineral oil on a leaf of greens and hand feed it to him. this will make him go potty. but the thing is when a reptile becomes impacted they normally stop eating. he may have gotten a little sand in him and it has slowed his digestion down some. a new substrate like lizard litter, or even desert blend (in staying a little closer to a sand substrate) is a good idea especially if he isnt a yet a big guy. there is also a new substrate out that is made with uros in mind. it is made of nothing but millet seed. it can be used completely as bedding, or as a top coat on another type of bedding,such as desert blend. this gives them an edible substrate, it keeps them from getting a mouthful of their substrate(if topped) and there is all the seed they could ask for. never without food. my uros (malis) are a substrate of sand (full size malis) and i add a covering of the millet seed bedding. My little guy(Egyptian) is on desert blend with the millet seed covering. the seed alone is like standing on marbles, or at least it looks like it. try the millet substrate i think you and your uro will be pleased.

The only reason people believe uromastyx should be kept dry is because they only look at a tiny part of what their environment is. Sure, they live in hot, dry desert, but they spend a vast majority of their time in burrows 4-10 feet below the surface where they can reach very high humidity. Kept in an entirely dry environment, most reptiles are stuck in a cycle of constantly trying to hydrate (eating moist foods) and constantly being dehydrated (because they have no where to go where they can conserve moisture).

Really, uromastyx should be kept the same way monitors are. On deep burrowable soil, with nice hot (120-150 degree) basking spots. Most of us don't have the capabilities to keep them on 2 feet of dirt, but I always try to give my reptiles refuge from the heat and dryness.

www.reptilerooms.com/Sections+index-req-viewarticle-artid-87-page-1.html

here is the link, the website must have just been down last night.

if your uro is really small, it would be best to keep him on papertowels until he is older.

i would disagree about the soaking, it's not good to soak your uros all the time but the occasional bath or perhaps, "laxative" isn't harmful if you take the time to dry the tail well.

i used to soak helga in a betadine/water solution for her feet for like 10 minutes and sure enough, when i went back to get her out of the plastic tub, there would be poop in there. to avoid her soaking in poopy betadine water, i started putting in warm water by itself first, leaving her alone for a few minutes and when i came back, she normally had pooped in the water. then i would start the process over with the betadine.

so yes, warm water can make them poop. make the warm water shallow and leave the room for a few minutes, perhaps he is shy
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vonnie
***The first law of dietetics seems to be: if it tastes good, it's bad for you. — Issac Asimov ***

Thanks for all of the suggestions - think I will keep him on paper for now but the desert blend and top layer of seed sounds good. I will elt you knwo how things progress.
Thanks again.
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AndyD

1 Mexican Kingsnake
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Green Basilisk
1 Egyptian Uromastyx

Actually, I would disagree strongly with the desert blend recommendation. This is crushed walnut shells, and regardless of what you cover it with, there's the possibility of ingestion. Walnut shells are sharp and dangerous to use in a lizard cage. Fine natural sand is fine for larger critters - say, over 6 inches. Millet is also just fine. Other choices are certainly available and it's up to you to choose, but I would defintitely avoid the desert blend.

Good luck with your little guy. Mine occasionally go on toilet strike. Usually a little patience and a diet of greens and squash for a few days takes care of it (no dry food until they go). I haven't soaked to encourage bowel movements in a long time, though it can work.
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
2.1.1 Mali Uros (Spike, Tank, Lilly, and Turtle)
1.1 Ornate Uros (Scuttlebutt and Shazzbot)
2.1 Green Anoles (Bowser, Sprocket, Leeloo)
1.1 Felis domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

thanks for the impaction link too - gonna start the treatment tonight.
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AndyD

1 Mexican Kingsnake
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Green Basilisk
1 Egyptian Uromastyx

Gotta agree with jeune. Sounds like a visit to the vet for a fecal is in order. You shouldn't have to induce a warm water crap if all else is in good order. Hydration OK? Best of luck, Andy.

Good news!!! My Uro has now been to the toilet! I stripped his viv and removed all of the sand (it doesnt seem to have bothered him that he can no longer dig but he has a lot of hides). Anyway...I gave him 0.5mL of olive oil/water mix oraly - I rolled a cocktail stick on his bottom lip to get him to open his mouth - worked a treat, within an hour he had pooed a weeks worth!! It looked like it took a lot out of him aswell as he panted for an hour afterwards. He is doing well again...thanks everyone for your advise.

)
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AndyD

1 Mexican Kingsnake
1 Bearded Dragon
1 Green Basilisk
1 Egyptian Uromastyx

Super! Any ideas on what caused the impaction in the first place? See any log jams in the poops?