Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hello! Everyone. I'm a newbie in the uro world.Hopefully someone can help me.I purchased a pair of saharan's on April 29. In the shop they were in a 10 gallon tank and eating like piglet's,I brought them home,now they are housed in a 48"x18"x24"reptile showtank(90 gallon).my rocks are slate for hiding,my substance is burrowing sand. I'm running a double 4 foot flouescent with a 10.0 reptile UVB reptile glo.,my basking lights is sun glo, one is 150 and other is 100 watts.Both on the one side to bring up the temperature. my temperatures are 79-80 degrees in the cool end, 120-122 degrees in the basking area and 96-98 degrees in the hot end.My problem is all they do is hide,they won't eat, they don't bask they don't do anything.They are very skiddish. I've had them for 3 days and all they done is hide.I've tried to bring them out to the basking zone and entice them with food and they return to hiding. Could someone please help with some info I've paid alot of money for them and would hate to loose them. Thank-You

I have had a Saharan Uromastyx for a few months and at first he was very skiddish, and still is. He sometimes hides if i come into the room but other times he doesn't. I also started to get him to eat with dandelions. I used them to trick him into eating his other food by putting the pedals in his other food because he loves them so much. It takes a few months for them to get used to their environment, just keep trying to get them to eat and they will eventually warm up to you.

Chances are almost 100% that your new Uros are wild caught and have a high parasite load. The first thing to do is get a fecal sample (when they provide one to you) to a good reptile vet to be checked for parasites. You should be able to do this without having to actually take the Uros in, just the fecal in a baggie. Call the vet first to make sure this is okay.

If they were kept in a 10-gallon tank at the pet store, they did NOT have proper temps and therefore could not digest or regulate their body temps properly at the pet store. Wild-caught Uros will usually be skittish for weeks, sometimes even months, while they are adjusting to their new environment. Think of the stress that they have been under to this point being wild caught, transported in less than ideal conditions, and then kept in an extremely inadequate enclosure in a pet store. What they need from you right now is to be left totally alone, no holding them or trying to pull them out of their hides. Keep feeding them the proper diet of greens daily and just leave them alone. Check for parasites with a fecal exam, and give them time to acclimate. It may be weeks before you really get a good chance to observer them without hiding, the key is to be patient with them and provide them with a low-stress environment.

Hope this helps out... I have three Saharan Uros and all three have such different personalities. Give them time

Andi

There are a few easy things to help get them out of hiding. First, how many sides of the tank are exposed. Try covering all but the front of the tank, so they feel more secure.

Second, where are their hides? Since you have the lights on one side, if you only have one hide and it is on the cool side, they may be lathargic from the cold and choosing to sleep all day. I would try to have two hides, one on each side. My guy will only sleep in the warm hide, and eventually we took out the cold side one since it was never used. But, with a pair, two hides are a good way to keep them happy.

Lastly, try putting a bowl of torn up dandilion flowers and peas near their hide. Sure, I wouldn't suggest this as the only food, but sometimes a bowl of treats that they can get to while still having some of their body hidden is a good way to get them to eat and see the outside world.

I hate to tell you this, but the Reptiglo 10 tube is not good. There have been studies done, and these bulbs, along with the coils and compact UVB bulbs are all causing serious eye problems in both retiles and birds, and/or are producing no useful UVB. I strongly urge you to switch to a new UVB source ASAP. Your lizards could be hiding, in part, because they don't like the light.

The Reptiglo 8 tube bulbs are okay, and the Reptisun 10 tube bulbs are even better. If you want the very best UVB you can buy, get a Mercury Vapor, either the Sola Glo, the T Rex Active UV or a Megaray, and use it instead of your heat bulbs.

thats why i went with the 5.0 instead of the 10.0
when my custom cage is done(needs started first) i will try and figure the best way to incorporate a megaray into the design.
but first i need to clear out some snakes before i bulid the size cages i want(hard pressed for room with 4 snake racks full.
adam
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" a.k.a. farfrumugen "
When I die, I want to go peacefully like my Grandfather did, in his sleep -- not screaming, like the passengers in his car.