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The uro i've been taking care of for my friend's brother has been given to me, my friend's brother decided he could not properly take care of it.
I'm on to making it a new tank next week. What's a good size i could build for a 8 inch uro to grow into? I'd prefer being able to build one cage that he/she can grow in to but nothing dangerous in the meantime. Should that be two cages? or can i just let him/her grow into say, a 4'x2' cage? and what's a good height for some security against escapes/jumps?

ALSO...since the uro was basically hibernating for the past two years in inadequte temperatures, What would some experts reccomend as far as diet/vitamins?
He/she is going through crickets like madness, as it was never fed crickets before coming into my home.
I use Miner-All mineral supplement for all my reptiles, and i gutlad with leafy greens, carrots and random veggy scraps (no broccoli or veggies of the type).
What's a good cricket diet for an especially anxious-to-grow uro? (been the same size for two years!eeeek).

congrats on getting myrtle! i am sure she will be much happier with you. i don't think that a 4x2 cage would be too big for an 8 inch uro. i think she would like it alot!
i don't feed crickets very often to my uros, they are mainly vegetarians. i usually just give them like 2 or 3 every couple weeks as treats. the best thing for her is leafy greens like bok choy, endive, escarole, mustard greens or collared greens (leafy greens should make up 50% of the diet.) my guys love peas but they need to be supplemented because they can bind calcium. there is a really good care sheet at deerfernfarms.com it gives a good list of things to feed.
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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 ***

That's great news - I'm glad you'll be able to keep it!

I think 18" would be a good minimum to prevent over-the-top escapes. If it's a wooden cage, though, be careful - they're amazingly good at finding things to hook their little toes in! Despite occasional clumsy appearances, they're surprisingly clever at climbing.
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx geyri (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Uromastyx dispar maliensis (Tank, Turtle, and Spike)
1.1 Uromastyx ornata (Scuttlebutt and Shazzbot)
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)

Thats phenomenal! Myrtle is one lucky Uro!

I would like to echo the prior post that I would not feed very many crickets. In addition to the Uro being mainly herbivorous, especially as an adult, one would assume that myrtle is not the healthiest little beast that she could be. Digesting the crickets may tax her system even more. Once she gets the proper food in her, and a good UVB light (which stimulates eating) she will hopefully grow. It is possible though that her growth has been permanently stunted, though my adult mali grew until he was 6 or 7 years old. So hopefully she has a few more inches in her!

As for the cage, I documented some of the steps I took to build mine - I had all the wood cut for me, so I basically just had to assemble it. I have never done carpentry before and it was really easy! I made the space from the floor to the lights 24 inches, particularly so that it could house my Egyptian later, but in retrospect I wish that I had kept it closer to 18 or 20 inches for the mali. The extra height makes it a lot harder to heat and get him enough UVB. Particularly since my mali will climb up things, and then instead of climbing down he will just dive nose first... so cage furniture to bring him up to the lights really is not a good idea (this seems to be something particular to him). I think both Archie (the mali) and I love the floor space of the 4x2 cage though. I bet myrtle wouldn't know what to do with all of it! lol.

Keep us posted - and let me know if I can be of any help!

Elizabeth

http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~echarris/archcage/

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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 (RIP)
0.1 Feline Winter
Indiana & Wisconsin

Wish you all the best with your new girl
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PHEve/ Eve

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