Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Goober (baby Mali) is a little over 6 months old now, and I've had him for almost 3 months... He still hides ALL the time... Usually if we want him to eat we have to dig him out every day or two. Occasionally he'll come out on his own, but usually he won't move for days at a time. My temps are just fine, but any places where the lights don't hit the sand(where he hides) seem really cold(ex. the sand under his basking spot reads ~100, the cooler area reads ~80, but some of his hide spots only read in the high 60's/low 70's). Sometimes when I pull him out (sometimes he feels almost cold to the touch) I'll hold him directly under one of the heat lamps, and he stops his usual fidgeting and seems to enjoy it. After he's out and starts to warm up a little he gets more active, and his appetite gets better... until we accidentally scare him back into one of his hiding places. Is this normal and I'm just paranoid, or is he so intent on hiding in cold places that his metabolism slows too much? I can't think of any way to warm up his hide spots... the rest of the cage is warm enough, but those areas are in shadow, which is why he likes them... Any thoughts?

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1.0 RES, Spunky
0.2 Gerbils
3.1 Cats
0.1/2 rabbit (friend and I went 50/50)
1.0 Betta, Nigel
0.0.1 Mali Uro, Guban (Goober)
*Wishlist*
Argentine horned frog
fat-tailed gecko
Snake of any kind(Corn, hognose, sand boa, really want a Dumeril's)

basking spot should be 120-130, the air temp on the hot side needs to be around 100 and on the cool side 80's, thats why hes not coming out because he is cold well that should take care of it, here's my mali

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1.1.0 cb red saharan uromastyx 0.0.1 cb egyptian occelated uromastyx 0.0.1 cb mali uromastyx

nope, the basking spot is fine, it's about 130, then there's a secondary basking spot around 110... Plus these temps were from temp-gunning the sand, not the ambient air temps... I was just using the temp of the sand below the basking spot as a comparison for how cold it is under his hidespot.
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1.0 RES, Spunky
0.2 Gerbils
3.1 Cats
0.1/2 rabbit (friend and I went 50/50)
1.0 Betta, Nigel
0.0.1 Mali Uro, Guban (Goober)
*Wishlist*
Argentine horned frog
fat-tailed gecko
Snake of any kind(Corn, hognose, sand boa, really want a Dumeril's)

here are some ideas
i am not sure where you live but there is always the possibility that he is still feeling winter and is hiding more.
he could have parasites since he is not eating. has he lost weight? does he have stinky runny poos?
i am not sure if i understand your temperature post, if his basking spot is only 100 then it needs to be upped to 120ish and the cool end needs to be closer to 90.
it is good to have a hide on the warm end and on the cool end i know you said you had hides (plural) so are they spaced apart? maybe try moving the warm end one closer to the basking spot
sorry it is not a more definitive answer!
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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 ***

yeah, sorry for the confusing temps. His basking spot is fine, I was just using my temp-gun on the sand... I need to get a better real thermometer...

He hasn't lost weight... I live in the midwest (Illinois) so I figured that winter may have something to do with it, since I got him in the winter and I haven't seen any change in his behavior yet.
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1.0 RES, Spunky
0.2 Gerbils
3.1 Cats
0.1/2 rabbit (friend and I went 50/50)
1.0 Betta, Nigel
0.0.1 Mali Uro, Guban (Goober)
*Wishlist*
Argentine horned frog
fat-tailed gecko
Snake of any kind(Corn, hognose, sand boa, really want a Dumeril's)

Make sure you're checking your temperatures with a digtal thermometer - the litte round dial ones can be way off (like 20 degrees off). Once you're sure all your temps are correct but he still doesn't come out, you can try moving his hide spot to a slightly warmer area so he will warm up earlier in the day. You can also try covering three sides of the cage (if it's glass) to make him feel more secure. If he has several hiding spots, that might make him feel safer, too. If you haven't done so already, you might take a fecal sample to the vet, as some parasites can cause lethargy and lack of appetite.

It's likely that he's just not warm enough to suit him, but the other suggestions are there in case that doesn't help! Let us know how he does!

Two of my Malis living in the same cage have completely different schedules, too. Turtle is the early bird - up with the lights and asleep by afternoon. Tank doesn't get up until noon and goes to bed at lights out in the evening. Same cage, same conditions - they just have different workings, I guess.
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx geyri (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Uromastyx dispar maliensis (Tank, Turtle, and Spike)
1.0 Uromastyx ornata (Scuttlebutt)
2.1 Anolis carolinensis (Bowser, Sprocket, and Leeloo)
0.1 African dwarf frog (Sheila)
1.0 Betta splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.1 Felis domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

Could be the weather if you live in snow country. My Mali sleeps in on cold snowy days even though his cage is in the family room in the basement. I think they can sense the barametric changes along with temp. Max has just started to get more active as the days have gotten longer. Just make sure his temps are high(120 basking, 85-90 cool end). When Max sleeps in, his body is cool under his log even during the middle of the day. They really need to get under the basking light to warm up.

Eric