keeping nigerian uros alive!

cuora-ca · 03-11-04, 11:15 PM

I purchased 10 nigerian uros int he fall. Hand picked from the distributor. I only have one left today. I have been keeping herps for over 10 years. I treated them for parasites and feed them a good diet, but one by one, they stopped eating until they died.

I woudl liek to start a new group, but I don't want the same to happen. Has anyone had success keepign these guys alive?

Thanks

NiagaraReptiles · 03-12-04, 06:35 AM

The trick is to buy babies.......at least that's what I've found to be the most successful way to acclimate Uros. Adult Uros ship horribly and I don't think they acclimate very well. Also, it can be very difficult to effectively treat any herbivorous reptile for parasites and Uros seem to be on the more sensitive side of that scale on top of that. They come to relay greatly on the protozoa and such for proper digestion. Often treating with Metronidazole and Benfendazole will completely wipe out their systems throwing them into a state of shock.....they stop eating and die soon after.
Garlic is a good natural dewormer for herbivorous reptiles. I think there are some other plants and fruits that act in the same maner, but I can't seem to find the link I had to the medicinal foods wesite I found. If you run a search in google you may find it or soemthing similar.

Best wishes,

JonK

Rhonda · 03-30-04, 12:48 AM

I have kept an adult WC pair of nigerian uros for almost 3 years now. I was very selective and did a lot of research before making my purchase. This year I've decided to try breeding them. I cooled them down to 55 degrees for almost 3 months and kept them in darkness. This seems (so far) to have been a good choice. They bred within 3 weeks of coming out of hibernation for a week straight. So I'm going to keep my fingers crossed that she will produce. I'm curious, What temperature did you keep them at? were they all eating well? Did you keep them in a crowded enclosure?(uros need space) What were you feeding them?
I keep my uros enclosure at between 90-120degrees. I feed them a wide variety of food because they get board real easy. They eat collard greens, kale, escarole, dandelion flowers and foliage(in the summer), carrots, apple, zuccini, peppers, alfalpha, sweet potato, turnip, snow peas, green beans and some dry food such as wild bird seed mix, alfalpha pellets, lentils, split peas, chick starter all with a bit of calcium and d3 on top! Now thats a uro salad! This species has proved to be a bit difficult to keep but once you can cater to their individual needs they seem to do quite well. Good Luck!

Steeve B · 03-30-04, 07:10 AM

thers a very simple trick to help them clear there parasites, I to was advised on deworming and that most will die, even profesional breeder estimated that 35-40% will not adjust.
perhaps the best advise I got was very low dosage of metronidazol (flagel) and to not completly remouve there parasite flora, however I choused an other route, without drugs and it worked so well that even my supplyer is applying it to all imports.
rhondas post is a mandatory base to any sucessfull aclimation of uromastyx. email me if you ever start a new colony.