Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi!

I have given Spartacus a new hiding spot and now he hardly spends any time out of it! It concerns me because if he is in there he is not getting the light that he needs or does he know when he needs it? I do have it on 13 hours a day. Also I was wondering if it is OK to feed him cactus, I bought it from the store and it is organically grown? He seams OK, the vet told me he was healthy, he is 260 grams, 13" long and about 4 years old and he does eat well. As you all know this is a first for me and I am still trying to figure out how to take care of him. Please let me know what you think.

Thank You

Vanessa

>>Hi!
>>
>>I have given Spartacus a new hiding spot and now he hardly spends any time out of it! It concerns me because if he is in there he is not getting the light that he needs or does he know when he needs it? I do have it on 13 hours a day. Also I was wondering if it is OK to feed him cactus, I bought it from the store and it is organically grown? He seams OK, the vet told me he was healthy, he is 260 grams, 13" long and about 4 years old and he does eat well. As you all know this is a first for me and I am still trying to figure out how to take care of him. Please let me know what you think.
>>
>>Thank You
>>
>>Vanessa

As long as your Uro is healthy and not stressed out and you are providing the proper heat and lighting then yes he "knows" when to come out and heat up and soak up some rays. Since you put in a new hide he may be a little stressed (which is normal) and is just hiding a bit more to make sure everything is ok.

Every time I change my enclosure around a bit it seems to take a couple of days of careful exploration until he is certain there are no big critters lurking around to gobble him up .

If the hides are warm enough he may see no reason to come out into the big dangerous world other than to eat and soak up a few rays. I have a hide that borders on 100 degrees and my Uro seems to spend equal amount of time between basking in the light and sitting in the dark warm hide feeling safe.

As long as he stays healthy and gains or at the least does not lose weight and is well hydrated I wouldn't worry too much about him not getting out unless it goes on for extended periods of time.

As for cactus it is a great staple veggie with a Ca ratio of over 2:1 which is outstanding and also provides beta carotene.

I find that the cactus pads hold up well in the refrigerator better than most veggies and if I am not going to be home for a day or two I put a whole pad in the enclosure for him to gnaw on.

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Mike Wilson
mwilson@fuu.net

Thank You for the info. For the cactus, maybe you know this but you can freeze it, I have it choped in small bits and in a ziplock, when I need it I just soak it in warm water for a few minutes and it will be defrosted, but now that I bring this up does freezing affect the nutrition ratio you are talking about?

I have a quick question what kind of catus are you guys feeding your Uro? Where can I buy it? What does it look like?

Thanks,
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~*~ Nikki ~*~

Huntington (Long Island), New York

I don't know where you leave but I get it at Whole Foods, it's prickly pear which looks like big flat pads, over here in Arizona we have them all over but I buy it because I don't have any of my own and I would not want to take a chance and get some that would have any kind of fertilizer on/in it.

If it's not in your regular grocery store, you can look at Latin markets - ask for cactus pads. You may need to despine them before feeding. My uros won't touch them, so I don't bother buying them anymore.

Vanessa - freezing will destroy the thiamine in veggies. You can get a thiamine capsule supplement (vitamin B1) and add it to any veggies you defrost. That goes for any frozen veggies, not just cactus.
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Torey
Salem, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Joe and Arthur)
1.1 Uromastyx Maliensis (Tank and Turtle)
1.1 Anolis Carolinensis (Bowser and Leeloo)
1.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Bruce and Sheila)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.0 Sunset Dwarf Gourami (Sideshow)
0.0.1 False Spotted Corydoras (Spot)
0.0.2 Metae Corydoras (Frank and Jesse)
0.0.2 Dwarf Sucking Oto (Tootsie and Dum-Dum)
0.0.1 Apple Snail
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

I do give him a powder called sticky Tongue Farms miner-all 0 once a week, is that good or should I give him something different? More often?

>>I do give him a powder called sticky Tongue Farms miner-all 0 once a week, is that good or should I give him something different? More often?

That's different - a multivitamin. For the frozen stuff, I went to the health food store and got a bottle of Thiamine capsules (Solaray brand, I think) that I just crack open and sprinkle onto the veggies. It's specifically B1 to replace what's destroyed in the freezing. A multivitamin runs the risk of overdosing if you use too much.
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Torey
Salem, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Joe and Arthur)
1.1 Uromastyx Maliensis (Tank and Turtle)
1.1 Anolis Carolinensis (Bowser and Leeloo)
1.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Bruce and Sheila)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.0 Sunset Dwarf Gourami (Sideshow)
0.0.1 False Spotted Corydoras (Spot)
0.0.2 Metae Corydoras (Frank and Jesse)
0.0.2 Dwarf Sucking Oto (Tootsie and Dum-Dum)
0.0.1 Apple Snail
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

I'm sorry but I don't quiet understand your answer.
Are you telling me to stop giving him that powder and only give him the B1 when I feed him frozen vegies?
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Vanessa
Phoenix, Arizona

>>I'm sorry but I don't quiet understand your answer.
>>Are you telling me to stop giving him that powder and only give him the B1 when I feed him frozen vegies?
>>-----
>>Vanessa
>>Phoenix, Arizona

No, no! Sorry I wasn't clear! Definitely keep using the multivitamin supplement as you normally do. Just add the B1 any time you use frozen goodies.

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Torey
Salem, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Joe and Arthur)
1.1 Uromastyx Maliensis (Tank and Turtle)
1.1 Anolis Carolinensis (Bowser and Leeloo)
1.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Bruce and Sheila)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.0 Sunset Dwarf Gourami (Sideshow)
0.0.1 False Spotted Corydoras (Spot)
0.0.2 Metae Corydoras (Frank and Jesse)
0.0.2 Dwarf Sucking Oto (Tootsie and Dum-Dum)
0.0.1 Apple Snail
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

OK.
I'll just get some B1 at the store.

Thanks

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Vanessa
Phoenix, Arizona

veggies, I dont use frozen , but if I do I now know what to do

Thank you !
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Eve

you guys are NOT on the same page

MinerAll is a CALCIUM supplement, with trace minerals, and contains NO VITAMINS. Sticky Tongue Farms does have a vitamin supplement, but MinerAll is not it.

MinerAll is very popular, and effective, as a calcium supplement/bug duster. it would be a shame for Confused #1 to stop giving a calcium supplement because Confused #2 made a mistaken identification

keep giving your calcium supplement, and consider using the vitamin supplement that el toro suggested, but understand that those two particular products have nothing to do with each other, and really don't conflict.
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robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

You're right! My mistake! I was thinking of it in terms of a Herptivite type of supplement rather than calcium. Obviously I don't use that particular brand.

Thanks for the clarification!
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Torey
Salem, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Joe and Arthur)
1.1 Uromastyx Maliensis (Tank and Turtle)
1.1 Anolis Carolinensis (Bowser and Leeloo)
1.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Bruce and Sheila)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.0 Sunset Dwarf Gourami (Sideshow)
0.0.1 False Spotted Corydoras (Spot)
0.0.2 Metae Corydoras (Frank and Jesse)
0.0.2 Dwarf Sucking Oto (Tootsie and Dum-Dum)
0.0.1 Apple Snail
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

>>As for cactus it is a great staple veggie with a Ca ratio of over 2:1 which is outstanding and also provides beta carotene.
>>
>>I find that the cactus pads hold up well in the refrigerator better than most veggies and if I am not going to be home for a day or two I put a whole pad in the enclosure for him to gnaw on.
>>

What is a cactus pad and where are they sold?

A cactus pad is just what it sounds like. It comes off of one of those cactuses that grow the thin, oval shaped parts, rather than the conical stems. Thoroughly confused? I bought mine at Rainbow, which is a chain grocery store in MN, kind of like a Publix, in the fresh produce section.
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April
1.0 Mali Uromastyx- Embrodak,
0.1 Saharan Uromastyx- Scheherazade
2.1 Mountain Horned Dragon- Beren, Luthien and Tinuviel
3.0.5 Hermit Crabs- Violet, Polly, Jennifer, Trogdor, Hedwig, Penelope and Sinistra
1.1 Five lined Skink- Leela and Fry
1.0 Bettas-Nuala