Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm a new owner of a trio (1.2) of Eastern collards. Just got some questions. They're WC to begin with... very nervous (espec. the females), anything I can do to ease their settling down period (besides a hiding spot and leaving them alone)? I have them quarentined(well, the male is seperate). They're not eating on they're own yet and the male is a little on the skinny side. I gave them all a dose of Panacur (to be repeated in 2 weeks). At what point should I start force feeding them, if necessary? I don't want them to get hypoproteinemiic. Should I leave a water bowl in their enclosures? I mean they r deep desert herps. Do they drink from bowls readily? Because the male is constantly running through his water bowl and saturating the newspaper. I'm afraid of the increase in humidity that it is having and its effect on their resp. systems. Don't any respiratory infections. Got alot more questions.....but I wait for a response on these for now.

Eastern Collareds are not desert herps. Yes, leave a water bowl in, and if they don't drink you need to either let water trickle down the side of the tank, mist them, or add an air stone to the water bowl. You can also soak them. Mine came in severely dehydrated , so I soaked them 2-3 times a day and they s=drank like crazy in the bath.

How long has it been since they ate?

If they are wild caught, you should cover 3 sides of the tank so they will feel more secure.

What are your temps like? What are your basking temps, and cool side temps? What are you measuring them with?

Are you using a UVB source?

Welcome to the collared craze.

I have never dealt with immediate WC collareds so my knowledge is limited to what I have read here.

I would do as Rosebuds recommends, cover 3 sides of your terrarium to create a secure area for the lizards. Make sure there are lot's of secured hide holes for the lizards to call home.

Try different food sources for the lizards, such as crickets and the different worms which are popular.

Yes, keep the water bowl in the habitat I have added rocks to mine to provide sight and sound stimulus for the lizards.

Make sure your lighting is approriate to provide the proper uva/uvb requirements in addition to basking temperature and overall habitat temperature.

Another way to attract them to water is to let an ice cube melt on the screen over the bowl so that it drips into the water. As far as not eating they need the necessary heat to digest properly and won't touch anything if they can't do this. Check the basking temp and the ambient temp and tell us what they are also how big is the set up?

I have them separated FOR quarantine...male in one shoebox, 2 females in another. I know, the it's kinda small...just wanna wait till they're done with Panacur txs. The temps r right on spot....hot spot 95 (ambient room temp is >80). Have 2 Reptisun 10.0 overhead (all my herps get Reptisuns...although it's time to replace them). I resumed putting the water bowls back in the enclosures. I think they're starting to settle down, but feeding is still an issue it seems 1 of the females is showing dominance over the other...probably need to separate them too, till they go into their big enclosure.
Unfortunately, I can only offer them dubia roaches and lobsters (crickets r too SMELLY to raise) also have a shipment of Zophobas comin in (should be here today or tomorrow). All feeders are gutloaded w/ cat food and fresh fruits & veggies (vitamin dusted 1-2x/wk, Ca dusted 1x/week. They are omnivorous....should be offering greens and fruit as well?
Thinkin about putting them outside for full sun basking (in a reptarium I have). They are omnivorous....should be offering greens and fruit as well?
Will definitely cover 3 sides w/ paper. Just hate the quarentine periods !!!!

Oh, I have been FF them Critical and pedialyte (1.1 mix) to stave off dehydration and malnutrition. Don't like the risk of aspiration but the alternative is worse . Strange thing is, all but one will eat ravenously if restrained and hand fed. Go figure? The male only seems to be intersted in getting to the highest vantage point and displaying his colors. Wish I could post pics (the images r too big to upload...don't know how to shrink them).

That would be a good thing to seperate the two girls. It sounds like you're on the right track, it's great to hear. Yes give them some veggies a little fruit is fine if they take it. I've also known collareds to take to tofu as well as turkey meat that has been browned mixed in with their veggies.