Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Since it's slow in here...
I know I've asked this before, but now theres more to the story. Dozer typically shows little interest in his seed bowl once he fishes out his lentils. I typically feed a mixture of beans, lentiles, millet, buckwheat, wheat berries, rye berries and sometimes juvenile iguana food. A few weeks ago I found a lentil that had been chewed on that was covered in blood.
Because he's had a previous mouth infection, I immediatley swabbed his gums with Listerine to help prevent an infection, but alas... He's on antibiotic injections again.
Enough of the background, here's my question:
What nutritional value does the seed bowl actually offer? Is it fiber, protien or something else? Are there other ways to get that into there diet that may be safer for a uro that seems may be prone to mouth infections?
Thanks in advance!

I don't really have any input on the topic of mouth infections because I have no experience with it and I haven't ever read anything about it. I always have a lentil/splitpea bowl available but never any of the other things that you mentioned. I'm pretty sure seeds offer protein, fiber, and roughage. If I thought for a second that the "seed bowl" was causing or irratating an existing problem I would certainly stop feeding seeds and beans all together. I use Uro-Dust shaken on my greens and it provides a complete nutritionally balanced meal. My juveniles put on weight very quickly and my adults reached their full size quickly as well. It's cheap, easy, and recommended by people who have been keeping Uro's as long as I've been alive.
HH

I am far from being an expert, but my understanding of reptile mouth infections is they are typically caused by an injury. In this case, I'm assuming that would be from chewing on the lentils (since I found one with blood on it).
I've tried the Uro dust on his food and for the most part refuses to eat it. I also have had trouble getting to eat his calcium supplement, but he will eat some of that. I'm trying to minimize the supplementing by offering a balanced diet, thus the question that started the thread.

You could dry blending the seeds to a powder and dusting his greens with them. I don't offer a seed bowl (I know, horrible mother) but do give Mosca some pretty bird finch food about once a week that he seems to view as a treat, but should help supplement his diet if anything is lacking.

If your Uro is at a good weight, and after the infection is gone, you could try dusting his food daily, by the third day I bet he eats it. Alternatively, I found with my last Uro that he wouldn't eat it if it was covered with supplement, but if I put everything in a bag and shook it up real well to distribute the supplement more he would eat it. Of course this wastes a lot of supplement becaue it sticks to the bag instead of the food (so you have to use more than you would before), but it seemed like a good trade off.

I would definitely take the lentils and seed out of the tank if your Uro is having problems with it, which I concur it sounds like he is.

Elizabeth
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1.0 Mali Uro Archimedes (May he rest in peace)
0.0.1 Egyptian Uro Zuberi Mosca Khu (Mosca)
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
Madison, Wisconsin

Most reptile mouth injuries will cure themselves. The following infection is usually a result of having an open wound while being kept in an unclean environment.

Anytime an animal has an infection, I personnaly will remove all substrate and replace with paper towel until illness is gone.

Many keepers spot clean too often and replace substrate too little. In nature, they defecate and never see it again.

...try upping the frequency of substrate changes.
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1 Eastern Blue Tongue Skink
2 Tarahumara Mountain Kingsnakes - Knoblochi
1 Thayer's Kingsnake - Thayeri
2 Golden Greek Tortoises
1 Pyxie Frog - 14 years old

I'm not sure about the "most reptile mouth injuries will cure themselves". As I said, I'm not an expert but it was pretty obvious that he was having problems. Energy level and appetitite were both down and he was starting to lose weight, therefore a vet visit was in order...

I'm not going to say that poor sanitation definatley did not play a part in the injury becoming infected. I guess anything's possible but I think I do a reasonable job with sanitation.

Here's my schedule and feel free to comment if you think it needs to be changed:
Remove waste daily (food, poo, shed skin)
Every 2 weeks or so wipe down the cage and contents with a mild soap and rinse thouroughly
Once a month or so do a more thorough disinfect using a mild bleach solution and rinsing well. I also replace his substate at this time.

I apologize if you thought I was indicating YOUR "bad" practices. I didnt mean to insult... but many infections, including mouthrot, are a result of unsanitary conditions.
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1 Eastern Blue Tongue Skink
2 Tarahumara Mountain Kingsnakes - Knoblochi
1 Thayer's Kingsnake - Thayeri
2 Golden Greek Tortoises
1 Pyxie Frog - 14 years old

I simply can't imagine how a normal seed bowl diet could cause a "mouth infection." If it could, we'd have been in trouble a LONG time ago!! Something suggests to me other causative factors. What, I don't know, but the seed items would be the last of my suspicions.

Dried lentils and beans are pretty hard and crunchy. I guess I don't see why it's very hard to believe that every now and then a Uro could get a mouth injury from chewing on them. I equate it to eating Cap'n Crunch ceral... That stuff tears your mouth apart.
The injury then introduces an avenue for an infectious organism to enter the body and cause havoc. I think that most infections are caused by bacteria that are usually present in the mouth anyway...

By the way I am NOT suggesting that anyone else needs to panic and stop feeding a seed bowl.