Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've had my uro for a week now and he won't eat. My husbandry is correct and I offer all sorts of different greens but he just doesn't seem interested. Should I offer a some protein? Is there anything I can do to make him more interested in eating?

As you probably know, protein from animals is not too good for uros, but is it possible that crickets was his diet at the pet store (I imagine that's where he is from). What food product do you remember there being in his enclosure at the store? He may not even know to eat the greens! Try hand-feeding him. Sometimes you have to show them off to the side so they can see it, then maybe try rubbing it or lightly tapping it on their 'lips', he might open up. Also, he could be dehydrated, offering a shallow dish of water while supervised and see if he drinks. Others suggest pee pollen in small amounts sprinkled on the food, I heard you can get this in the health supplements section of groceries. Also, are you sure he's not eating AT ALL, he may be eating very little but with the greens shriveling up it is hard to tell. Good Luck, keep us updated.

Can you give the specifics of your husbandry? And what foods you've offered to him?

A week without eating isn't necessarily uncommon with a new acquisition. Have you had a fecal check done? Parasites can cause a lack of appetite. And how often are you checking on him? If he's in a busy room or if people are constantly peeking at him to make sure he's alive, it can slow his acclimation. Moving into a new place is very stressful for them - the quieter the better.

You can try thawed frozen green peas, edible flowers like nasturtiums and dandelions, or a sprinkling of fresh bee pollen granules on the salad to encourage him to eat. Avoid bugs.
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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)

husbandry -
75 g aquarium - back and sides covered
90% millet / 10% wild bird seed substrate 3/4" deep
2 hides/basking areas
day temps 82F - 122F
humidity - unknown
lights - 150 W Zoo-Med basking bulb, Reptisun 10.0 UVB, regular indoor floodlight 13 on, 11 off

food tried -
collard greens
mustard greens
turnip greens
dandelion leaves
cilantro
endive
parsley

I work from home and the enclosure is next to me so I can watch him all day. I've never seen him eat and besides the occasional poop, there is no evidence of him eating. I have seen him lay on top of the food, so maybe he's eating through osmosis. lol

As far as handling, In the past week, I've only held him twice. Both times to unsuccessfully try to hand feed him.

Take a good look at their food . Mine ate right off the bat but then seemed not interested . I was all worried but left the dish of greens in till the next day and checked it out real good before and after , it was about half gone .I read sometimes they like some of there greens dry . Mine also love to be hand fed , but I cant feed them by hand forever lol !! Just make them a nice bowl of greens take a good look at it and recheck it the next day . Jerry

Cage setup sounds good . when I feed by hand, I just reach into the tank with a piece of food in my hand and hold it near their face . They pretty much always eat it. My extra smart girlfriend made a pretty good point I didnt think about. My Uro's are still pretty small , about 6 inches overall . They probably have a stomach the size of a pea lol !! I make up this big plate of goodies for them and they really barely make a dent in it. I expect to come home and see an empty plate lol Jerry