Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello, remember how someone said that Tabasco looked skinny? Well he still never touches his greens, along with Iguana food and parakeet food that was suggested to me. The funny thing is though, although they are not sopposed to eat a lot of crickets, he goes crazy over them. I discovered this when I put in a dozen as a test. He went nuts over them! The other thing is, I tried putting in a bowl of water just to try, and he sat drinking from it for a long time! But back to the point, the vet agreed that he was very skinny, and I am going to bring in a fecal sample for him to check for parasites. This is a picture of him, and he looks worse now than he did 2 weeks ago in this pic. The vet said keep trying different vegies, but keep going with the crickets until I find greens he likes. I will gut load them to keep them nutritional enough for him, and I hope he gains some wieght. He is pretty flat. I hope he gets better, but in the meantime, any suggestions? He looks a lot better in this pic partly because he is, and they puff up when they get picked up.

Personally, I would disagree with continuing the crickets. He's eating those voluntarily, so he should eat the veggies himself as well. Since he was drinking, he was dehydrated, and the crickets will only add more strain on the kidneys, etc.

I would stop the crickets, offer a water dish each day until he's eating, and keep giving the salads until he accepts them. Have you tried thawed frozen green peas? Bee pollen granules? Can you find any clean, edible flowers anywhere (bad time of year, I know)? If you don't have a gram scale at home, it would be a good idea to get one to monitor his weight.

This is, of course, only my opinion, so take it for what it's worth.
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.1 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, Tank, and Lilly)
1.1 Ornate Uros (Scuttlebutt and Shazzbot)
0.1 Collared Lizard (Rorschach)
2.1 Green Anoles (Bowser, Sprocket, Leeloo)
1.1 Chubby Housecats (Roscolux and Jenny)

You're confounding what he WANTS with what he NEEDS. I'd love some Colonel Sanders chickin right now. Doc says no!! Tastes good, does bad. Same thing with the crickets. Lay off the bugs, keep pushing anything that's green. My personal point of view, there's no need whatsoever for bugs in a Uro's diet.

I am one who had the same problem as you with one of my Uros. He was severely dehydrated and wouldn't eat his greens. The vet told me to feed it what it wants, and mine wanted crickets and superworms I had for other pets. I just tried them and he went nust for them, even biting me trying to get one. OUCH!!
Here's what I found from the vet, fecal sample, and later.
The vet gave him a shot of liquid in it's belly to start rehydration, suggesting I use plastic syringe to keep trying to give hum liquids for a while. Said if he wants crickets for now to give them to him so it would help rehydrate him.
The fecal sample showed an over abundance of nematodes (some are good, too many bad) also tapeworm. He got a shot for the tapeworm, and oral meds for the nematodes.
Soon after he started looking better he decided to start on some green beans and peas. Still won't eat leafy veggies. He also eats dandelion and clover (fresh usually though sometimes I'll catch him eating dried too.)
Everyone says not to feed bugs, from my experience when dehydrated and/or parasitic they must need them temporarily to rehydrate and rebuild muscle. Liquids and proteins in bugs seem to do both.
Do what your vet suggests, bet a fecal sample in along with your Uro it may need shots or medication while you are there. Better to have it with you so the vet can actually see and examine it too.
Good luck and let me know!!!!
click on send e-mail if you like I will write back.
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**Kenn**
The Uros at home:
http://www.arabianwildlife.com/current/dubh.html
http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/uromastyx.html
http://www.fortunecity.com/greenfield/runningbrook/729/id19.htm