Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I just got my first uro we named it Mongo from the movie blazing saddles. i built a cage the next day with what i had around the work shop. But after looking online i am thinking that i need to make something different something with out screen sides and larger. any ideas? Thank you for your input

Another classic example of "buy now & I'll figure out what the heck to do tomorrow" approach to keeping reptiles.
Your enclosure is inadequate to say the least. The good thing is that you recognize that & are ready to make adjustments.
I'm sure others on this forum will spring forth shortly with good advice. Multiple care sheets are at your fingertips.
One quick thing. That high dome saucer may allow it closer access to the UV or temp lights but sux as a hide. No Uro in it's right mind feels comfortable in anything but a wedge bed.
I'll step aside.

Yea, sorry to say that enclosure is just not up-to-par.

There are lots of care sheets available, even just clicking on the link in the forum leads you to multiple care sheets.

As for your enclosure, minimum footprint should be 4'x2' with the height is totally up to you, of course it needs to be high enough to accommodate your lights at a safe distance from the Uro. Many people use 24" height, if you are using a deep dome fixture you may want to go another 2" or so. Also be sure to use Oak ply, as cheaper, soft woods such as pine and cedar can emit toxins that are hazardous to your Uro.

Also, stick to using glass in place of the screens, as it will hold temps better and is also much safer for your Uro. I believe home depot can cut you glass to fit the size you need, and its fairly inexpensive.

If you chose to seal the wood, you can use minwax polyurethane, however you will need to run the lights for at least a week for the polyurethane to cure and no emit any fumes.

Also, before you dig through all the caresheets to find out temp info, I will give you a quick rundown:
Basking: 120-140F
Hot end: ~95F
Cool end: ~85F

Night temps should be around 75F, if you need additional heat, do NOT use red lights, use a ceramic heat emitter, as the bulbs will confuse the Uro. Be sure you have a good UVB bulb, as it is necessary for Uro's to regulate the vitamin D3 in their bodies.

Hope that helps

Thank you for all the info. I am constructing a new cage with solid sides and a glass front. I saw a cage in a post by dannyboy further down the page of a nice setup and I am going to try to create something like that. I will post pictures after it is done. I have changed the hides so the uro has low tight hides. It is active and eating well.

What are some of your uromastyx’s favorite foods? How often can you give crickets? I have read that it should be limited, I have only given him/her 3 this week and Mongo eats them up.

Thanks again for all the help.

Thank you for your patience while the rest of us bicker back & forth about your first set-up. Looks like you're doing all the right things to provide for your Uro. The care sheets on Deer Fern Farms should answer any questions on diet.
We feed no bugs to our guys. How does the song go? "May be bugs on some of your mugs but there ain't no bugs on ME!!"
Seriously, animal protein isn't recommended by most.

If you do chose to feed crickets it should be kept to

I am sorry that you got blasted for asking questions, because you are doing the responsible thing by asking.

No, your enclosure is not really appropriate for a uro. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you build a new one, and I am sure that others will fill in any points that I leave out, hopefully in a more helpful than rude manner.

Uros are desert reptiles and need high basking temps and a much cooler area where they can cool down. The Basking temps taken directly on the basking surface should read between 120-130. The only way you can get a really accurate reading is by using a temp gun and taking the temp right on the basking surface. The ambient temps at the basking END need to be in the 90s. Then there needs to be a fall in temps as you move to the other end of the tank where the ambient temps should be in the mid 80s. So, an enclosure needs to be large enough to accomodate this temp gradient, and it is hard to accomplish this temp gradient with open screen sides. You do need ventillation, but not that much.

Then, you need low or narrow hides in each temerature zone. The hides should be narrow enough that the uro can go in and feel the top on its back. In the wild, they wedge themselves between rocks to escape heat or preditors when they need to.

Are you familiar with a good diet? Here is a great care sheet, and if you have questions about the diet, please ask.
http://www.deerfernfarms.com/Uromastyx_Care.htm

I also say Good Job. Not sure what your dimensions are, but it looks like it may be long and wide enough based on your photos. I have heard of folks housing in adequate sized plastic tubs and metal cattle troughs. I would think anything of appropriate size that can provide the PROPER thermal gradients given to you in earlier posts would be OK. Get a temp gun, or at least a decent digital thermometer from Radioshack or similar place, and check your temps. If your ventilation is too much to get your temps up in the hot zone, or too much to keep them high enough on the cool side, then you can probably just cover the screened sides with wood or plexiglass on your existing cage. Proper thermal gradients are a must, not how nice your cage looks. I agree with Rosebuds about the hides. Snug and low to ground to give them security, and on the hot and cool sides of the cage.

I don't think he got 'blasted' however his enclosure is not proper for a Uro. The screens are allowing all the heat to escape and the Uro is not getting the proper heat it needs. The size looks ok based on the picture, but looks can be deceiving.

As far as covering the screen with plexi, probably best to just remove the screen entirely, as the Uro could try to climb, and injure itself, especially its toes/nails. Better safe then sorry. Plexi scratches way too easily to use as a permanent thing (especially if you want to be able to view the Uro) so unfortunately the more expensive, yet better option here is glass.

Obviously, there is some good carpentry skills on hand here, so I'm sure building something well-suited for a Uro won't be much of a challenge.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how it comes out

That animal was most likely wild caught, dug from it's burrow & tossed in a sack with numerous others. When enough of it's kind were captured it was imported to the States, totally stressed, to be mass requisitioned to the highest bidder. In most cases ( with Malis ) it's off to the expos & pet shops. By this time they've been without moisture or food for how long? The pet stores seldom have a clue as to it's care. How many adjustments has this lizard made by now in an attempt to survive? Now along comes an impromptu, novelty buyer seemingly as concerned with WHAT TO NAME IT as with it's husbandry, after the fact. The animal is adjusting once more to a new ( & inadequate ) environment. Now, on good advice from good people on this forum, it's going to strive to adjust AGAIN as it's enclosure is upgraded.
If I've "blasted" anyone it's because putting the cart before the horse in acquiring ANY "pet" is just irresponsible. And way, way too commonplace.
Dan

I agree, homework should be done before acquiring a new pet. Especially one requiring specialized temperatures and caging requirements such as a uro. However, we have all learned from mistakes. Haven't you ever purchased a reptile based on impulse and wasn't really sure of its proper care? Granted, some species can a take a few more days or weeks of improper care than a uro might be able to with no harm done to the animal. These forums are designed to inform the folks asking questions. No one even asked if the person was achieving proper temps in the cage, feeding proper food items, or even asking if the uro seemed to be adjusting properly. All I read were negative statements off the bat regarding the perceived inadequacy of the cage. They may be achieving spot on temps, the uro eating like crazy and loving its new cage, and everything is perfect in terms of maintaining the new pet. If thats the case, suggesting the cage is inadequate would then be false.

i have been working on a new setup for my uro mongo. it is 4' long 18” wide and 30” tall, i still have to make the glass front and add the UV light fixture which will be controlled by the switches on the side. Then add the top. the lights in it are temp to just heat the cage to get the smells out. Do you see anything I need to add?

thanks again for all the help and info.

Sure looks good from here. Tall as it is though, you may have to elevate some things to allow the lizard closer access to the UV fixture & basking light. You may want to enlarge the cool side vent to maybe twice what you have now. My enclosures are very similar in construction but not as high. I like the idea of only one vent but prefer it to be fairly large. You want a good air flow to prevent stagnation but not so much that it screws up your temps.
Most of mine have dual incandescent fixtures as does yours but I've seldom found a need for the one on the cool end. Nipples on a boar, I guess. Not very functional but nice to have just in case...
Dan.

Looks good so far. You may also want a small vent near each of the heat bulbs, as you may want excess hot air to vent out the top as well. Also, is there any particular reason (maybe space constraint) that you went with an 18" wide enclosure rather then 24"?

30" height is more then you really need, it may be a little more difficult to get the uvb closer to the Uro, but elevating the basking spot and/or lowering the fixture shouldn't be too tough.

Just make sure to let all the lights run for a week or more if you are using any stains on the wood.