Reptile & Amphibian Forums

despite my efforts over the past year, my adopted mali uro is still really fat. She eats a lot...well, up until recently when the weather's started getting bad and both my lizards have been in partial brumation. She only poops anywhere between once a week, and every other day...recently mostly once a week. When she does go, there's a lot of liquid, which I've always thought to be normal considering all of the damp greens she takes in that give her a lot of water, but now I'm starting to wonder if it is or not? I read somewhere there was supposed to be some clear liquid discharged, but this seems to be quite a bit of clear liquid, and it seems to acount for most of her size/weight problem (when she's at her peak, she feels like a hot water bottle basically). The setup is fairly simple, with a minimal sized tank until I can finally get the new cages done. The basking bulb brings the basking spot up around 135 most of the time (it can fluctuate slightly). The coolest end is in the 70's. She is on dirt substrate (a thin layer), with a long, short hide over it acting as a fake burrow for her. The size of it allows for a great temperature and humidity gradient and she seems to like it a lot. She's out in the morning, and then usually retires to her hide at around noon. I feed her a steady diet of dandelion greens (and occasionally some mixed veggies and stuff), dusted with calcium powder monday, wednesday, and friday, and vitamins on monday and friday.

Is it just that she doesn't go often, or do you think there is a potential problem and I should get her to a vet? Her past owner kept her in probably the worst setup I've ever seen (basically a 10 gallon tank and a heat rock...and she's full grown), and he obviously didn't know what he was doing. She's been this way ever since I got her, so I would think it might have something to do with it.

Here's what I've been told by others on the site and I also do this. Cool end is not supposed to be below 85, in fact 85 is the ideal temp for the cool end. 135 might be a little much in the bask area maybe take it to 130 or 125. My mali and my brothers mali love digging. It's in their nature (I think). So maybe if you put a little more soil in for your substrate she might get along better w/it.

I'd take her to a vet after seeing that her prev owner kept her in a 10 gallon set up.

My mali makes it a duty to go to the bathroom at least 1 time a day.

So just take her to the vet. She could still be stressed from when she was in the bad home.
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2 mali uro's-Ares and Apollo
2 saharan uro's-Orion and Iris
2 bearded dragon-Hades and Draco
1 leo gecko-Kalypso
1 tokaye gecko-Sid Vicious
1 tarantula-Peter Parker
1 dog-cheeka
1 zebra finch-beeps
1 african gray parrot-keya
1 red headed parrot-pancho
And some fish

Well, I've had her since last christmas eve, and the day after christmas, as well as a few other occasions, she's been to the vet. He said that she was overweight and it's most likely because she was in such a sedentary environment where food (bad food) was just placed in front of her face. At that time all I had to keep her in was a 29 gallon tank which is still way too small so I saved up about $60 and bought a used aquarium with the same floor space as a 55 gallon. This is still too small, so I let her have time outside of the tank every other day usually (sometimes everyday, if she's up and running around a lot). I think maybe a bigger cage would help, which is why I'm building the new cages, and I think maybe I should also try to limit her food intake a little more? She's eating quite a bit I think. I've gotten into the habit of basically filling up her dish (so it's an uncompressed mound of greens, about 5" in diameter and 1" tall), and she'll usually eat most, if not all of it. The only thing is, when I cut back on her food, she poops less.

I might also mention she only poops outside of her cage, and usually it takes about 15 minutes before she goes when she's out and running around (which is why I line my room with newspapers and stuff when it's her turn). I'm not quite sure what to do about this except hope that she starts going when I get her in the bigger cage.

Overall, it looks like too many variables, so I think I'm going to go ahead and get an apointment with my vet. Maybe if she doesn't go today I'll give her a nice bath. It might be something that's constipating her.

Hmm, I'll try to adjust the temps then too. Maybe I'll throw a small heat lamp over the cool side.

thanks

My Uro also strongly prefers to relieve himself outside of his cage, and he has a rather large enclosure. I think some of it is just their personal preference, though it would make sense if they would not want to defecate in their immediate home environment.

Elizabeth
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1.0 Mali Uro Archimedes
0.0.1 Egyptian Uro Zuberi Mosca Khu (Mosca)
0.0 Fish
0.1 Sulcata Minnie
1.1 Iguanas Flik and Loki
0.1 Newfoundland Jasmine
0.1 Feline Winter
Indiana & Wisconsin

Ra will ALWAYS poop if taken out of his cage, I can count on that 100%. I think it's because they don't want to be walking all over their own excrement so they prefer to do it in OUR home instead. The upside to this is that if I ever need a fresh fecal sample, I'll easily be able to obtain one.
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1.1 Mali Uromastyx (Ra and Isis)

I gave her a bath and she didn't poop, so I started adjusting her lighting. It's amazing what a simple spare clamp lamp and 60 watt bulb will do. The cool side is now in the low 80's, and it's much brighter too, so she's actually staying out basking much longer tonight.

thanks. I think I will still get her (and my beardie) checked out before they brumate.

just out of curiosity, how do you know she is overweight? poor girl, maybe she is just big boned.
my mali is a rescue that i have had since may and she likes to hide alot and she probably poos every five days, but more often lately since i have been having to soak her and the warm water just seems to make that poo come right out. i can also tell when she has to go because of the tight feel around her stomach. she also discharges alot of water when she goes. since she has dying toes and cannot be on anything but paper towels, i really get to see the moisture. one time it was like a 12 inch circle. she goes to the vet alot because of her feet and the vet has never said that there was anything wrong with her when she does her exams (she always checks more than just her feet). the things that you have discribed don't sound life threatening to me, or helga is in really big trouble too. however, i am not there to see the lizard so if you have any doubts, take her to a vet. if she has never gone to one since you have had her, it could not hurt to get her a check up and maybe he/she could give you a diet plan.
one more critique on your set up, maybe try switching up the types of greens that are fed or give her a mix of dandelions and other greens, just to give her some variety and maybe cover some missing nutrient.
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vonnie
***There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it. Mary Wilson Little ***