New Uromastyx - Questions?

Question

I've just bought a new 8 month old Uromastyx today & I've got a few questions..
1. Since he's come home, he's scratched like mad at the side of the vivarium.. Why's this? 2. Do I turn EVERYTHING off at night (lights, heat pad etc.) or do I leave anything on? 3. How often should he have bugs in his diet? 4. There's a brand new UV lamp in the vivarium, but it keeps turning off on it's own when you touch around the tank, and you have to fiddle with it to get it to turn back on.. Why's this?!?! Thankyou :) x

Answer 1

I have nearly 3 dozen reptiles and I can tell you that you chose a great reptile. Ok, now off to your questions,

1. If you cover three sides of the enclosure with a background, even just brown paper it will help your Mali feel more at ease. It might not stop the constant scratching but whenever we relocate ours they have done the same thing for a few days to a few weeks.

2. Do not turn off the under tank heater, it takes a few hours for them to warm up and start doing their job. Leave the under tank heater on all the time and simply turn off the UV and heat lamps. If you can afford it, you can buy an automatic timer and plug the lights into it, I did and I set it from 30 min after sunrise to 30 min after sunset. Right now all of my UV and heat lamps (excluding the nocturnal lamps) are set to turn on at 6:00am and go off at 9pm. Just like the reptiles would have in the wild.

3. I do not feed bugs once a Mali is 6 or 7 months old unless they are underweight or have issues. I only feed a vegetarian diet sprinkled with calcium dust.

4. I would say to check a couple of things on the UV light. The first being that it isn't getting too hot and tripping a safety mechanism that shuts it down or something along those lines. Make sure it has plenty of ventilation. The second thing to check is that the bulb is installed correctly. (Obviously make sure the lamp is unplugged when you check the bulb.) One other thing about UV lights, make sure there isn't a plastic or glass cover because UV doesn't go through glass and plastic. It is also drastically cut down through even screen.

Enjoy your Mali's, they are a blast, which is why we have a couple in our mix, they are by far the easiest and one of them most docile reptiles out there.

Answer 2

1. It's normal for them to scratch. Mine do it all of the time.
2. leave the heat sources on at night. They need warm temps.
3. Don't feed them bugs stick to fruits and veggies.
4. The lamp has a short in it get rid of it before it harms your lizard.

I have a pair of uromastyx myself if you have any questions feel free to ask. My email is [e-mail]

Do a yahoo search for uromastyx care sheets and they will tell you everything you need to know

Answer 3

My favorite of all reptiles! Congrats on your new friend.

I'm not sure why he is scratching madly, but it is most likely he is trying to get familiar with his new surroundings and trying to see if there are ways out. Make sure he has a low cave to hide in, as they are birrowing animals and need this to feel safe.

You should never use a heat pad with any reptile as they are prone to burning reptiles tummys. He needs to have a basking area with the temperature at 120°F and a cooler side on the other part of the tank. A proper light will make sure it is warm, and keep a thermometer in the tank to monitor it.

It sounds like you need a new hood for your uvb light.

Turn off everything at night, it gets cooler at night in the desert, so it is fine to have it coooler at night in your tank.

Any more questionms please email me.

Edit: Do not feed him crickets like the poster above me said, they are vegitarians!

Answer 4

Do you've an Egyptian or Mali Uromastyx? The Egyptian Uromastyx is an unique yet ordinary-to-care-for lizard. if you're in search of a acceptable yet sturdy reptile puppy, the Egyptian Uromastyx could be suitable for you! The Dab Lizard isn't territorial, meaning it can be saved in communities. even with the reality that incredibly ordinary to take care of, that's considered necessary that the enclosure be saved very warmth. The temperature should be about 80 5 ranges Fahrenheit in the course of the day, with about a 10-degree drop at nighttime. also, a basking spot of about one hundred ten ranges is needed. Use an complete spectrum UVB mild. also, ensure that your Spiny Mastigure has more than a number of hiding spots - hollow logs or rocks with overhangs artwork good. this manner the lizard has coloration and an area to retreat could he change into lower than pressure. because they're interior of reach to deserts, the Egyptian Uromastyx needs dry warmth. at the same time as they're laying off you should mist them or soak them in water for 5 to 10 minutes to help them shed their skins. Your Egyptian Uromastyx should be fed more than a number of darkish leafy vegetables mutually with collard vegetables, endive, and escarole. caution should be taken at the same time as feeding vegetables mutually with broccoli, cabbage, and spinach as they're calcium-binding vegetables. that's usually counseled that birdseed be sprinkled on their foodstuff some cases a week to help in digestion. as well, the Dab Lizard needs some animal protein; so feed crickets or mealworms a minimum of once a week. Sand works good as a substrate, yet be efficient that's silica-free. Silica will tear up the insides of the digestive structures in Dab Lizards. Egyptian Uromastyx also opt for to dig burrows and sand that is 8 inches deep will enable them to attempt this. As is actual with maximum different lizards men could no longer be housed mutually or they could strive against. Egyptian Uromastyxes stay an universal of 10 to fifteen years, searching on how properly they're saved.

Answer 5

2) All animals need 12 hours of night so turn off the lights, im not sure about the heat pad though. If caring for Uromastyx is anything like beareded dragons you should feed him crickets twice a day and have lettuce available all the time. ps im not an expert all I know for sure is they need 12:00 of darkness.