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New Temporary Uro cage

btorgy Nov 21, 2003 08:56 PM

Here is a pic of my winter cage for three juvenile Mali's. It measures 4x3x2 ft. The substrate is a soil that I picked up at a landscape place, having been inspired by recent posts. My very embarrassing story about that is this:
I diligently searched out a decent, clean soil that looked like it would be good for burrowing. After setting up the new cage and soil, including lots of rocks and hiding places, I put in the three inhabitants with their food and a small water dish. (Perhaps you can guess what happens?) We left for the day to celebrate my sisters Birthday, and when we came home we rushed over to see how happy the little guys were sure to be! Instead what we found were three little uro's with hard packed clay shoes on each foot!!! They had walked through the water dish, then made mud, which dried to a very hard clay which covered their feet as they basked under their heat lamps! What a mess!! We had to soak them and carefully remove the hardened clay without hurting their feet! I hurriedly threw in some white playsand, which was probably a mistake, but I didn't want them to get caked again! Lesson learned: removed water dish, and make sure they get plenty of moisture from their food!
Anyway, they seem pretty happy in spite of my mistakes. Next Spring I hope to build a permanent outdoor enclosure where they can have real dirt and live plants and a more natural life. I live in the desert, so this should be possible.

Replies (3)

btorgy Nov 21, 2003 08:58 PM

Here is Ule in his new setup!

kalidraven Nov 22, 2003 01:41 AM

nice setup thats just plain plywood?

how does it hold temps?i just made a 4x2x2 but havent touched it up(meaning make a opening door on top)

i use a 3x3x2 all glass and no top and it holds heat great,i'll have to take another pic of it sometime when i rid of my sand,so much dust from it,makes me feel bad for my uro,i read somewhere soil and sand makes a nice subtrate and they can easily burrow in it without it collapsing. anywho good luck and nice job.

kali
-----
1.3 Leopard Gecko's
1.0 mali uromastyx

btorgy Nov 22, 2003 08:25 AM

I have a 150 watt basking light and a 160 UVB mercury vapor light and the temps in the basking get to around 110 - 115 F. At night they go to room temp, around 70 - 72 F. That is why I placed two left-over pieces of Plexiglass on top between the lights, to help hold in the heat. I plan to cool them down for two months in Jan - Feb. At Christmas our days can still be in the high 70's!
The soil in the cage is still not right, it is now too sandy for them to burrow into. But they can and do burrow under the rocks (which are settled on the bottom so as not to crush them). But for a few months they should be fine until I can get them outside next Spring.
Beth
Arizona
0.0.3 Mali Uromastyxs
1.0 Mali Uromastyx
0.0.2 Marginated Tortoises
0.0.1 Desert Tortoise
1.0 Russian Tortoise
1.0 Northern Blue Tongue Skink
0.0.1 Irian Jaya Blue Tongue Skink
1.0 Sonoran Mud Turtle
0.0.1 Malaysian Leaf Turtle
0.0.2 Crested Gecko's
? Koi and goldfish in patio pond
1.2 African Dwarf frogs
? Apple Snails

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