Reptile & Amphibian Forums

would my mali want to crawl around on the rocks and climb if i made a fake rock background for his cage? would it help cut down on his "dancing"?

normally he won't dance but he has to be in a 50gallon right now instead of the 4x2x3 that he's gonna get that he was in for like a week...then i decided to put in the fake rock stuff. so he has to go in a 50gallon for awhile....he claws at the glass, would a fake rock background be used by him to climb on? and if it was put on the sides too would it stop most of his clawing at the sides and have him climbing instead of clawing? or would the uros just spend their time on the ground? basically would he enjoy it? or would it just be for my viewing and the look of the tank?

sorry for all the questions....i always seem to have lots of ideas and questions running around in my head. please tell me to quit if you guys are tired of all my questions.

there are two types climbing (basically) and Uros will certainly do one.

they won't "perch" or climb thin branches, or that type of arboreal setup (not really), but they will certainly make use of terrestrial climbing, all lizards will. so if you can provide nice wide areas to climb, to bask, they will definitely make use.

wide cork bark, wide stone, rock piles, dirt mounds, all that type of terrestrial elevation can be useful
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

i just got the answer to my question, i just looked over and saw vlad....so i snapped a quick picture, it doesn't look too good, but it gets the point across i was wondering about. thanx for your help.

See, now I thought the other picture was cute, but this takes the cake...
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Mark Martinez
University of Florida

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Trevor,

Can you post a picture of your entire setup? Kinda like Sunfox does with the whole tank in the picture. I'm looking to borrow some ideas.

Thanks!!

i would post a pic but right now he's just in a temperary enclosure.

he's in the 50gal until i finish his other. do you still want pics?

>>he's in the 50gal until i finish his other. do you still want pics?

Sure do (if it's not too much trouble)! I like to see how folks setup their enclosures. Borrowing ideas, ya know.

Thanks!

i'm setting up a webshots account real fast....so, when i'm done i'll put the link up. k?

trevor

Actually i was thinking of making a thread on this, it seems to be something people neglect with their Uros.
They assume because they're ground dwellers they won't have any use for elevation.My Uro absolutely loves to climb the rocks and big log i have provided.It gives them exercise and stimulation and they sure seem to seek it out when provided.It also allows us to use more of the limited space we have too.

Like Robyn said, it's "terrestrial" climbing so they won't be scaling high up on thin branches but i feel it's a necessary part of keeping a healthy happy Uro.

I also feel that at times the "glass dancing" people witness is a desire by the Uro to get up higher to see what's going on.Mine used to do it on the plexi sometimes but now with the deep substrate i have sort of a ledge made where my substrate dam ends and my uro now climbs up there and rests on the ledge looking out and watching the humans.He seems to have pretty much stopped that altogether now.He'll do it a bit on the sides until he gets up on a rock pile then it ends.

Just my thoughts though.

it does seem very much so that their "glass dance" is them wanting to get higher.

another thing i saw was that once he gets up on the branch in the picture, he stops "dancing" and he just sits thre and watches me. he also spends alot of time watching the beardies.

thanx for the reply

n/p

Wow that is a hell of a beautiful Uro!
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Mark Martinez
University of Florida

oh, thank you. he's one of doug dix best of 2002, from early 02. very tame male...loves his waxies.

trevor

amazing!

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