I just purchased a Ornate Uromastyx 2 days ago. He is a baby, he is held in a 55 tank. Is sand bad for baby's? and why doesn't he come out in the morning after i turn the lights on, it takes sometime before he does?
Welcome to the forums connork508! = ) It's generally recommended to avoid particulate substrates like sand for juvenile reptiles; they are quite prone to impaction from consuming the sand which can often be fatal. If you must use sand, its best to wait until the animal is older where its easier to pass some sand granuals here and there. I'd also only recommend washed and screened playsand for this scenario as well - the calcisand junk they sell in pet stores is not only a rip off, but its much more dangerous to use. Better options would be non-adhesive shelf liner (the rubbery kind), slate tiles, paper towel, or newspaper. The first two can look very nice in the viv, and they can be easy to clean and very cost effective methods. You can get non adhesive shelf liner for <$5 in any color or texture you want and the roll can last you forever. It also looks nice (you can get sandy color and textured shelf liner). As for him awakening in the morning - reptiles are ectotherms (cold-blooded). They tend to be sluggish immediately after waking wake since the evening is much cooler than the day underneath the heat source. It probably just takes the little guy a little extra time to get in gear in the morning since his body is cooler which results in a slower metabolism. Another possible explanation for his unwillingness to venture out is he is in a new environment. Moves can be stressful, and he may not quite be acclimated to his new home with you just yet. He may still be a little skittish and unwilling to venture out into the open to bask right away as he is still unsure of how things work in his home. But just out of curiosity - how long does it take would you guess for him to come out? Also - little tip. I'd recommend picking up a cheap Light Timer to automatically turn your lights on and off for you. You can set it to have the lights on 12-14 hours a day and they will consistently turn the lights on in the morning for you at a set time and off at a set time. This keep things consitent for the lizard (which they like) and makes things easier on you as well. We all have those nights that run longer than anticipated, and we don't want the light running into his sleeping time. You can pick one up from a hardware or home improvement store like walmart, lowes, home depot, etc for $5-10. = )
Actually, I posted this 50 minutes ago and he came out like 10 min ago. So I guess when it heats up he comes out. And right now i put newspaper over the sand, i have vitasand and reptisand down
