Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Is it okay to offer small birdseed for baby uros or should I stick to mostly just greens?
My new baby is currently in the shedding process. Poor thing, I feel sorry for him He's rubbing on everything and walking funny trying to get if off.

I like to leave finch seed at one end of my cage and change it out after 3-4 weeks with ground lentils. On the other end I leave pollen granuals and change them out occasionally. Their main food is a mixture of frozen greens (green beans, peas, lima beans and carrots). These are ground in a small hand held processor. There is also Romaine thrown in 4-5 times a week, but they don't really care for it. On occasion small amounts of sweet potatoe, zuchinni or some other squash are given in place of the Romaine.

a uro should have more greens than anything else. at least 50% of their diet should come from things like mustard greens, dandelion greens, escarole, endive etc. chopped up veggies can be thrown in for flair. romaine is pretty pointless for them. read the deer fern farms care sheet. they have a great description of food
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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 ***

Have a copy of it right next to me. I use the Romaine for it's moisture content and nothing more. Try reading the info one more time. You also failed to mention clover, bok choy, napa cabbage, alfalfa, bird's foot trefoil and Pretty Bird finch pellets. Also, you failed to mention Hollyhock Mallow blooms, Cat's Ear leaves and of course hibiscus blooms.
Reading one article doesn't make you an expert. I was merely sharing my diet used for my mali's which are thriving nicely.

i guess "etc." doesn't have the same effect it used to. i did not mean to offend you. i was just passing on a bit of information that i have been told by many people. and i agree that no one should read just one care sheet, but if i had to recommend one, it would be mr. dix's because it is reliable and detailed
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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 ***

>>Their main food is a mixture of frozen greens (green beans, peas, lima beans and carrots).

I think this is the statement Vonnie was concerned about. What you wrote here looks like you do not feed any leafy greens except the occasional romaine. The items you listed are veggies, not greens. Perhaps it was just a miscommunication.
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Joe and Arthur)
2.0.1 Uromastyx Dispar Maliensis (Tank, Turtle, and new neighbor Spike)
1.2 Anolis Carolinensis (Bowser, Leeloo, and Sprocket)
1.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Bruce and Sheila)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)
And several miscellaneous community fish

I stand by what I wrote. I have constructed a diet that is nutritionally sound. Reading one care sheet does not make an expert. If you are a conscientious owner of exotics you will do extensive research on these animals and their needs. Dr. Dix is one of the sources of information in a limited area, but even he will back what I'm saying. Why would someone say there is no value in Romaine when it in fact is very high in vitamin "A". How important is vitamin "A" in the uro's diet?
I gave my opinion to a question and someone tried to criticize it by making unture statements about a document with which I am very familiar. He can give his opinion, but there was no need to infer that I was wrong?

>>snippage>Why would someone say there is no value in Romaine when it in fact is very high in vitamin "A". How important is vitamin "A" in the uro's diet?
>>I gave my opinion to a question and someone tried to criticize it by making unture statements about a document with which I am very familiar. He can give his opinion, but there was no need to infer that I was wrong?

Vonnie was only trying to help - I'm sure the intention had nothing to do with insulting you. I have read a vast number of care sheets and done plenty of research myself and have never read one that suggested NOT feeding greens. If you have developed a diet that you find ideal for your uro(s), that's great!

But most people, after reading the numerous care sheets out there that all say to feed primarily greens, feed lots of greens. And as such, it's better not to include romaine (since vitamin A and water are all it has to offer) as many other of the higher nutrient greens have lots of vitamin A - and it's easy to overdo the fat-soluble vitamins. There's nothing wrong with romaine in and of itself, there are just better choices for the commonly used diets.
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Joe and Arthur)
2.0.1 Uromastyx Dispar Maliensis (Tank, Turtle, and new neighbor Spike)
1.2 Anolis Carolinensis (Bowser, Leeloo, and Sprocket)
1.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Bruce and Sheila)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)
And several miscellaneous community fish

first of all i don't understand why you are making such a big deal for recommending one care sheet. i didn't say it was the bible and nothing else should be read. i simply recommended reading it. most people are lazy when it comes to owning reptiles and think what the pet store told them was fine and don't care to look up other information. i was just trying to be helpful and give you some good info.

second i did not say anything untrue about the document. mr. dix and my vet have both told me that leafy greens should consist of most of their diet and i simply listed a few of those choices. it wasn't an exhaustive list. it was an example followed by an "etc." to say that there are other things on the list.

third, it was never an attack on your diet. i never said you should not feed any of those vegetables. i simply recommended feeding more leafy greens with a better nurtional content than romaine. there are alot of newbies out there who think that it is a good and acceptable leafy green.

lastly if my opinion is different than yours, it is always going to infer that you are wrong from my end. that is just the crazy thing about opinions. i tried to make it known that i was not attacking and just making a suggestion by putting the smiley face. trust me, this will be the last time i ever pass a piece of information on to you.
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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 ***

Loril-

Sorry for taking your thread off track. Remind us how old of a baby? A hatchling? How big is it?

I've never had a tiny baby, so can't answer if that's the case. I don't know how dry birdseed and baby GI tracts mix. I know dry beans and lentils aren't recommended for babies for impaction reasons.

My adults have birdseed available to them at all times for a munchy snack - straight white millet always if they want it, and a finch mix every couple of weeks that I switch out with dry crushed beans and lentils.
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Joe and Arthur)
2.0.1 Uromastyx Dispar Maliensis (Tank, Turtle, and new neighbor Spike)
1.2 Anolis Carolinensis (Bowser, Leeloo, and Sprocket)
1.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Bruce and Sheila)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)
And several miscellaneous community fish