Question
Thin Lizard!
Hi Tracie,
Thought you would be a good person to contact about my reptile problem.
I just adopted, as of three hours ago, a spiny tailed lizard which I am assuming is some sort of uromastyx. The owner (a highschool boy) has moved off to school and is no longer willing to take care of him. I took care of a herp lab over the past year and decided to take him in rather then let it waste away in his parents' shed.
"Spike" the lizard doesn't look very well. He looks malnourished and is very inactive. I've never taken care of a uromastyx so I don't know much about their care. I've been looking online for care sheets. They told me they were feeding him hibiscus flowers and birdseed. They have a UV light on him but they didn't have it on a timer and they didn't have a heat lamp on him. His substrate is White Proso Millet and his tank is about 40 gallons or so. His eyes are closed a lot and he doesn't react much to be handled. Is this normal? They said he used to be more active. I do not have a temperature reading on his tank but I'm going to the pet store tomorrow to buy some more supplies.
I really think he's suffering from malnutrition and improper temperature.
Any suggestions? I've included some pictures. I'd really love to know what kind of uromastyx it is as well. And, I'm assuming it is a female because of the light coloration but this is just a guess too.
Any help would be much appreciated,
Becky
AnswerHello Becky,
OMG, how terrible. You are very right, he is way too thin. His skin is very wrinkled which indicates severe dehydration.
I am glad that you have taken him in though.
Let's see what we can do for him/well, her possibly.
What type & brand of UVB are you using? They had no heat light on him, ever? I am actually surprised that he is still alive.
Here is a list of things that you will need to get for him.
Either a Reptisun 10 flourescent tube light (UVB) or a Megaray mercury vapor lamp but you can only get the Megaray from: www.reptileuv.com
The Reptisun 10 you can get from:
www.petmountain.com
Do not get ANY compacts or coils of any brand. Do not get any Reptiglo 10 products, at all, or any ESU/Zilla lights either.
If you get a flourescent tube Reptisun 10 UVB light, then, you will need to get a 100 or a 125 watt halogen to get your basking temps up. You will need to place that at one end of the tank in order to get the basking temps up to 125 or so. The cooler end should be around 80 or so.
Next you will need to get a digital probe or a temp gun to measure the temps accurately. Do not get any stick on thermometers they are off alot & wont measure the basking spots very well.
The Millet for his substrate is fine for now.
Birdseed & hibiscus is fine, but it is definitely not enough. He will also need collard & mustard greens, cooked squash, alfalfa, cooked mixed beans (NO kidney beans) but everything else. Also, he can have a little fruit too.
However, right now, I highly suggest that you make some nutritional slurries for him as I doubt he will eat on his own. Use a plastic dropper to get him to lick food off of the end of his nose.
Also, he does need calcium supplementation, as well, phosphorus free. So get either the Repcal calcium with or without D3, or Jurassical pure calcium. If you get a mercury vapor bulb, do not use calcium with D3. If you get a flourescent tube bulb, use calcium with D3.
If he is not reacting to being handled, he definitely does not feel well at all. He is very dehydrated, so your first priority should be to soak him in warm water a couple of times per day, & try to get some oral fluids into him immediately.
Let me know how he is doing. Monitor the stools too. Let me know how much urates are coming out with the stools, if any at all.
Tracie
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