Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I work for a petstore, and we take in adoption animals. We had a couple of people bring in this poor uro. He has not seen UVB in years. His toes point up, instead of down, his tail has a large lump where it has clearly broken and then rehealed. He can't take bites out of his food because his jaws don't work properly from lack of calcium so I have to tear his food into little bits. They fed him nothing but strawberries and grapes for years, he's been kept at 80 degree temps all of the time and their kid tortured him. The worst part is his shed. It looks like he has about two years worth of shed built up on his body. It's gross. Considering what he's been through though, he's a sweet little guy and he can still get around. I have no idea what species he is. His skin is so badly damaged that it's hard to tell. So here's where I am. I ripped up some greens for him, and if I place them in his mouth he'll slowly chew them down, I have him on a 150 watt basking bulb and a 5.0 UVB. It's 107 on the hot end, and a nice 80 on the cool end. He's been given baths twice a day and we're gently helping the skin slide off with a wet washcloth, but it's going to be months before he even looks like a uro. I've given him some little reptile vitamins. He went to the vet, but of course the vet does not deal with this particular lizard very often. He suggested we keep doing what we are doing, plus he suggest a humidifier, but JUST until we get that skin off because it's sooooo bad and then it's back to dry, dry, dry. He'll run a fecal as soon as we get the little guy to poop, to check for parasites. Any other advice Uro lovers? My poor little Frank. I would appreciate any advice you can offer. Thanks!

First, I commend you for trying to help. Based on what you've said I would say the best thing you could do is continue the UVB treatment and supplement calcium D3. On a side-note natural sunlight if provided with hides and supervision is usually better than any bulb. I don't have any experience with missed sheds but I would not use a humidifier as I think this would compound existing problems and possibly create new ones. It sounds like the Uro has MBD and possibly other gut problems from a sugar diet and improper tempratures. If the Uro is not eating alot but is hand feeding I would try to give it the most nutrient dense greens dusted with supplements that I could. As I mentioned before about the shedding I've never dealt with problems but I personally would not be bathing the Uro, particularly twice a day, I would keep the temperatures high, which it sounds like you're doing and provide adequate rough surfaces to assist the shed. Again I think you're doing a great thing and I've heard of more than one occasion when a Uro made a complete recovery from similar conditions.
HH

oh! Poor little Frank already has my heart, and I haven't even seen a picture of him! I haven't done rehab, but something some other people have suggested for difficult sheds is a Q-Tip and some mineral oil. People seem to have hd good results with it, though I am not sure if it could harm Frank if you covered his entire body in it, lol. I am not sure what to tell you about the soaking... Twice a day seems excessive, I worry that moisture will get trapped between the layers of dead skin and cause problems. The humidifer DEFINITELY seems like a bad idea. lol. Some people have used baby food for Uros that have trouble eating, though once again I am simply mimicking things that have been suggested repeatedly over the years. I think you need Deb's or one of the big breeder's (like Doug Dix or Lindsay Pike) advice, but I haven't seen them online lately.

Keep trying though, I think it is a wonderful thing!!! I bet Frank is having trouble believing that someone is going to treat him well now, but I bet if he can pull through you will have a friend for life, and if, sadly, that isn't meant to be, you will know that he was treated well and given every opportunity in your power.

Little Uro Prayers to Franky!

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

Good for you for trying to do right by this little guy. Honestly, I think however people treat animals should be their sentenced punishment. Keep them in the fridge for a couple years with nothing to eat but grapes and strawberries. Who knows, though. Those low temps may be what kept him alive - if he tried living off that at a normal metabolic rate...?

Anyway, my question was - is the 107 the ambient warm side temp or the basking temp? If it's the warm side ambient, it's a little high (aim for around 100). If it's the basking temp, it's not warm enough. He really needs 120 or so in order to process the good foods you're giving him now.

Good luck with him - I hope he come out of this ok!
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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)