Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi guys,
I got Mortimer in April and he started strong. He was eating very well, was quite active, enjoyed being hand fed and tolerated coming out of his cage on a daily basis (he use to run up my sleeve and climb out of the cage). This summer my boyfriend made a 4X2 cage for him out of plywood and glass (no cedar wood, everything non-toxic). I don't know if the extra space made him turn a bit more 'wild'(he is CB) but his behaviour has slowly changed. In the last month or two he has become more sluggish and is eating less than he did before. He has lost some weight- he looks like a lean lanky adolescent- about 10 months. He does not really tolerate being handled any more and seems more 'suspicious' of me. He does no longer accept food from my hand or run up my sleeve. Why? Is it possible he went through a bad shed (didn't lose all his skin in his first big shed)an is having problems with his circulation? Could he possibly be getting sick even though he's been fine for so long and has had no contact with other lizards? I try to feed him a diet of all the good standard healthy things-though he no longer is interested in the occasional cricket at all. (i use to give him a cricket once a week). He is pooping so I don't think he has an impaction. I was thinking of trying to give him a bath, if for no other reason then that i don't know what to do.... but i'm very reluctant- i don't want to freak him out.
Sorry for the long winded post, but i'm so bummed that this is happening. I'm so envious of all of your happy health Uro's(!) Good luck to all of you... Please let me know if you can think of something I've missed.
maggie.

what you are describing sounds exactly like brumation. At this time of the year uros dont come out that long, dont eat that much, and are very sluggish. Brumation is kind of like hibernation but to a lesser degree. When my guys started to do this which was about a month ago i slowly put them into brumation. Even if you dont change anything in your cage your uro will know it is winter and it will attempt to brumate. If you want your uro to brumate go to deer fern farms care sheet. If you dont want your uro to brumate just keep all the temps normal and he/she should come out of it, and if he/she doesn't come out of it soon i would raise the temps a little.
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Mike
1.1.3 maliensis (Spike, Marshmellow, Brown, Green, Orange)
1.3 geyri (Fire, Flame, Sunset, Princess)
0.1 Pit Bull/German Shephard/ Lab/ ect. mix (Kodak) - looks like an over grown toco bell dog.

Hey my gus just started to also about a week or two ago they are barley eating sleeping ALOT etc. But i was just wondering when should i cut my lighting back on them i know it goes from like 14 which they have now to 12 within a week, to 10 the next week, 8 the next, 6 the next 4 then 2 then back up slowly...but when should i do this now? i really want them to breed next year
Thank you
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Lauren
Leos and Uros

Well i already started and at the momment i am at 4 hours of light. I know some breeders start at the end of october, but since my uros barely ate anything and slept all day i started it sooner. So i guess it is up to you when you wanted them to go through brumation. But since your uros are already showing signs of brumation i would start the process now when they still have all that fat.
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Mike
1.1.3 maliensis (Spike, Marshmellow, Brown, Green, Orange)
1.3 geyri (Fire, Flame, Sunset, Princess)
0.1 Pit Bull/German Shephard/ Lab/ ect. mix (Kodak) - looks like an over grown toco bell dog.

Yes, my Arabian uro does this every year. Since I have no plans to breed him in the near future, I just keep the temp steady and he does fine (plus I think he's still too young to be sexually mature). He's never had a problem with weight loss, and his appetite returns in full after a couple weeks. Sometimes at other times of the year he becomes burrow-bound, and doesn't come up much at all, or only late in the day, and passes on meals. I don't worry much about these episodes either, since they never last but a couple of days and then he's fine. At most, I check his reflexes (tap him on the base of his tail -- if he give me a good, strong swat with his tail, I assume he's doing just fine). Otherwise, I let him do his thing, and when he shows interest again in food, I give him hibicus flowers for moisture and vitamin C and dry lentils for a boost of protein and minerals (plus these are his favorites).

I know how frustrating uros can be. I had two majorly disappointing experiences before my currently uro: one was a Hardwicki that was chronically anorexic and the other a C.B. juvenile Egyptian that died suddenly with no apparant cause. I didn't think I'd give uros another chance, until I found this one in a pet shop and fell in love again. Granted he's not nearly as pretty as some other uros (although he does have a cool ocellated pattern on his back), but he's been a trooper since day one. Aside from having an attitude that far exceeds his size, the only problem I've had with him is this current skin problem, which is clearing up very quickly, I'm happy to report.

You guys rock!
Thank you so much for your advice.
I feel heaps better!
Mucho gracias,
maggie.