Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a uromastyx I was taking care of for a while at the pet store I work at. They let me adopt it since I was the only one he/she would eat for. He/she is still very skinny and does nothing but sleep. I have greens always available and crickets, the temp is bout 110 in the basking spot. What else can I do to help? It will wake up for a few seconds and eat alittle sometimes but mostly just walk a few steps and sleep again. Can anyone tell me what type of uromastyx it is also. It was labeled a Red Niger uromastyx but I have not found anything under that name. Thank you.

It's also called a Saharan or Uromastyx geyri. They frequently have problems acclimating. This one looks dreadfully thin. I'd get him to a vet ASAP. If you can, bring a fresh fecal sample with you as they often have parasites that need to be taken care of.

Can you tell us how you have him housed? Size and type of enclosure, temperatures all around, what kind of lighting? What are you feeding him? They don't do well in small cages - the larger you can provide, the better off he'll be. Basking temp should be at least 120F, with a warm side ambient around 100F, and a cool side around 85F.
-----
Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, and Tank)
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)

Here is the cage I have him in right now.

I plan to transfer him soon. What watt bulb would you suggest? I had a 75 watt basking and changed it to a 100 watt daylight. What would be better? The long strip is the UVA and UVB bulb. Thanks again.

Hi there! Torey is definitely right.....too thin. A vet is in order. Also I cannot tell you how often I've syringe fed saharan/niger/ geryi uros that we newly imported, thin and sickly. Another option os to try small mealworms. Too often if too many crickets are left in the tank, they stress out the uros. I typically do not recommend too many crickets at all past the first 3 months of age, unless wt. is needed to be added.

Torey is also right that saharan's have a difficult time acclimating to new environments. Your tank is fine regarding size for the time being. Torey covered the temps already.....
Also try placing in a few fake branches/trees, and a few rocks in there. This will provide more hiding spots and make it feel more secure. Also cover the tank with paper on 2 sides, this also provides for a secluded environment.

A vet visit is the quickest and fastest way to help him out as Torey noted. If there are any parasites, the above tank items won't do the little one any good.

My best wishes!!!

Greg

This is the first photo that's shown up in my browser. FWIW, it's not a Saharan. It's a dispar type but I can't see enough of it to tell which one (Mali,Banded, etc.).

Warm Pedialyte is best for rehydrating this guy but you're running out of time. Did you check his stools for worms? Juvies can build up very high numbers very quickly.

Doug

I'm confused as to photos. This is the only photo that shows up on my computer in this part of the thread. But it looks like the animal in Lizardmanias photo in the bottom part of this thread (which I didn't see until already posting to this part earlier). Where is the photo orignally needing ID'ed (the supposed Saharan)?

Thanks,

Doug

Beyond the issue of starvation which I think your Saharan is beyond hope, your cage set-up is entirely inadequate. The bark quonset-hut, the ONLY "hide" in the aquarium (poor cage) provides absolutely no security to the lizard. There can't be a proper temp gradient in that small enclosure.
While I think you're trying to do the right thing, you've done what so many folks here do. You put the buggy way ahead of the horse.
Good luck with him.

He is alot better than he used to be, believe it or not. But I'm in no way giving up. Thanks for all the help from everyone.

And I'm with you 100 %. Don't take my posts as a personal offense. It's the big picture I have problems with.
Regards,
D&L.

It all starts with cage size and proper temps. You cannot get one without the other. I'm sorry to be blunt but this Uro WILL die if you cannot offer it a better setup. Please do not listen to Lizardmania.
-----
1.1 Ornates (Lindsay Pike)(Doug Dix)
0.0.1 Mali
0.0.1 Egyptian
0.1 Weimaraner

>>I plan to transfer him soon.

I would transfer as soon as possible - geyri stress easily in small enclosures and the temps will be hard to maintain properly in there. A 4' x 1.5' would be ideal. I know it seems huge for such a little guy, but it really is in his best interests.

Strong suggestions for caging: #1 - find a nice piece of slate for him to use as a basking spot. You can stack higher or lower to get a good basking temperature. #2 - make a good hide for him that he can really squeeze under. Many people make them from more of the slate. The gap shouldn't be more than two inches high. The half logs that are so popular really don't do anything to make them feel secure, so they lead to more stress. Be dead sure any slate in the cage is secure and placed directly on the bottom of the cage so he can't get crushed. #3 - get rid of any sand or other particulate substrate until you get him healthy. The cage is easier to clean while dealing with parasite meds, plus fecal samples are easier to collect.

Bulb wattage will be strictly trial and error - get several different wattages and try them until you find the right combination. Make sure you have accurate thermometers as the dial and stick on kinds can be wildly inaccurate.

Less of an immediate concern, but one that should be dealt with fairly soon is the UVB bulb. Fluorescents don't throw UVB very far. Your setup will need to allow him within 6-12" of the bulb (ideally with no screen in between). As it is now, the bulb may as well be a standard fluorescent.

Hope that helps. Biggest best suggestion is still vet intervention - immediately.
-----
Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, and Tank)
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)

My apology on the crappy photo, here's a better shot of my baby Algerian (leopard). Quite rare, however and diffiuclt to come by.....

Greg

Greg,

If you do not mind me asking...who hatched out the U. a. acanthinura?

Nice lizards, those leopards. Your's looks a bit dry around the ribs & neck. Is he doing OK? Is he CB? Who from?

Dry? Hmmm, not at all. Uros are typically dry, though of course when they are sickly, real thin they become dehydrated. This is more than a helathy little guy. :0)

The little guy is fat and is CB....

What I'm referring to are the significant dehydration folds along the side & the narrowness of it's neck. Both indicate a less than healthy lizard.

Believe me, as I stated previously, I' ve worked with uros for over a decade and have definitively seen, nursed, etc my fair share of new sickly imports (which is a shame, thus the reason
for all the CB promotion and projects), to a wide range of very healthy uros. This 10 week old one is no where's near what you "assume" as unhealthy. Your references may be by the ammature photos as I stated previously; and I can assure and validate to you 100%, this is a very healthy baby.......

Greg

Just as verbal communication can be lacking in inflection over the web, so can photos fail to show the real picture. If you're confident in the little guy's health, so am I!
Peace!!

Greg,

Who is the breeder of this 10 week old CB U. a. acanthinura?

Hey Debb! I guess you didn't get my email I sent last night through this forum's link........

Give me a shout! lizardmania@comcast.net

Lizardmania - sorry to be the bearer of bad news but this is unlikely to be an Algerian and it IS in trouble health wise.

You probably have a Mali. A few dealers pass off Mali juvies as everything from Egyptians to Moroccans and now apparently Algerians. No one hatched Algerians last year - I've been trying to keep tabs as they have yet to be produced in captivity. Also Algerians don't have this pattern - although admittedly it's hard to see it clearly with his degree of dehydration.

Which leads to the next bad news - he is in serious trouble. Look at the tail - it has a distinct ridge down the center. He is badly dehydrated and headed towards emaciation. You need to get him to drink ASAP. Feed only wet leafy greens for awhile and offer him a soak in very shallow very warm water each morning till that ridge is gone. In his condition, he'll likely get an intestinal blockage from his body pulling moisture out of his food too quickly (trying to rehydrate his tissues) leaving an indigestible mass in his stomach.

Good luck!

Doug

Hi doug thanks for the update and yes, I have found out it is more likley a mali specie, though the photo is of poor quality.
The photo does represent poor hydration levels though he is a great deal healthier than represented.

Thanks so much for your input and insights as always Doug!

Glad to know it wasn't just my eyesight going to hell...

LOL! Sorry Arredondo! I talked with Doug about this as well. The photos were directly after receivng the little one and he was wrinkled abit, though in a week was fat as hell, eating like a pig, defecating in a healthy manner........LOLOL

Thanks!!!

Greg

Excellent! Thanks for that. Keep posting on the little varmint's progress.