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#2255415 Pawsies View Profile	Uromastyx geyri Hi, I have to design an enclosure for a female uromastyx with gout on her foot. Has anyone got any advice? I have seen posts which have climbing apparatus in (logs/rocks etc) but I’ve also read that they aren’t an arboreal species so don’t need to climb? I need to consider humidity/temperature/lighting/substrate/enrichment/food/aesthetics/health/habitat requirements so if anyone can help me I’d much appreciate it. Thank you.
02/15/12  04:10pm
#2255423 Vers View Profile	Message To: Pawsies   In reference to Message Id: 2255415  Uromastyx geyri I personally cannot help you with the ’gout’ issue, but you can browse through [Link=http://repticzone.com/forums/Uromastyx/messages/1157058.html]this thread[/Link] for some possible input... As for climbing, while uromastyx are not considered arboreal they do climb quite a bit. Something along the lines of a neatly stacked rock pile, log or low lying branches may be worthwhile. For example... That said, would you mind posting details pertaining to your current setup and diet? If you look on the main page you will find a thread titled "PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING", which will provide you with a good guideline of questions. Just copy and paste the list of questions into this thread and place your answer directly below each question.
02/15/12  04:47pm
#2255445 Pawsies View Profile	Message To: Vers   In reference to Message Id: 2255423  Uromastyx geyri The animal is not mine it is a college project I have to do. She was fed on a high protein diet (insects I think) before the college had her so has gout on her front foot. I’ll try and answer these questions best I can. 1) How long have you owned the animal Not mine, not sure how old she is. 2) Dimensions of the enclosure you are using. Measure it- do not guess or give gallon size Not sure but will be measuring it tomorrow. 3) Species (if known), length, and weight of the animal Uromastyx geyri 4) Listing of all animals kept in the enclosure referred to in the post She is kept by herself. Currently housed with African Spurred Tortoises but I am moving her to another enclosure. 5) Basking spot temperature and how that temperature was measured Unknown- how do I set this up? 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. Unknown- what brands are best for this species? 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 I will do, hopefully a D3 reptile lamp (Arcadia 12%?) about 12 inches away from her. 8) Diet items being fed and how often each item is fed What the college has available- all plant material though. 9) List of the supplements being used, how much is used, and how often the supplement is used None that I know of. 10) Type of substrate (cage bottom material). If this is sand, state whether it is calcium sand Hopefully playsand. 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…. Quite inactive. Not observed her for long. 12) Describe your animal’s appetite. unknown 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.... unknown 14) Describe how often this animal is handled and the type of handling. Handled regularly by students. 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. Unknown.
02/15/12  06:54pm
#2255466 Vers View Profile	Message To: Pawsies   In reference to Message Id: 2255445  Uromastyx geyri It seems there are quite a few unknowns :) I’ll help you with what I can until you provide complete details. Temp measurement - You can measure this with a decent IR gun, which can be found easily on Amazon or harbor freight. I would also recommend picking up a digital indoor/outdoor thermometer/hydrometer with a wireless transmitter--run a search on Amazon for ’Chaney Instruments Acu-Rite 00611’, that should give you an idea of what I mean UVB - Hopefully this is being provided, if not it could lead to metabolic bone disease. Even if the enclosure currently has one installed it’s important to note that they should be replaced every 6-7 months unless you have a UV meter. A good option is a ZooMed 100 or 160 watt MVB (mercury vapor bulb), which provides both heat and UVB. Another option are standard ZooMed or Arcadia t8 or HO t5 UVB fluorescents with a UVB rating of 10.0 or 12.0, but since they do not generate adequate heat you will need an additional basking bulb. Be sure to inquire further once you decide which type you choose. Diet - This is an extremely important aspect. Please refer to Urowiki (just google it) for a complete food items list. As soon as you gather more information please post it, until then browse through Urowiki to update yourself on proper husbandry for this genus of lizard--you will learn a lot :)
02/15/12  09:47pm
#2255493 SmogHouse View Profile	Message To: Vers   In reference to Message Id: 2255466  Uromastyx geyri You have yourself a very specific and and demanding lizard. Your enclosure must be double the length of the animal in width, quadruple in length. The tank must be warm on one end and cooler on the other to allow the reptile to thermo regulate. There should be many spots to hide all around the enclosure so they can photo regulate as well. A side loading tank is preferred, as these animals are hunted by birds and will be terrorized if you put your hands in from the top. The basking temp should be 120-130 degrees, again these are very extreme animals who can survive temps that cook eggs. Because the basking temp needs to be kept high, its important not to let it get anywhere above 130 or your lizard will cook. No heat rocks though, as they have no sense in their bellies and the rock will cook them without them even knowing. Be careful with any rocks in the enclosure, these guys (especially ur species) likes to try and move rocks and are often crushed. Proper UVB and UVA lighting is needed, this is all found on the urowiki but should not be glossed over, a uro with gout needs proper lighting more than others. They are to be fed only greens found on the urowiki site and your little guy gets absolutely NO insects, here me? None, totally off of a uros diet if they get gout or any kidney problems. Little to no water, but make sure you get their food nice and wet before you put it in the tank. This species survives in a slightly more humid climate than others so I let mine have a small container of water a couple times a month. The humidity needs to be as low as possible, so don’t keep any water in the tank for long. Big thing is give the thing many places to hide and feel safe, they are ridiculously bad at climbing, their gut is just too big. In nature this species stays to rocky patches of desert with gravel, rock and clay as their preferred substrate. The substrate you can use is found on the urowiki. I hope this helps, I hope you are getting paid or something because these animals are not the easiest to care for since you need to keep a part of your house almost as hot as an oven and a % as bright as the sun...
02/15/12  11:50pm
#2255734 Pawsies View Profile	Message To: SmogHouse   In reference to Message Id: 2255493  Uromastyx geyri Excellent, thank you. I’ve been looking at the urowiki page but I’m a bit confused on the basking lamps. Do these go on the hot end of the tank? And if so, where does the UVB go, also on the hot end? Our college has the tank set up so that the UVB light is on one end of the tank and the heater is on the other end. Does this mean there won’t be a cool end for her. I can’t change this but I’ll have to state it in my assessment. Thank you for your help.
02/17/12  03:21pm
#2255737 Pawsies View Profile	Message To: Vers   In reference to Message Id: 2255466  Uromastyx geyri Yes, sorry as it’s not my animal I’ve not got much info on her history. Thank you for the additional information. I’ve got some pictures of the enclosure I’m going to use if that helps. It’s 24.5" width by 43.5" length and 21" height. If you could identify any of the equipment that would be a great help ^-^ I think the first picture shows the heater (it’s called Microclimate Advanced Heating System?) so not sure if that’s a thermostat or heater? This is a better picture of it http://www.888reptiles.co.uk/productdetails.php?ProductID=3765&ProductGroupID=1737 As this is already installed I don’t think I’m allowed to change it but will it reach a high enough temperature for a uromastyx? Do you know what the white thing is measuring? Is that vent enough for ventilation? Sorry I’m very clueless! So this shows the heater/white thing. The second picture shows where the UVB should go (it’s not installed) but I can see where it would go. Therefore not sure if this means the enclosure has no cold end?
02/17/12  03:47pm
#2255756 Vers View Profile	Message To: Pawsies   In reference to Message Id: 2255737  Uromastyx geyri Understood. Since it seems you’re taking the reigns here (responsibly so) I’ll do my best to help you out. The enclosure size is fine and it meets the recommended minimum dimension requirements for the species in question. I’m sort of questioning the interior finish though--it appears to be spray painted? You may want to think about refinishing or throwing on a couple coats of non-toxic sealer to ensure no toxins are released. The Microclimate Advanced Heating System is new to me--I’ve never rally heard of it before but based on a bit of research it appears the unit uses a ceramic heating device and a fan (?) to create heat in the enclosure. The models I found all have thermostats, so I’ve got a feeling this one may as well. Such a unit may come in handy during a night cycle or for a bit of supplemental heat, but you may be fine using just lamps during daylight hours. This is something you will have to test prior to introducing the animal to the enclosure. If you can make use of it, that would be great. The ’white thing’ appears to be a thermometer with wired probes attached, whether or not it’s functional/accurate is questionable--again, you will have to test this. I’d recommend picking up a decent IR temp gun as soon as you can, which will help check temps in specific areas of the enclosure without running wires all over the place. In regards to the vent, you will need to check to ensure you have proper temperatures and humidity levels before knowing whether or not it will be too little/too much. Lighting wise, this is what I’d recommend doing. Forget using a fluorescent UVB source, the current position of the fluorescent fixture is poor and too far away from the floor to do any good. If you can, I’d suggest remounting it on the ceiling running lengthwise on the same side as the microclimate heater. When you get a bulb for it grab a higher wattage standard fluorescent, ideally something in the 6500K range if you can find one. Make sure you check which size bulb the fixture takes (probably t8). On the right hand side you will want to set up a basking area. If you or anyone else you are affiliated with has any experience with basic electrical this would really come in handy. If this is the case I’d consider adding a couple octagonal electrical boxes with porcelain keyless lamp holder fixtures along the top of the enclosure, one dead center and the other about a foot or so away from the wall. Just wire the two together and use a single power cable for both (lowes/home depot sells replacement power cables for power tools OR you can cut the female end off any extension cord and use that--just make sure the cord is at least 14 gauge wire for the power cable). If you cannot manage this type of set up you can always hang a couple bell/work lamps (with or without the reflector) from the enclosure ceiling, just make absolute sure they cannot go anywhere. Also make sure you use fixtures with ceramic/porcelain sockets, especially for heating bulbs/elements. Both setups should be hooked up to a timer of some sort. On to actual lighting and heating. For the basking bulb I’d recommend going with a ZooMed PowerSun 160 watt MVB as the main basking bulb, which will work just fine in a 4x2x~2 enclosure. These bulbs (MVB) will provide both heat and UVB. It should be mounted in the fixture to the far right of the enclosure, opposite the microclimate heating unit. It should also be mounted no closer than 12" from the animal’s head (not the basking surface) and no further than 24"--ideally somewhere in the middle. In the center you can mount an additional light source, something like a 23 watt 6500k CFL would work fine. This will provide the enclosure with additional needed light. Now, once you get all your lighting up and in place you will need to add your enclosure furnishings. Items such as substrate (i.e. millet, washed playsand, playsand/organic soil mix, non coated ceramic tile), hides/basking surfaces (i.e. rocks/tile/flagstone/slate), logs and or branches. Note that the uromastyx should have plenty of safely secured/anchored hides placed in the enclosure positioned in different thermal zones (at least one on the warm side and one on the cool side). These hides should provide the animal with a nice tight fit and plenty of privacy. Something like a flat stone, tile or piece of slate around 18" or so in diameter placed on top of 1.5-2" spacers (pavers or narrow brick) make for pretty good hides. Once you get the tank set up turn all the light on and give the enclosure a bit of time to heat up (a couple hours at the very least). Once that happens take temperature readings throughout the enclosure to ensure you have a proper thermal gradient. To give you an idea the cool side should be somewhere around 85f, the warm side should be in the mid to high 90’s and the basking surface should be around 120f. At this point you will need to calculate the alterations needed to get temps where they are supposed to be. For instance if the entire enclosure needs to be warmer, use the microclimate heating unit to provide more ambient heat. If just the basking are needs a boost you can either raise the basking platform (if you have wiggle room==remember, no closer than 12" from the animal, ideally further) OR you can add another bulb directly over the basking surface. If temps are too high, add a few more ventilation holes or, if need be, replace the basking bulb with a 100 watt PowerSun MVB. This part can be tricky and will most likely take a bit of tweaking to get just right. I’m sure I missed something but I’m late for a dinner date. I’ll check back later in case I think of something I forgot to mention. If you have any specific questions feel free to ask.
02/17/12  06:31pm
#2255930 Pawsies View Profile	Message To: Vers   In reference to Message Id: 2255756  Uromastyx geyri Thank you so much for this. Hope your date went nicely and you weren’t too late! :) I’m hoping to keep as much as possible the same- namely because I don’t know much about electrical wiring and college wouldn’t let me change much due to health and safety! I will however voice the things you’ve said as things I would do if I was given the chance and maybe they might take it on board? As you have said the UVB light is too far away from the floor again I can’t modify that but is there any brands that might be better/have stronger power? Can I ask why I need a basking bulb if the enclosure has UVB/Microclimate Heater in already. Is it just to raise the temperature?
02/19/12  09:04am
#2255942 Vers View Profile	Message To: Pawsies   In reference to Message Id: 2255930  Uromastyx geyri If the enclosure set up remains the same you will not be providing the uro with what it needs in many ways. No fluorescent UVB bulb will be effective at 20" away--these bulbs have an effective working distance of approximately 8-12" max and, like ever other UVB light source, weaken in strength over time. So, in order for you to use the bulb in it’s current position you would need to allow the animal to come within range, and with it being in the corner like that it would be a pretty wasteful endeavor. Since uromastyx are a basking species (many refer to them as "sun worshipers") it is paramount that they receive plenty of light in the enclosure, especially for basking. A single 2" fluorescent and a heating element, like the microclimate, alone would be an extremely poor set up for this genus of lizard. The simple fact of the matter is you need more light...a lot more. If I were you I would stress this as much as I could to whoever is in charge of the department. That said, and since you do not know of or have any personal electrical experience, I’d recommend picking up a couple work/brooder lights with ceramic/porcelain fixtures and bulb guard. They can have a 10-12" aluminum reflector but if you can find them without a reflector that would be fine as well. They might also include a clamp, which should be removed prior to installation. Go on amazon and pick up two ZooMed PowerSun 100 or 160 watt MVB bulbs (~$40 each) and a 23+ watt CFL (compact fluorescent) light bulb from any hardware store--While you’re there grab the work lights, a replacement fluorescent for the fixture that’s already in place (ideally something in the 5000-6500K range and the highest output you can find) and a plug in style timer as well. If you decide to use washed play sand or tile as a substrate or slate, flagstone or 18" tiles for hides/basking platforms this would be an ideal time to grab that as well. While you’re there you will need to pick up a couple other items, including some sort of cable clamps (2) to hold the lamps in a fixed position, preventing them from falling or shifting downwards. You will also need a drill bit, either slightly larger than the diameter of the brooder lamp’s power cable or plug. If you decide to go with a bit slightly larger than the power cable all you will need is a flat head screw driver to remove the sockets from the power cables (take note of which wire went where). What you will then need to do is drill two holes in the enclosure top, one approximately a foot or so away from the left side wall and another dead center in the top, both about a foot or so away from the back of the enclosure (as center as you can get them). Through these holes you will run your power cables for the brooder lamps (if you removed the sockets you can now reassemble them from within the enclosure), using the cable clamps on the top of the enclosure to fix them in the right position. Again, the basking bulb (PowerSun) should be fixed at the far end of the enclosure and no closer than 12" from the animal and ideally somewhere around 15-21" away. The CFL should be mounted dead center as high up as you can get it to provide a max light spread. At this point you should be all set in regards to lighting and heating, but you will need to perform a dry run to make sure all your temps are correct. It would be smart to have an IR gun on hand for this--Search Amazon or harbor freight. It would also be wise to have a secondary way to measure temps and a primary way to measure humidity. The unit that is currently mounted in the enclosure may work, but if you suspect it of being off look into picking up an indoor/outdoor unit with a wireless probe/sensor (i.e. Chaney Instruments Acu-Rite 00611). Obtaining accurate temperatures is paramount. So, To break this down into list form here is what you will need (don’t forget about emergency replacements): Home Improvement Store - (2) Work/Brooder lights with ceramic socket, 10-12" reflector and bulb guard - (2) Cable clamps with a diameter at least the size of the work/brooder light power cable w/ 1/2" or 3/4" screws. - (1) Drill bit w/ diameter slightly larger than the lamp cable or plug (someone should have a drill) - Substrate. Washed play sand and or non-coated ceramic tiles (cut to size--home depot/lowes does this for free) - Basking surface/hides. 18" non coated ceramic tile, slate, cap stone with 1.5-2" narrow spacers. Enough for at least two hides. - (2) Fluorescent tubes for fixture (preferably something in the 5000-6500K range, high output) - (2) 23+ Watt CFL bulbs (6500K/Daylight rated) - (1) Plug in timer - (1) Power strip or multiplug Amazon - (2) 100/160 watt ZooMed PowerSun MVB bulbs - (1) IR Tempgun (also available at harborfreight.com) - (1) Temp/Humidity gauge (assuming the current unit doesn’t function) If you have any further questions ask! You are also free to PM me if need be...perhaps it would be easier to explain details via chat or over the phone.
02/19/12  11:38am
#2255970 Pawsies View Profile	Message To: Vers   In reference to Message Id: 2255942  Uromastyx geyri I’ve had an idea about the UVB light. If I build a ramp for her using bricks and slate so that it’s like 2 bricks either side of the UVB with slate over the top and slate ramp going up towards the UVB would that be sufficient? I’m wondering if the vent above the heater is for ventilation or is that for a basking lamp?
02/19/12  02:19pm
#2256005 Vers View Profile	Message To: Pawsies   In reference to Message Id: 2255970  Uromastyx geyri Not only is the fluorescent fixture in a poor position for a uvb source, you will still need to add a basking bulb regardless. I think your best bet would be to follow the advice I gave you earlier which will provide you with a superior setup than the one you proposed.
02/19/12  06:45pm
#2257120 Pawsies View Profile	Message To: Vers   In reference to Message Id: 2256005  Uromastyx geyri Thank you, I managed to change enclosures so am now in a bigger one. It has a basking bulb already fitted and the uvb is in a better position. Thanks a lot for your help and hopefully it will help other people as well :)
02/28/12  07:29am
#2257147 Vers View Profile	Message To: Pawsies   In reference to Message Id: 2257120  Uromastyx geyri Sounds good--do you have a shot of the new enclosure? As long as the UVB fluorescent is within proper working distance you should be OK.
02/28/12  01:30pm

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