Hi there, SO I got two Uros yesterday-they needed to be adopted and a better environment. First-the guy told me they were the same type as the one I currently own-Hannibal-but clearly not the same.....I have attached pictures of Hannibal (first picture) and one of the new guys (second picture). Could someone help me figure out what kind?? I know that sounds silly..but I just want to be sure! Also, the two I just got have not been well cared for...they are about 8 inches or so and have been living in a 20 gallon tank together! AND the previous owner only fed them lima beans and a worm once a month-I mean come on! There skin seems ashy and very dry. I have them set up with correct lighting and food now-is there anything else I could or should be doing to help them get back to good health!? THANKS!
Hi, I'm not 100% certain here but I think Hanibal is a Mali. Difficult to tell with the others as they have been kept in such poor condition but judging by the "speckled" marking they may be Saharan. Have a look at Deer Fern Farms site HERE. Although the pics here, show the orange and red phase the marking appear similar. I suggest you contact Douglas Dix there and email him the pics and explain the circumstances. These guys are one of the best breeders and have a huge amount of knowledge and they are usually more than willing to help. Now they have the correct UVB and heating their colours will change in time. It would be a good idea to serve the veg very wet so they can re-hydrate and make sure it's dusted with calcium without D3 and also phosphorus free. Do that every meal and then use Herptivite multi-vits 2x a week. It would also be a good idea to have a fecal test done on both the new ones to rule out any parasites etc due to conditions they were kept in. I'm sure in time they will improve under your care.
Actually, Hannibal looks like an Egyptian, but I can't be sure, and the other one looks like a Mali. Definately hydrate their veggies very good as Bruno suggested. I'm sure that with the right diet, lighting and enclosure they will thrive.
Ok great. Thank you! If my one is an Egyptian-how fast would I expect to see him grow? He's is pretty small right now-and I have had him for about a year....dont know how old he was when I got him. As for the new guys-any specific type of veggies better than others to help boost them up?? Thanks
Hi, Actually TacomaAnne could be right about Hanibal, what threw me was the strong band markings, I've not seen an Egyptian so boldy marked. Here's a pic of my Egyptian, Spike, he's approx 2 years old and 12" and weighs just over 500 grams. Fortunately they are slow growing, they can take up to 5 yrs or more to reach their potential size of 2.5-3ft. The other two could be Mali's, as I said, once they improve in health the colours will come out better. Regards veggies, good staple veg are Endives, Escarole, Dandelion leaves ( not out of yard), Turnip greens, in fact, generally speaking, anything with "greens" in title are good. You may wish to check out this site, Beautiful Dragons, nutritional values chart, Ok it's designed for Bearded Dragons but the veggies listed are also good for uro's. Obviously ignore the references to insects as they dont apply to uro's. Hope this helps.
He is beautiful! I will head to the store tomorrow to make sure I have a good supply of veggies for the new guys. I am a little worried about one of them...one seems to be fine-active and eating well-the other one is very lethargic. Pretty much where ever I put him he stays...and I havent seen him eat much. He also seems to have a very soft belly-almost squishy. Im so worried-I would take him to the vet-but Im not sure what they will do for him other than to keep feeding him and use the correct lighting. And Im worried I will just stress him out by taking him....poor guy...any ideas would help
Hiya, The symptoms you describe, one active and eating and the other lethargic etc are typical signs of domination, although you may not notice it. It's hard to prevent this when they are both in same tank. I know this may be very difficult for you but is there any way you can seperate them, at least until their health improves. It would also be easier to get a fecal sample from each and have both tested. Have you noticed any runny or smelly poops? This again is a sign of parasites. Unfortunately there are several different treatments for parasites, depending one which ones are present, if any, hence a fecal test is the only way. It would also be a good idea to try and find a good herp vet near you. Check out these two sites. Herp vet connections and ARAV Usually "normal" vets dont have much idea with herps. In the mean time make sure there is enough room for both to get under the UVB and basking spots and may be feed seperately and see how you get on.
Hmmm-I never thought about that-yes I can seperate them...I'll see if that helps! Quick question: not related to Uros actually my Bearded dragon. I think I am loosing my mind-he is about 2 to 3 years old...that Sun Fire red color. Just now I looked over at him and his beard is black. He is acting totally normal but it has never been this color before...is this something normal-is he changing to that color-or is there something wrong!?
Hi, If you can seperate so much the better. Now they are out of those terrible conditions, it seems to me they are starting to recover, before they tolerated each other purely for survival and now their true nature is coming out. Seperating them will also help you monitor the food intake as well as less stress to them both. I'm sure you will see the lethargic one improve soon. Uro's like most reptiles are solitary animals and only get together at breeding time. If the tank is big enough then 2 can live together in a relatively small area compared to the wild. If you put them back together then be prepared to seperate if problems occur. Your Beardie is behaving normally, a black beard is only him showing his territorial instincts. It's possible he saw his own reflection in glass. Basically he's saying, "hey you stay off my patch" or if he can see the other lizards, same thing. Nothing to worry about there, he's fine.
