Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I am currently doing research on Malis - as I am thinking of purchansing one. I still have a few questsions I hope you guys can help with:

How often do they shed?
How long is the shedding process?
What constitutes a bad shed?
Should bathing be a regular event or just for helping with sheds?
Do you leave their food out all day?
What kind, how much & how often should you give vitamin/mineral supplements - if at all?

Thank you in advance for your help. These guys look so cute in the stores!!

Mali's are amazing!!! Personally, I love my baby, even tho he is a picky finicky pain in the butt sometimes, but thats what so great about him. He has a personality!! ALmost better than my dogs
OK, so back to your Q's... I don't know much about shedding. You might want to check out the archives for that info. Kameko (my mali) hasn't shed yet.
>>Should bathing be a regular event or just for helping with sheds?
I have heard this topic talked back and forth and I think it depends on your own uro. Some say once a month, some say twice a year. I think it depends on your uro, bc some like it and others hate it. It helps during sheds tho.
>>Do you leave their food out all day? I leave my food out almost all day, but do not keep it under the heat lamp bc it will rot faster and stink. Plus that creates bacteria growth.
>>What kind, how much & how often should you give vitamin/mineral supplements - if at all? From breeders I've spoken to, you should use a calcium phosphorus supplement with a 2:1 ratio approximately. I use it on Kameko's food every feeding bc he is still young and growing. Just lightly dust the food with it.

I think the main concern with uro's is:
temperature - you must have their gradient right because they are ectotherms. Their livelyhood depends on it. Their metabolism, osmotic-regulation, kidney function.... EVERYTHING, depends on it.

If you are thinking of getting one of these lovely guys, I would suggest checking out www.deerfernfarms.com or lindsay pike's website www.urotopia.com. They have amazing care sheets and are always available to answer questions.

Definately keep us posted!!

tara
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How often do they shed? maybe about once a month, the fequency slows down as the animal ages i have found

How long is the shedding process? depends, sometimes the animal will shed just parts at a time, i have found the tail takes the longest to shed and the duration is longer for the tail as the animal ages....but i guess generally, an average of a couple weeks

What constitutes a bad shed? when the skin is white and ready to shed but it hasn't begun to all fall off after several days. my uros can get real "scruffy" a day or two in their shed when the majority comes off all at once.

Should bathing be a regular event or just for helping with sheds? i use it only in events of dehydration, lack of bowel movement, after delivering eggs, maybe once while gravid, and a LAST ditch effort on a shed...wait before bathing...i avoid it usually, and if you do be SURE to dry them very well.

Do you leave their food out all day? yes i do, every morning i clean up the old...i do give em new food if they finish the old, or if they crap in the dish.

What kind, how much & how often should you give vitamin/mineral supplements - if at all? i give both rep-cal herptivite and calcium w/ d3 every crix feding (once every 8 to 15 days) and i feed em 4 crix each) but i do suplement once every 3-4 feedings, but very low amounts.

Hope this helps and uro's are an amazing species enjoy
~Chris~
1.2 Uromastyx malienisis

Let's see:

I have had mine for a year and they have shed once. They don't shed as often as say, a snake, and they are notorious for shedding very slowly. Mine shed 90% in a month (last June), but are still not done shedding around their extremities. This is why they need a bath every once in a while. I bathe mine every month, their enclosure is just too dry to promote shedding; in the wild they would have a (comparitively) damp underground burrow. Beware of shedding around the toes, if it fails a few times (consecutive sheds), the dead skin constricts the toes and they can fall off.

Mine have actually grown to enjoy the bathes I give them. After the first few times, you get a feel for the temperature they like, what time of day to do it, etc. I can give a few tips: Give them baths in the morning or the evening; dry them out VERY well with paper towels; let them soak for up to twenty minutes but don't leave them in more than five if they aren't comfortable; running water may scare them; the water has to be very hot; keep it shallow and pour the water over them; if they start to get excited, make a little cave with your hands for them; don't worry about them freaking out the first few times.

You can leave the food out, but it goes bad by the end of the day usually. Dry food is more forgiving. Since mine are not babies anymore, they eat maybe three days a week, so I exclusively hand feed them; they stay extremely tame.

For vitamins I just grind up my own calcium and multi-vitamin supplements every once in a while and dust a pea with it. Seems to work fine.

Stores usually don't know what they are doing with uros (I've found). So if you buy them make sure you inform them about proper uro diet.
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Mark Martinez
University of Florida