Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm a new Uro owner (1.5 days experience with two red Saharans) and totally new to lizards (I held two lizards in eight days before buying this pair) but I've been reading a ton for the entire past week...

I've already seen a lot of positive and interesting behaviors going on inside the cage including head bobs, head scratching, digging (I was hoping they would be quite little lizards...), predation, drinking, etc. but something unanswered that's shown to be very prevalent and negative is the tendency for these guys to stand up against the glass walls of the tank and try to claw their way out. Heat seems about right, food is all set, substrate is fine, structure seems adequate and the cage is definitely large enough. Behind the cage was a mirror that I've now covered up as they were reacting to it often and adversely, but I'm suspecting they're still seeing reflections in the glass. Is this a normal lizard thing and will it subside or will I forever be reminded of nails being scraped down a chalkboard?
Thanks
-Scott

ah, yes the pure joy of buying an animal with no ability to make vocal sounds, only to find out that it makes all kinds of other noises. i always know when helga goes under her hidespot because she dig-dig-digs for 15 minutes
alot of people say glass dancing is stress related, so it could be a new home thing. do you have the two sides and the back covered with something? if they can only see out the front that is less movement and danger that they have to worry about. i am not sure what your set up looks like, but if they don't stop, perhaps you could make them something to climb on? maybe like a ziggurat type thing
welcome, what are your lizards' names?
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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 ***

Vonnie wrote "if they can only see out the front that is less movement and danger that they have to worry about."

You don't know how true this is! I never really thought about the "danger" of glass dancing......until 2 months ago! I had to set my Uros up in seperate glass aquariums (I moved and didn't have the proper enclosures for them at the time) and they all started the glass dancing routine. (Uros don't really understand the concept of glass as a barrier and are just trying to get out.) Well, one morning I noticed my Rainbow Benti's left arm was swollen and he was having a hard time using it. I took him to the Vet and we had X-Rays taken which showed he had a chip taken out of his shoulder! Apparently, he toppled over, while glass dancing, chipped his shoulder on his hide rock and, although we treated him with natural medicine, conventional medicine AND a soft cast, he might have permanent nerve damage. His arm is still a bit swollen and it might take up to 3 months to see if the natural medicine helps or not. I'll love the little guy no matter what his handicap may be but want to warn you and everyone else that glass dancing CAN cause irreversable damage.
Good luck with your guys and read, read, READ!!! There's lots of information out there on the care of these wonderful animals and this Forum is another source of great information. Remember....there's no such thing as a stupid question, just stupid mistakes! Take care,
~Loraine

Is there a way to stop them from doing this. My mali does this once in a while , when I see him doing it I either pet him a little or pick him up. After that he stops that behavoir.

Lance

>>Is there a way to stop them from doing this. My mali does this once in a while , when I see him doing it I either pet him a little or pick him up. After that he stops that behavoir.
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>>Lance
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IN MY OPINION I think they do it to get out. I mean I see mine do it and as soon as I open their lid and put my hand in they run to it and hang on to it until I take them out. Ares and Apollo do it and when I pick them up and set them on my stomach they just go to sleep because all they wanted was a little interaction with someone.

I think maybe if we build huge cages then they may stop doing it. But unless you'd like building one huge cage then I just suggest pick them up every once in a while during the day (like when you know they're probably the most lonely) and maybe they figure that you'll keep coming down and stop doing it.

I'm not sure whether that will work or not it's just MY OPINION.
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1.1 mali uro's-Ares and Apollo
1.saharan uro- Iris
1.2 bearded dragon-Hades and Draco
0.2 leo gecko-Kalypso
0.3 tokaye gecko-Sid Vicious
1.0 tarantula-Peter Parker
0.2 dog-cheeka
0.2 zebra finch-beeps
0.2 african gray parrot-keya
1.0 red headed parrot-pancho
0.3 Fish (sorry no names for them)

For questions, comments or updates email is: uromastyx101@yahoo.com

I have seen a noticeable improvement since I moved Archie to his new cage. In fact I don't believe I have seen him glas dance once yet. I think the reasons for this are 1) 3 enclosed sides instead of all 4 being glass, 2) more room for him to run around in, 3) Still lots of "new" stuff to play on, and 4) probably most influential, he is still adjusting to the new cage, and doesn't like to venture that far from his cave.

With that said though, he will "glass dance" on the wall in the living room when I let him out. It is a 13x16ft room, so he definitely has plenty of area to explore, I think it is just something thay they DO sometimes, in addition to being a sign of stress. Admittedly this may be a learned behaviour in captivity.

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

oh, poor little guy! i hope everything turns out ok with him
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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 ***

The cage is straight forward. It's an all glass aquarium, about 3'x20" deep and high- totally typical. The Uros are ~8-10" I guess. I've given them some surfaces made of broken slate tiles to play on, dig under, and a bridge to hide under which they've taken well to so far (more modifications for later in the week).

I've covered up the back side of the glass and they've lost interest in that area (against a mirror), but they still seem to dance a lot on the front corners and the sides so I'll probably cover those up.
The pet store said they're mainly terrestrial and would be disinterested in climbing wood, but they seem to move over just about everything in there so I might pick up a stick later today. Then again, they also told me they eat several crickets a day. Otherwise, they seemed knowledgable about the species.

The females name is "kitty" of Monsters Inc reference since my parents told me to "just get a cat" and the dude is simply "dude" and a pretty one at that.
-S

oh my god, i love that movie. it is one of the classics of me and my middle sister so everytime i go home we force her kids to watch so we can too! she is 26 and i am 24 and even if the kids were not there we would still watch it. our favorite part is "put that thing back where it came from or so help me!" so great name. also you should call dude "the dude" like from the big lebowski, if you have not seen that, you should (if you are old enough to!)
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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 ***

Well, I'm definitely old enough to have seen Lebowski, but that movie just didn't have the strength I expected it to after so many encouraging recommedations. Some good stuff, but fairly pale compared to my darker senses of humor

I was contemplating "Heisenberg" since the male was particularly undertain about... everything, but I offered my friend the opportunity to name one.

lol are you a physicist? well the next time you buy a uro, perhaps you can name it that
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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 ***

Aspiring mathematician/engineer. Right now mostly software development.

The "kids" seem happier with some places to hide. For two of them they've now got three places. VERY observant creatures, the male was watching me change the cage around and then immediately ran for the new hiding space to excavate.

How long do these guys take to become tame?