How can I help my Mali Uromastyx?

Question

She's extremely overweight...and it is sad to see her unable to fit in the log. We feed her lettuce once a day and keep the cage between 80-95 degrees (I think) I'm just taking care of her now as my brother is away at college, and I am worried.

She's extremely overweight...and it is sad to see her unable to fit in the log. We feed her lettuce once a day and keep the cage between 80-95 degrees (I think) I'm just taking care of her now as my brother is away at college, and I am worried.

Edit:
I realize that they tend to grow large, but she is overweight, for sure. I'll try to get a picture. She is 5-6 years old. The cage is half UVB lamp, and another half 80-95 degrees. The lettuce is a mixture from a bag. I'll see what I can do about the branches though.

Answer 1

You should not be feeding lettuce since it has no nutritional value what so ever . Feed endive ,escarole , dandelion greens , bok choy , edible flowers like hibiscus , roses ,nasturtiums , squash , red and green bell peppers , finch seed and dried lentils that have been soaked over night. Your temps are way off . You need accurate digital thermometers and a large cage 48"x24"x24" to get the proper temperature gradient . Hot end should be 120-130 degrees Fahrenheit , ambient temp . 100 and cool end 80-85 . Get a couple of larger hides . You should take a fresh stool sample into the vet to have it checked for parasites .You need a good UVB light no farther away from the bottom of the cage than 12 inches( closer is better) with no screen or covering between it and the Uro .Go to www.reptilezone.com and read , read , read . Check out the care sheets at www.deerfernfarms.com You need to learn how to take proper care of him .You should NOT feed mustard , turnip , or collard greens since it can bind calcium and cause MBD > Do not feed red kidney beans , broccoli , or sunflower seeds .NEVER EVER feed worms or crickets . They are vegetarians and to much protein will also cause MBD .

Answer 2

Uromastyx tend to be "hefty" - look at this photo: http://coldbloodedpets.com/animals/mali.jpg. It's possible that if your brother had her for a while, she was small when he got her and now she's just growing up. They'll get around 14" long, so maybe her log is too small for her as an adult.

You should feed her a variety of dark leafy greens - not just lettuce (and never iceberg [head] lettuce). They also like sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, and peas.

I'd get a thermometer and check her cage temperature. It's okay for most of the area to be 80-90, but she needs a basking area of about 120o, too. And she should have a UVB lamp.

If you're concerned about her weight, give her some thick branches to climb on. It will help her get some exercise.

Below are some websites with more information about taking care of them. You brother should be glad he has someone who worrys about his lizard and wants to care for her properly, like you!

http://www.anapsid.org/uromastyx.html
http://www.deerfernfarms.com/Uromastyx_Care.htm

Answer 3

Mali's are by nature larger in the stomach area, shes probably not over weight. They get quite large in size. They say for a full grown Mali you need a 50 gallon Teranium and they like it HOT. The hotter the better. If you still thinks she over weight, put her on strict greens diet and no insects or mealworms for a while. You also need to vari her diet from just lettuce. Please feed her other things she could be getting a vitamin deficiency. This website is very informative for Mali's
http://www.sundialreptile.com/care%20sheet--uro.htm
Dont be too worried, just increase diffrent greens and keep her as hot as possible. Malis grow very large, They generally dont get fat.

Answer 4

They should have basking temps be 100-110 and normal temps of 85, place hiding spots on both sides. It needs a UVB light. The substrate should be reptile carpet not sand, sand can impact them. Collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, and dandelion greens should be staple foods, along with a mixture of veggies like acorn, butternut squash, fresh green beans, fresh peas, green bell peppers, parsnip, carrotsand fruits like figs, papaya, mango,and berries. Dandelion flowers and cactus are also relished also. They will eat crickets ocassionally, less than once every two weeks for adults,and once a week for younger Uromastyx.

Do not feed lettuce!

http://www.sundialreptile.com/care%20sheet--uro.htm

Answer 5

Never feed them lettuce. Give her a few crickets or meals worms every now and then. The cage should be around 120.

Answer 6

The temp is not high enough and lettuce is not nutritious enough. You need to feed her a varied diet of dark leafy greens (kale, mustard greens, dandelion greens, collard greens) and veggies (squash, peas, bell peppers etc).