Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi. I just purchased my mali and it will arrive around this following Tuesday. I definately want to have everything ready. So here are a few questions I have regarding the Mali's care.

1. What type of greens, veggies, and fruits should I feed it (and which greens/flowers can be wild grown)?

2. If I don't have access to a Pet Store where else can I find
bulbs to emit heating enough?

3. What types of decor should go into his vivarium?

4. How much handling should it receive to make him calm enough to "tote" around?

5. What is there over-all attitude like (I've heard 500 different opinions so I'm just looking for a more solid one so I know what to expect)?

I may have more questions, but I'll need to think more. I have a nice 55gal. Vivarium ready with sand in it, I just need the accessories and I need other opinions. I'd love to see pictures of your Malis (adult, juvenile, and hatchling) and pictures of your cage setups so I can get an idea of how to position everything. Thanks for any help you can offer me.

Best Regards,
Kenya

Vegetables-red leaf lettuce, mustard greens, spincah leaves and carrots.

Fruits-grapes, raspberries.

Try a hardware store, some hardware stores *True Value, in my town has a pet section* might have a pet section, if they do look there, if not just look at light bulbs that are of 150 watt.

For the terrarium get a place for your mali to go into to get away from the basking area, like a hollowed out log you could find at a pet store, of if they have fish aquarium decor find something large enough and soft enough that your mali can climb on. Food dish, and a little water dish, not too much water but a little bit, like maybe 3 cc's.

My Mali, Ares, is very calm. I pick up him at least 3 times a day and hold him for up to 2 hrs (while I watch a movie). He sleeps under my shirt (but over another shirt) while I hold him. He like cuddling. After I first got him I didn't handle him much so he'd have time to adapt to his new environment. I'd suggest you do the same, but go up to him and talk to him. After a week I'd say its fine to go and hold him and make him feel loved. In fact giving him a kiss on the back would be nice, Ares loves kisses on the back.

Just handle your mali with care. Pick him up as often as you want after the first month but not too much during the first week.

my malis eat mustard greens, turnip greens collard greens, dandielions, green beans, and wild bird seed with no sun flower seeds in it. they each have a hide spot. and a basking spot that gets about 115 degrees the middle of the cage is around 90 degrees and the cool end is around 80 degrees, its even cooler in the hidespot. one of my malis is very loveable and loves to play he chases my fingers around and play bites me, never hurt me but i know he could if he wanted to . ive never heard of another mali doing this but it is really cool. my other does not like to be picked up too much. he likes being out of his cage and getting into things. i have to keep a good eye on him because when he is up high he cant grasp the concept of falling and will walk right off of whatever it is he is on no matter how high it is. just like all animals and people they all have thir own personality. congrats on your new uro
-----
brandy

That is very true, all living things have different personalities. Ares, mine, loves being held and cuddled and loved on. While Apollo *my brothers* just likes basking. My bro hardly ever hold Apollo *cause he's too busy mackin on girls* so I'll take Apollo and Ares out at the same time, and my mom holds Apollo. At the same time, Apollo will also cuddle like Ares. I guess it makes them feel safe being held.

I hope the advice goes good for you and have fun with your new uromastyx. Right now I'm going to the Post Office to pick up my new saharans. Once they get settled in I'll grab the dig cam and take pics and post them tomorrow.