Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is there anything I can my male for color in there diet that is safe for them? I heard that the temp has a factor in this but it makes no sence that it depends on only heat to display his beauty... Any advice would be appreciated....

i have seen beta-carotene sprays but i don't know if they work. a uvb bulb or daily outings outdoors will improve his color. A shed can do wonders, too. Some are just more colorful than others, as well.

Thank you for your help... Do you have a website in mind for the cheapest website for the proper bulbs and what not? Crickets bad?
What about the water situation? Occational water dish like once a week? Hope all is well with your egyptian uros.

Hello

To intensify colors and contrast of your Maliensis you can use Spiruline powder ( fish-breeders do ) .The male will normally be more colorful at the breeding season .

Color in Uros doesn't work the same as in fish - you really can't feed them into a color. Feed a good balanced diet and that's the best you can do food wise. Feeding a little extra beta carotene may not be harmful but I wouldn't expect it to affect their color unless they were having vitamin deficiency problems before hand.

Strong UVB exposure often makes the colors brighter but often takes several months to see the effects. Exposure to natural unfiltered sunlight does more for color than any other single thing.

Stressed animals and individuals running below their optimal body temperature are almost always duller in color while individuals running too hot tend to have their colors look overly pale and washed out. The closer you get their environment and diet to the optimum, the better your colors well be. Temperature makes a huge difference in color -second only to exposure to natural sunlight. Food additives above and beyond whats needed for a healthy diet probably have the least impact on color than any other factor.

Doug

Hello

Sure Doug ! But spiruline is used too for human well being , nothing else that multi vitamines end minerals , if well utilised it cannot hurt them no ? ( i ask you ! ) . Well being animals present their best colors anyway ! And in captivity deficient feeding can arrives rapidly i think , personnaly my Uros are far eating 40 diff. plants or so ...but sure the best way is natural sunlight and equilibred diet ...

I've never heard of it being a problem. Just go lightly.

Doug