Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm bringing home a uro today from my niece's - well...my hubby is for me.

The setup is an aquarium with the UV light on top - has a stand so it'll be about 3 ft from the floor (and away from the dogs).

I was thinking of putting the tank in the diningroom where Clem will get morning sun, natural UV. He seems to be in decent health considering he isn't taken out much and hasn't been fed regularly- which is why I'm adopting him.

I would like to build a better home for him once my arm is usable, since I've been reading via the webpages and posts that they live quite a few years.

Suggestions or recommendations on building an appropriate enclosure?

Thanks!

Jill Ferris

Welcome Jill and Clem!

You should not set up an aquarium to get direct sunlight, the glass enclosure ends up being an oven, which could be fatal. Size should be a minimum of 4x2x2, and that depends on what type of uro Clem is and his current or potential adult size. Keeping the cage on a stand is a good idea to keep other animals away from the cage and to help the uro feel less threatened by the big human looking down on him. I like cages with sliding glass doors in the front. They are easily accessible, I can keep lights on the top and don't have to worry about dropping a light or starting a fire because I don't have to move them. The uros feel more comfortable when you are at eye level or they are above you sooner than below you. The down side to glass sliders are the tracks can get full of substrate. I have had most of my uros for so long that I can take off the cage doors and use a dustbuster to clean out the tracks and they just watch me without even moving from their spot. LOL I like the look of my glass cages as I can use the background to cover three sides for security and it also looks nice. There are lots of handy people on here that build nice cages themselves, and Scott (esoteric) just built a whole bunch of them that look great and were very cost effective. I'm sure you already know that you need a basking spot and UV lighting as well as a nice temperature gradient. You should have a hide spot, logs, driftwood, caves, tunnels, whatever works to give your guy choices. Best of luck with him.

Pam

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2.3 varanus acanthurus brachyurus (Dorado, Oro, Dora, Freckles & Amarillo)
1.1 varanus acanthurus acanthurus (Tabasco & Sprite)
1.1 u. macfadyeni (Amani & Abeba) RIP Ayana
1.2 u. ornata (Husani, Zari, & Bintu)
1.1 u. ocellata (Zuhri & Ashai)
0.1.2 u. a. aegypticus (Zahra Urbi, Halima & Sagira)
1.1 hyla chrysoscelis (Pudge & Squirt)

Are those yours Pam? If so where did you get them and how big are they?

Thanks, Shane

Thanks for the info - we have Clem home now - I'm trying to attach a pic that I just took. I think Clem's in shock.

He was cold when we picked him up and I had him in my shirt during the 5 min car ride back to our house - he seems like he started warming up and continued to do so after we got the tank set up again with the lights and warming pad. Evidently the UV was out yesterday, and I don't think he fully warmed back up afterwards. I put him on the rock an hour ago and he hasn't moved off of it.

He's been 'coughing' and I can feel him 'rattling' inside when he coughs. (I had my hand next to him during one of the times he looked like he was trying to throw up and brushed along his ribs to check him). Having had lizards before (geckos, alligator lizards, and anoles), I know this isn't a good sign.

If he makes it through the night, he should be okay, but I'm worried about him.

Thanks all the info on the websites and pictures - that's how I managed to identify his species, since my sister in law wasn't sure.

Sincerely,

Jill

Window glass and your tank glass are both desinged to filter out the useful uv rays your uro needs.

Argh - Clem didn't make it. My instinct was that the coughing was a bad sign, and I was right. I'm more depressed about it than my kids are.

I think my neice didn't take care of him - because a 5 minute move and scampering across our floor shouldn't have been that much of shock to him if he had been healthy, and I had held Clem before. I've had lizards for years and never seen one go like this.

The setup itself is sufficient for a uro...so we are looking to get another one soon.

Thanks for 'listening'!

Jill Ferris

can you give us more info on the setup? It shouldn't be anything less than 48"x18"x18", though 4'x2'x2' is obviously better and anything larger than that is going to be better still. You need to have high levels of basking heat (120-140 surface temps, and some experienced keepers keep them hotter than that). This needs to be provided by an overhead heat lamp. UV is not 'essential', but I would still use it to iron out any 'beginner's mistakes' (forgetting to supplement or things of that nature). You can use sand or millet seed as a substrate, but I personally don't, and never would. I keep most of my reptiles (all except the leopard gecko) on dirt, and it works out great as long as you water it every couple of days (and get the right mixture). It gives them humid areas to hide in, which is what they would have in nature.

The uro pictured does not look in such bad condition. From what you described, it sounds like the little guy had a respiratory infection though, and that could have led to its demise (depending on how long he had it). Can you describe (in detail) how the little guy was kept previously.

My uromastyx was also adopted, and I was sure she wasn't going to live. She's about 13" long, and extremely fat. She was kept in only a 20 gallon tank for the first 6 years since she was imported (that we know of....she has switched hands many times apparently...all we really know is that she is very old). Then with her past keeper, she was kept in the 20 gallon tank for about a year, until a heat lamp fell on her giving her 3rd degree burns (leaving large white scars on her back and side). Then she was moved into a 10 gallon tank with no heat lamp....just a heat rock, and fed nothing but iceburg lettuce.

It really is a miracle my little fat sam didn't die. She has been with me for two years, and besides being very fat, having large scars on her back, and refusing to poop in her cage, she is everything a healthy uromastyx should be.

It's very sad that your little one didn't make it.

what a sad thing, to be preparing for his arrival and he arrives sick only to leave.

A shame, I'm sure you are all upset, and hope that you will feel LESS sad, SOON !

Best wishes with your plans on finding a new lil buddy to live in that nice cage your talking about.
Make sure you find a nice healthy CB.

Let us know how ya make out.

Take Care,
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PHEve / Eve

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