Came across a Uromastyx this weekend

[Danielle4]

I have a new family member his name is Zilla I"m told he is 2 years old. He looks ok? Let me just say I know nothing about these lizards at all. Except what I have read in the last 48 hours. Long story short his owner could no longer care for him. He will let you hold him but does not like it. (He was handled maybe once a week.) I'm told he never comes out from his log. She brought a small Ziploc bag of bird seed. I bought lentils at the store and soaked them for a few hours before he got here and gave him some mixed greens. His UV light is some coil light about a month old. That I will be changing as soon as I can. He only had a 60 watt light but I will be putting a 100watt in, in the morning. He is in a 10 gallon tank right now and 4-5 in long, but he is also missing the end of his tail. Here are the only pics I have right now of him.

I really think he is cute I just just hope I can get him to grow a little more. I read some where that they normally grow until they are about 4? Any advice would be great because I"m pretty much at a lost. Sand or no sand? Most web sites say NO and I have BD's and would never put them on sand however I saw that they like to dig . SO PLEASE HELP ME!!! Thanks

 

[Danielle4]

One more question when my boyfriend got home today he went to peek in on him and when he lifted his cave he umm wiggled? lol I guess he was maybe shaking his tail. I know that it hurts. I'm gonna take it slow and I hope that Zilla will not be so scared will enjoy being handled.

 

[MisterMike]

Hey, the uro looks great
The wiggle *From what I can gather* is kinda like a warning, letting you know he has a big tail and he can use it.

When I first got my uro he used to run away, wiggle, whip and even hiss but he had not had much interaction at all before I got him so he has to get used to it. Now I can pick him up, give him cuddles. he will fall asleep on me.
He still wiggles (I hope he never stops doing that because I love it!) but now he will wiggle and let me pick him up. where as before he would wiggle, then run, then whip etc.

I hope you enjoy him!

 

[Claudiusx]

Hi there,

Congratz on the new Uro.

A 10 gallon is WAY too small. You need to upgrade him to a 40g breeder at least. It's not really the size of the uro that determines the size of the tank, its the temperature gradient.

What are the temps you are getting at the moment?

I house on bird seed. You can look through Calcifers thread for pictures if you want.

The butt wiggle is a warning sign, its the equivalent of a bearded dragon black bearding or opening its mouth at you.

I would not lift up the log/cave/hide that your uro is in. They need a place where they can feel secure. I've made it a habit to never lift up Calcifers cave while she is in it, so she knows if she is scared and wants to feel safe, she can go in there.

-Brandon

 

[Danielle4]

Than you. He is super cute I turned on his lights this morning and moved his log (I know I'm so mean lol) I want him to sun since I'm told he does not EVER come out of his hide. He seems to be pretty healthy but he is hungry this morning.

Can I use sand with him? Or does the same rules apply like BD's? I also see that some people keep them of bird seed but that seems odd because I would be scared that he would eat his poo. Plus I would like to give him something to dig in.

 

[Claudiusx]

I've never used sand so I can't give you advice on it.

They probably can get impacted on it though just like dragons. At least with bird seed, I know calcifer is passing them. I see them in her poo every single day.

IME, they will not eat the seed from an area they poo'd in. Calcifer only eats the seed in and around her cave, and by her food bowl. She poos on the whole other side of the tank.

What are your temps at? Uros require a SIGNIFICANTLY higher temp than dragons do, thats why you cant house in a 10g. The temps you need to get will be too hot to provide a temp gradient to the cool side.

-Brandon

 

[Danielle4]

Do they cool them selves like BD's?

 

[Claudiusx]

All reptiles need a place to get cool to regulate there heat.

What are your temps atm?

-Brandon

 

[Danielle4]

Hot side 128 cool side 98 with uv on with out it hot side 122 cool side 88

 

[MisterMike]

That may need changing just slightly, so the basking spot is 120 ish and the hot side around 100?
Brandon will be able to tell you for sure

 

[Claudiusx]

Is the 128 the basking surface temp or just the hot side.

IDK how the hot side can be 128 and then a foot away in the 10g it be 88 :?

Will you be able to get a bigger tank or is that out of the question?

-Brandon

 

[Danielle4]

It's just the hot side however when I went to check the temps today I realized that the battery was dead so I have to go get a battery. I will be getting a 20long tank Friday.

 

[FranktheTank]

He's very cute, and will have a better chance at continuing to grow with as Brandon said a better temp gradient in the tank. Uros need a minimum of 40 gallons to have the proper environment for them to comfortably live. I think a helpful sight for you to check out and do some research would be deerfernfarms.com. I agree with Brandon a 10 gallon is way too small, and a 20 long is also too small. The proper temp gradient for a healthy uro is 120 at the basking site, 100 on the hot end and towards the middle of the cage dropping to the mid 80's on the cool end. To reach these temps a minimum of a 100w is required over the basking spot and hot end. Uros also need a hide on the hot end and the cool end so they can regulate their body temps. I'm just trying to be helpful so you can get some more info on how to better care for your new guy!

-Kaleen

 

[Danielle4]

He's very cute, and will have a better chance at continuing to grow with as Brandon said a better temp gradient in the tank. Uros need a minimum of 40 gallons to have the proper environment for them to comfortably live. I think a helpful sight for you to check out and do some research would be deerfernfarms.com. I agree with Brandon a 10 gallon is way too small, and a 20 long is also too small. The proper temp gradient for a healthy uro is 120 at the basking site, 100 on the hot end and towards the middle of the cage dropping to the mid 80's on the cool end. To reach these temps a minimum of a 100w is required over the basking spot and hot end. Uros also need a hide on the hot end and the cool end so they can regulate their body temps. I'm just trying to be helpful so you can get some more info on how to better care for your new guy!

-Kaleen

Thank you very much. I'm working on getting a bigger tank by this weekend. I have been reading deerfernfarms.com to learn more. Petco will be putting all their tanks onsale for $1 a gallon in the next few weeks. So I'm going to move him to the 20 this weekend and then will move him into a 40 breeder. I kinda feel bad for taking him with out having what I need but he would have been killed because the people I got him from were going to put him out with the trash I figured poor conditions was better then dead. I'm trying my best to get everything however its not the best of times for me to have taken this on.
Thanks again for the info any help is greatly needed

 

[MisterMike]

You're doing really well Danielle
I hope you take the comments as helpful and not criticism because they're not meant in a bad way at all