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 #1725326


Mikemar
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 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

We recently brought home a new Uro. We were told it was a rainbow uro although I’m not sure. Anyways I we researched them before bringing him home and set up the enclosure. We used millet seed as the substrate, he has a sunning rock with a 100 watt repti-light and a reptisun 5.0. The temp under the light is around 90, is this too low? There is a hiding spot under a half log but he never seems interested in it. He was fairly active the first day and today he seems to want to barely move. We’ve only had him for 3 days now. We did give him a little water because we were told they should get some when they are first shipped because they may be a little dehydrated. His diet has been lettuce, peas, carrots, corn, johnny jump ups flowers which he ate very well the first day. He does not seem to have defecated yet either. Is he just stressed out? Where can I find a good reptile vet? thanks for any help.



05/04/08  09:25pm

 #1725349


Ballmonkey7
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1725326


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

yes the 100 watt is to low it should be 150 they need alot of heat, also i would take the repti sun 5.0 and use a repti sun 10.0. if the temp is 90 then hes probubly cold and thats y hes not moveing. some sings of ur uro being sick is, always haveing hes eyes closed or cant support his head. if u turn him over on his back and he has some troble get rightside up or if he still continues to show the distrese i would take him to the vet
05/04/08  09:42pm

 #1725370


Mikemar
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   Message To: Ballmonkey7   In reference to Message Id: 1725349


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

If I take him out and hold him he does hold his head up but he usually will close his eyes in a few seconds like he is going to sleep. He does respond if he feels he being turned over though or if I rub his back legs or tail he opens his eyes.
05/04/08  09:52pm

 #1725381


Mikemar
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1725370


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

also how do I check the temp of the basking rock. I’m afraid that because its right under the heat lamp it could be too hot. The temp right next to it is around 90 but I’m not sure of the surface temp of the stone.
05/04/08  10:00pm

 #1725389


Pinecone
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1725381


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Hey,
He’s probably totally stressed out. But that is moot compared to the fact that the temp is WAY too low, the basking area needs to be 120 degrees(you may check that with an IR temp gun, $20) secondly his diet is not good. You need endive, escarole, bok choy, and then add in some flowers, nastertiums, and dandelion. Those are staples and stuff gets added around that. Between the heat and the diet, he’s not in good shape.

Don’t feel you’re a bad owner, every one of us has been in your shoes, it’s not like your Uro came with an owner’s manual.

You should answer the "Read before posting" questions and we can help you out. he’s not on calcisand is he?


-Ray-
05/04/08  10:06pm

 #1725397


Mikemar
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   Message To: Pinecone   In reference to Message Id: 1725389


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

No he is not on the calisand, we read about that and chose to use millet seed instead. I hope he is ok in the morning and I will get a stronger bulb, I was afraid of cooking him with too strong a bulb. I will also get some new feed. thanks for the help everyone. I hope that the heat is the only problem.
05/04/08  10:11pm

 #1725524


El toro
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1725397


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Please answer the questions from the "Please read before posting" thread as suggested. We can’t possibly help you without more details. It might be temperatures or it might be something else (or in addition), but we can’t help you figure it out without some basic information first.

Before you go buy another bulb (no one can tell you what wattage you need) - you need to get some accurate thermometers. Digital ones with probes work for ambient temperatures. Infrared works for basking surface temperatures. Until you know what your temperatures are throughout the whole environment, you cannot know how to change it. It’s true the basking surface temperature should be around 120F, but if you have a 10 or 20 gallon tank, those basking temps will cook the uro since there’s no place to cool down. So you can see why we need more information before we can give you much in terms of help or recommendations.
05/05/08  01:20am

 #1725626


Mikemar
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   Message To: El toro   In reference to Message Id: 1725524


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

I thought I did answer the questions from that post. The tank is a 20 Gal Long, the temp is measured with a stick on dial guage by the basking area, the other end of tank is about 70. The rock he has is a rounded rock, does it need to be a flat rock? We’ve only had him for 3 days and all the bulbs are brand new. No suppliments used on food. We were holding him about once a day and there are no vets around here for reptiles. I hope that is everything, I don’t want to lose him.
05/05/08  06:27am

 #1725648


Pinecone
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1725626


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

There’s more information in the list. Copy and paste it into a new post on this thread and put your answers with it. Then we’ll be able to help assess your situation

-Ray-
05/05/08  06:58am

 #1725668


Mikemar
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   Message To: Pinecone   In reference to Message Id: 1725648


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

1) How long have you owned the animal 3 Days

2) Dimensions of the enclosure you are using. Measure it- do not guess or give gallon size 20 Gal Long

3) Species (if known), length, and weight of the animal Was told it was a Rainbow Uro, about 12 inches long, weight unknown. His skin does seem to be very loose and wrinkled.

4) Listing of all animals kept in the enclosure referred to in the post No other animals in tank.

5) Basking spot temperature and how that temperature was measured Basking area about 100 measured with a stick on round gauge

6) Temperature throughout the rest of the enclosure (warm and cool areas) and how these temperatures were measured e.g. digital thermometer, stick on dial thermometer. Provide the nighttime temperatures as well. The other end of tank is about 70 with a stick on term.

7) Acknowledge whether you are using a UVB bulb and if so, the brand, age of bulb, and distance from the bulb to the uromastyx UVB is a reptisun 5.0 stick bulb about 3 days old. Distance about 12 inches through a screen top.

8) Diet items being fed and how often each item is fed Diet is mixed vegies, green beans, carrots, peas, corn, lettuce and johnny jump up flowers.

9) List of the supplements being used, how much is used, and how often the supplement is used No suppliments

10) Type of substrate (cage bottom material). If this is sand, state whether it is calcium sand Base os cage is about 2 inches of millet seed.

11) Describe your animal’s daily routine. When it exits the hide, when it retreats for the night, how long it is usually out throughout the day, is it active during this time, how much time does it spend sitting on the basking spot…. The first day was very active, spent most of the time on basking rock, ate some food never went in to hide, slept next to rock when lights were turned off. 2nd day less active ate less food. today hasn’t eaten, was one rock for a little while now laying next to it, sleeping most of the time.

12) Describe your animal’s appetite. see above,

13) Describe any unusual behaviors you are seeing or any recent changes in behavior. Also note whether any recent modifications have been made to this animal’s environment. e.g new enclosure, move to another room, new heat bulb.... everythings new to him.

14) Describe how often this animal is handled and the type of handling. once a day, usually held on chest and he would look around or climb a little.

15) State whether the animal has been to a vet, when that was, and whether the animal was diagnosed with a medical condition. Also state whether the uromastyx has ever had a fecal check. If so states when the fecal check was done, what was found, and if medication was prescribed. No vets around here for reptiles.



05/05/08  07:47am

 #1725776


Rtl402
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1725668


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

20Gal long is wayyy too small. Tank size should be at least 48x18 (surface area), most people will suggest 48x24. you need a bigger enclosure for sure.

as suggested earlier, get a digital thermometer, or IR temp. gun. either is fairly cheap and much more accurate then the stick on type. i have a stick on, but only for reference, i check my temps with an IR temp gun. Hot side of the enclosure should be in the 90’s. cool side mid 80’s and basking spot between 120-130. nighttime temps in the mid 70’s is ok.

the UVB going through the screen is bad. it will reduce the amount of UVB that gets to your Uro. there should be nothing between the light and the Uro.


as mentioned before, food needs to be changed. escarole, endive, bok choy, shredded carrots are ok.


i wouldnt hold the Uro much either until he/she gets used to new surroundings.


you should try and find a vet. at least get a fecal sample done to be sure everything is ok, and there are no parasites.




Hope that helps a bit.
05/05/08  10:50am

 #1725854


El toro
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1725668


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Definitely work on the things mentioned (the larger cage, accurate thermometers, diet changes, etc). Do NOT hold him or touch him or bother him in any way - you’ve just gotten him and he’s trying to adjust to the new place. Handling makes it much worse. Make sure he has at least two low, snug hides, too. Half logs are too open. It’s easy and cheap to make good hides with paver bricks and a slate tile from a home improvement store. You want the space under the hide to be no more than 2" high. Helping him feel secure will help him adjust faster to the new place.

A vet is extremely important. Parasites are very common and can cause you much grief unless they’re taken care of. Get an area phone book and start calling. Ask if they’re willing to check a fecal sample for parasites even if they don’t normally see exotics. Hopefully SOMEONE will be willing to help you out. You might need to drive farther than you’d planned, but it’s necessary.

Is there any way you can post a picture? If you have to drag him out of hiding to get one, don’t bother, but if you get the chance, a picture would help. Rainbow uros aren’t common, so chances are it’s a more readily available species.

One last thing - after you’ve made the needed changes to his cage and heat, etc, he will still likely hide and/or not eat for a while. The little guy’s been through a lot of changes and will need some time to adjust. Getting him a proper environment will let him adjust as quickly as possible.

Good luck with him!
05/05/08  01:08pm

 #1725978


Uro_fan
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   Message To: El toro   In reference to Message Id: 1725854


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Quote:

Rainbow uros aren’t common, so chances are it’s a more readily available species.



Hey ET, thought you might get a kick out of this one. I was at the Texas show a few months back and there was a booth selling ’rainbow uromastyx’. I picked up the container (yes, two crammed in a small round container) and asked why they were selling geyri as ’rainbow’ uromastyx. I was told they called them this because they came in all different colors, red, yellow....

I told the seller the correct species name and informed them that there was another species (much less common) that is typically referred to as rainbow uromastyx and they would not want to mislead anyone into purchasing the wrong species. Several hours later the booth was still selling the geyri as rainbow uromastyx.

Just had to share the story given the topic of ’rainbow uromastyx’.



05/05/08  03:48pm

 #1726013


El toro
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   Message To: Uro_fan   In reference to Message Id: 1725978


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Thoroughly depressing - and somehow, I’m not surprised in the least.



05/05/08  04:23pm

 #1726078


Sahells Mom
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   Message To: El toro   In reference to Message Id: 1726013


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

BTW, in a previous post, Uro_fan had stated that millett should only be like 1/2" deep. I use play sand (and only about 1/2" deep of that!), but do agree that two inches would be hard for most anyone to walk on! Also, consider eating too much millett ~ one big drawback of using it as a substrate.

Also, do NOT put any sort of hide material on top of the millett. All material should be on the bottom of the tank, so the uro doesn’t dig under it and get crushed!! (Speaking of Rainbows!!
)

Work on a bigger enclosure, better diet and raising your basking temp to 120-135. You can’t get the basking temp up that high in a 20L, it gets too hot on the cool side! I know! I tried! And I would get a fecal test done too. But I think the basking temp is your main problem, they can’t digest food without that hight heat. Two pavers & a piece of slate make a great inexpensive hide and basking spot. The slate helps hold the heat!

Good Luck!!
05/05/08  05:07pm

 #1727607


Mikemar
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   Message To: Sahells Mom   In reference to Message Id: 1726078


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Well a couple days have past and someone suggested giving him a warm soak. stating that would help them to absorb moisture. That does seem to perk him up a little but then he just goes back in and just lays down to sleep. I did get a nice flat piece of slate in there under the basking lamp but he never seems to want to go on it. He lays next to it though. the temp on the other end of the tank is 77.5. Still is hardly eating anything.
05/06/08  09:52pm

 #1727648


Doublemom
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1727607


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Uros take time to settle in and acclimate to new surroundings. The more you handle him, the more stressed he will become. I know it’s hard, but you will help him adjust better by being totally hands-off.

As for soaking, most Uro experts will tell you that soaking can potentially cause more harm than good, and is a risk that’s not worth taking. They can accidentally aspirate water, causing a respiratory infection. Also, their version of "warm soak" and our version of "warm soak" are totally different. What feels warm to us would be like hypothermia to them.

I think the best thing you could possibly do right now would be to get a proper size enclosure, bare minimum size would be a 75-gallon tank, which measures 48" x 18". Use digital thermometers to measure your hot and cool sides, provide a hide on the hot side and one on the cool side, keep feeding the recommended foods, and get a fecal sample (if he provides one for you) to the vet ASAP to check for parasites.

I hope this helps out... Uros are wonderful animals but can be tricky. The most most most important thing is to provide the appropriate diet, and have the correct enclosure size and temperatures. Without those basic things, your Uro will never have a chance to be healthy,.

Andi
05/06/08  10:19pm

 #1729714


Mikemar
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   Message To: Doublemom   In reference to Message Id: 1727648


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

OK here the latest update. I have a new bigger tank on order. I’ve upped the heat lamp to 150 watt and the temp is about 118. He does seem to be a little more active. Gets up in the morn, walks around a bit then lays back down. Does this a few times a day. Still doesn’t seem to be eating anything though. He has fresh greens added twice a day morning and afternoon. Mixture of Bok choy, escarole, spring mix lettuce, peas, carrots and green beans. He also doesn’t seem interested in the flat piece of slate I added. He lays next to it but not on it. I also got rid of all but about 3/4" of the seed substrate. What can I do to get him to eat? I’m afraid he’s getting thin. I will try to figure out how to post a pic and get one up.
05/08/08  07:47pm

 #1729728


Mikemar
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1729714


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

OK here are pics I hope.
Link
Link
05/08/08  07:58pm

 #1730712


Mikemar
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1729728


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Well nothing has changed today, still not eating. I tried some crushed bee pollen on the greens but he didn’t care. I added a ceramic heat lamp to try and boost the heat to about 125 and changed the UV to a reptisun 10 because its above the screen. Any ideas? How does he look in the pictures? can you tell what type he is? I’m afraid he’s dehydrating but some people here say never to soak them, others say its OK when they’re new to get them rehydrated. I was also told they couldn’t drink from a water disk and needed to absorb the water. thanks for any help.
05/09/08  09:22pm

 #1730783


El toro
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1730712


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

They absolutely can drink from a water dish - they just usually don’t when they’re healthy. It won’t hurt at all to offer a shallow (a jar lid works well) dish of water. Put it in the cage in the morning and remove it after a few hours.

Your pictures won’t load for me - not sure why.
05/09/08  10:58pm

 #1731454


Sahells Mom
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1730712


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

I have read and reread the posts, and don’t see where anyone has suggested soaking him. Soaking is NOT a good idea for a desert animal!! In order to not drop his body temp, you’d have to soak him in water about 120 degrees, then you might boil him!
You need to realize that he may be eating the bird seed. They often will eat it & only it. Has he pooped yet? If so, check to see if it is filled with Millet. If so, put him on paper towels for a while. You can watch him that way. Sometimes they can be real "brats" about eating. Just think of him as a 3 year old kid!! He wants everything his way. Try taking out some of the stuff mixed in. Try just escarole & endive. See if he will eat that.
Be careful with your temps in a 20L tank. If you get your basking temp up, your cool side disappears. You can get a temp gun at Radio Shack. You can also get digital thermometer at Home Depot or even Walmart. One for each side. A Temp gun will tell you the exact temp of the basking rock, and everything else. Those stick on ones are garbage! What do you have the slate on? Did you cover three sides of the tank? That usually helps calm them. Your UVB should not be coming through a screen. It should be inside the screen.
I am trying to see your pictures, but can’t get them to load right now!! I’ll keep trying!!
05/10/08  09:55pm

 #1731778


Mikemar
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   Message To: Sahells Mom   In reference to Message Id: 1731454


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

The soaking wasn’t suggested on this post but I’ve been reading and searching all the posts for uro’s not eating. Some did suggest it and some did not. The cool side of the tank is about 75 and the basking side is about 120. Thie pictures are working today, for some reason they didn’t yesterday. He has pooped a little but not much. what is the proper color of thier poop? there has been some green poop and some black.
05/11/08  10:28am

 #1731944


Mikemar
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1731778


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Well he looks real bad today. Definitely skinnier and weak. There aren’t any herp vets within a 75 mile drive of me. Not sure what I can do at this point.
05/11/08  01:12pm

 #1731961


Morsel
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   Message To: Mikemar   In reference to Message Id: 1731944


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

The lack of apptetite could be from a long onset of parasites or something like that. When you have animals, you are absolutely 100% responsible for their care. If they’re not eating and not doing well it’s only -logical- after all other attempts to have been exhausted to take your animal to a vet. 75 miles isn’t far away to make sure your animal is healthy and happy. Find a vet, see if a local vet wouldn’t mind seeing a uromastyx. Call around.



05/11/08  01:27pm

 #1732005


Zenmetsu
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   Message To: Morsel   In reference to Message Id: 1731961


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

I agree with the above.

The animal looks very thin and dehydrated. On top of this, green foul-smelling stools are often attributed to parasitic infestations. As long as the animal is in pain from the parasites, it will avoid food. You must get it to a vet as soon as possible. For the most part, a checkup and medication will run anywhere from 50-100 dollars, but this could vary depending upon what the vet needs to do. 75 miles is nothing. I do not even own a vehicle at the moment, and i would easily hop a cab and pay $$$ if i needed to get my Uro to a vet that far away.

Please don’t take that as a personal attack. I am sure that you care for this animal otherwise you would not be posting your problem here. If you obtained it 3 days ago though, and it was in this condition, then it was obviously already ill. There are plenty of pictures of healthy Uros on this forum that should stand as a guideline prior to purchasing an animal.
05/11/08  02:18pm

 #1733643


Judylynn22
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   Message To: Zenmetsu   In reference to Message Id: 1732005


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

I have been told if you receive your uro and he looks dehydrated like yours does it is good to soak them in very warm water no longer then 5 minutes, most likely he will drink from the water.. If you do decide to soak him make sure you dry him off completely especially around his tail, so his tail does not rot.. If you dont want to soak him, get a paper towel wet it with hot water and wipe the top of his back and head and dry him off, he might try to lick the water from the paper towel also.. Let me know if you do..
05/12/08  11:06pm

 #1733821


Skullkeeper
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   Message To: Judylynn22   In reference to Message Id: 1733643


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Do not soak the Uro . It will only add stress and can cause more harm than good. He needs immediate veterinary care . If possible get him in asap with a stool sample to be checked for parasites . You could put a shallow bowl of water or fruit flavored pedialyte in the cage for a few hours during the day in hopes that he may drink some . Remove it at night . You could also try feeding seedless white grapes , cantaloupe or some damp Romain lettuce to help hydrate him .Its imperative that he gets to a good reptile vet asap and that you have the proper set up.
05/13/08  06:34am

 #1734050


Uchiha_obito10
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   Message To: Skullkeeper   In reference to Message Id: 1733821


 HELP, new to uro’s I think he’s sick!!

Hmmm... I agree with the above. Even for leos its not wise to soak them, unless there are shedding difficulties. I dont really know what to say. I’ve never dealt with this problom.





~Austin~
05/13/08  12:48pm


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