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 #2240093


Tulsi
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 New baby is finally here!

I’m so excited! The gorgeous little guy is finally here, and he looks healthy and robust, and ate a whole bowlful of endive right away! He is active and alert, and cute as can be! I followed all of your and Urowiki’s advice to prepare for him, and am grateful to you for sharing your experiences, good and not so good.[Image]
10/11/11  09:47pm

 #2240094


Tulsi
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   Message To: Tulsi   In reference to Message Id: 2240093


 New baby is finally here!

If I can figure out how to do it, I’ll post photos.
10/11/11  09:52pm

 #2240552


Racerx1909
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   Message To: Tulsi   In reference to Message Id: 2240094


 New baby is finally here!

Congrats Tulsi !

Mine just turned 2 and I did as you did poured thru this forum and UroWiki before getting them...

I cant figure out how to post pics either...all of them are too large for this forum’s downloader to take...

Any help out there?
10/15/11  07:35am

 #2240566


Rocco1005
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   Message To: Racerx1909   In reference to Message Id: 2240552


 New baby is finally here!

go to tinypic.com, i think it compresses images for message boards, thats what i use all the time
10/15/11  09:30am

 #2240567


Tulsi
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   Message To: Racerx1909   In reference to Message Id: 2240552


 New baby is finally here!

Thanks racerx1909! It’s been a great adventure so far! I’m worried that he’s become too wrinkly, though. At what point would any of you introduce electrolytes, without being too intrusive to the little guy as he’s acclimating? I don’t want to let any little problem get big. I’ll be looking for a rep vet today, but know that there is a huge difference in expertise level with ordinary pets, and don’t want to fall into less than knowledgeable hands with my precious boy! Any suggestions for finding and scrutinizing a vet?

Also, he’s hanging out in the middle of the cage, on another piece of slate or a rock, but not on the basking site, though I’m at work during the day, so am unable to see. He ate endive days 1, 2 & 3, butternut squash (which he loved) on day 2, but left two or three blobs of wet squash on day 3 (vomit?). I will get him to a vet today or Monday, but want to hear what you all have to suggest.

He’s actually on his basking site now, but stays only for a moment or two, preferring the surrounding rocks. Maybe he is getting enough.

By the way, cage is 48"x24"x30", made of oak, glass, with the sealer Urowiki recommended. There are 2 hides, 1 at either end. The temps are as recommended, 87 cool end, 90-95 mid, 100-110 around basking site, 127-131 right on the basking slate. No substrate yet. All of it sounds risky. Did I hear that using slate entirely is an option (a good one?)? I wish I could send photos!

The little guy appears to be 5", nose to butt, and is at the very beginning stage of turning color. He must have just finished a shed, because he still had a little itchy skin on his head when he arrived, which now is gone.

I did not soak him when he arrived, as the care sheet recommended, because the recommendations on this forum so strongly advise against it. Is new arrival an exception to this? I can provide much higher quality electrolytes than Gatorade (we have a compounding pharmacy), if that is the best option.

Let me know what ideas you have. Thanks!
10/15/11  10:10am

 #2240581


UROKEEPER
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   Message To: Tulsi   In reference to Message Id: 2240567


 New baby is finally here!

There is excess skin on a uro so they can inflate their bodies to appear larger to predators or threats. they can go into a burrow entrance and inflate blocking the entrance with the tail. unless this uro is extremely dehydrated I wouldn’t offer anything other than food. Signs of dehydration include lethargy, emaciation, sunken eyes that have lost the shine,white mouth etc...

Since this uro has eaten on day 1,2,3 and is basking active and alert I would continue doing what you are doing. I would come to assume that DFF would not send a severely dehydrated animal. Are you in the USA?

I see no reason of bringing the uro into the vet during acclimation unless necessary. research and find a good vet. bring a fresh fecal sample to be looked at under a microscope. weigh the uro and give the vet the weight in grams. That way the uro can be dosed accordingly if in fact it does need treatment for parasitic load. You want the uro to acclimate and b the sounds that it has eaten for days in a row is a great sign.

As for your temperatures I would try and get the hot end ambient down to 95-100 and the cool end down a bit to 80-85. the basking slate seems good. What type of UV light are you offering?

yes you can use slate as substrate (tile or natural). Although it can become quite messy though there is no chance of impaction.

It was a wise choice not to soak. If ever I need to hydrate an animal I will do it using subcutaneous fluids. This will hydrate the animal almost instantly. soaking does not actually hydrate unless drank by the uro and many will not drink. some animals can aspirate the water and drown or get very sick. some do not realize their head is under water and will breath water in. it can also cause skin and shedding problems.

good luck... it seems like you are on the right path.
10/15/11  11:22am

 #2240672


Tulsi
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   Message To: UROKEEPER   In reference to Message Id: 2240581


 New baby is finally here!

Thank you so much, UroKeeper. You reassurance is valuable, and I’ll follow all of your guidance, of course. I’ll change the halogen near the ZooMed IV 160 back from a 90W to a 75W.

Does it matter where the food is placed in the cage? It seems to dehydrate so quickly.

Any other advice is appreciated.

He’s only been here for 4 1/2 days, I can’t even interact with him, yet I already totally love him!
10/15/11  09:40pm

 #2240681


Wild_life10
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   Message To: Tulsi   In reference to Message Id: 2240093


 New baby is finally here!

Congrats on the new arrival. Many years of enjoyment are sure to come. Before long..... youll want another, and another.
I think all slate/tile makes a great substrate. Slowly switching all mine over.
Keep asking questions, enjoy.

Cheers.
10/15/11  11:08pm

 #2240685


Tulsi
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   Message To: Wild_life10   In reference to Message Id: 2240681


 New baby is finally here!

Thanks for the encouragement. It’s so great to have a safe place for questions and substantial answers.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have that in all areas of life?
10/16/11  12:20am

 #2240686


Tulsi
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   Message To: Wild_life10   In reference to Message Id: 2240681


 New baby is finally here!

We’re in the USA, Northern California, in a town called Windsor. Any Uro lovers in this area?
10/16/11  12:28am

 #2240749


Racerx1909
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   Message To: Tulsi   In reference to Message Id: 2240686


 New baby is finally here!

sounds like all is going well
i had originally intended to go with millet seed (vs sand) on the ground, then i read some things about it (snacking on the seed and not eating enough of their greens) vs sand (impaction) and then was all set to go with natural slate...went to a tile shop and all of the natural slate was flakey and there were a bunch of sharp edges created each time i’d flake off a little piece with my fingernail...
so i went with a "slate" looking ceramic tile - this seems like a good substrate and it has a bit of a clear finish so it is easy cleanup
10/16/11  05:02pm

 #2240761


Rocco1005
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   Message To: Racerx1909   In reference to Message Id: 2240749


 New baby is finally here!

hey i was advised not to use anything with a finish on it because it can give off fumes when heated. I just use the slate from home depot it doesnt have sharp edges unless you break pieces from it, also to avoid impaction i have my entire cool side in slate where his food is and the hot side is sand where he likes to dig. Most of his food that he flings around stays on the slate and doesnt get on the sand where he will eat it.
10/16/11  06:40pm

 #2242694


Tulsi
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   Message To: UROKEEPER   In reference to Message Id: 2240581


 New baby is finally here!

With increasing concern that my new Uro is okay, preferring vigilance to negligence, I searched for a recommended reptile vet. $55 later, declaring that my Uro seems fine, he recommended "crickets", "baby food", and "putting him in his water bowl". How many $55 visits does it take to find an office that is honest about their vet’s specific Uro knowledge?

I adjusted the temps according to Urokeeper’s advice, and he is on or near the basking site most of the day, not very active. He eats small amounts of curly endive, peas, radish greens, dandelion greens,every 2-3 days, pooping the same. He just looks like he’s lost some weight, and I don’t want it to go too far.

The vet said today’s stool sample was too "petrified" to test.

Useless.
11/02/11  12:55am


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