Pet***** Rescue.

[Lena]

I'm not sure if this should be in "rants and raves" or "other reptiles".

I swear, I think guilt is a sales tactic. Stewing reptiles in their own filth on black ground up glass (sand) and starving them to death! :main_angry:

To spite the ridiculous price, after a week of debating it and feeling terrible, I decided to rescue a little mali uromastyx from one of our local chain pet stores.

To the tune of $120.

I knew he'd be there a while because of the price and obscurity his species.. He was in horrendous conditions. I wanted to get him before his health declined.

Don't get me wrong, he was well worth it. An absolute pleasure to watch and to hold. He's so active and fearless!

Without further ado.. Introducing.. Sergeant (a.k.a Sergeant Bristles)

And his enclosure:

I'm using a powersun 160 Watt and it's heating things up nicely at around 117 degrees F. I've currently got him on paper towels and am highly debating millet.. Deer Fern Farms recommends it but I just never feel right about particle substrates.. Any suggestions are much appreciated.

Oh, and he's been chowing down on nice, fresh escarole. :main_thumbsup:

 

[acpart]

Congratulations on your rescue. One idea that helps balance out the unfortunate fact that every time we buy a rescue from a petstore, we're supporting the pet store and encouraging them to continue, is to try to bargain them down so we get a better price and they get less profit. I have been encouraged that the local big chains near me have drastically scaled down (no pun intended) their reptile offerings and are focusing more on supplies and pet training/grooming.

Aliza

 

[canadiangecko]

you should feel proud of your self good job
I think you should listen to deer fern farms if they use it you should to because they're the top breeder for Uro's in North America well at least that's what i think

 

[Crazygecko]

Very nice mali you got there Lena. Nice to see people rescuing them. Glad to see he isnt in horrible shape. Just make sure you give him tons and tons of UV light.
Good luck with him. And grats on the cute pick up.

 

[Lena]

Thanks for the encouragement, guys.

As for bargaining with them.. It's just a bunch of dumb 20'somethings that are only there for a paycheck. I start to hassle them and they'll just tell me they can't do anything about it. They couldn't care less about the animals.. Let alone reptiles. To most people it seems they're disposable..

I wish I could save them all, and I know all too well that by saving this one I only put more money in those corporate fat-cat's pockets (no pun intended).

But those little eyes, that little face. I went over to his tiny enclosure and he walked up to the glass and looked right up at me.. I knew I had to give him a second chance.

 

[Troyschicken]

I love to rescue. I wish I could save all the poor reptiles at one local shop. But i know it just supports them so I stay away. Makes it easier to just say no.

I would use Deer Fern Farms uromastyx care sheet. Its been the most detailed one I've found. Also if you go to repticzone.com they have some really good advice. Straight forward and blunt but good none the less.

Basking area = 125 - 135 Degrees
Hot end Ambient (air) Temp = 100 Degrees
Cool end Ambient (air) Temp = 80 - 85 Degrees
Night time Temps = No lower than 70 Degrees

Thats about the average you hear.

Most say anything under 7 inches should stay on paper towels. After that you can put them on millet. I have my guy on paper towels right now. He' s only 4 inches. So dang cute! Also low hides are the best. They really like to wedge in there. I have to redo some of mine. I thought they were low enough but the ones he prefers are super snug. So Im gonna shift some things around.

I'd also sugest an IR temp gun. They really help in getting the temps right. Very accurate as well. My husband steals mine from me all the time. Haha.

Good luck with you lil one. Keep us updated.

 

[Lena]

Thanks for all your help, Z! I've been keeping it around 120 degrees and the ambient air around the basking spot ranges from 90-100. The cool side kind of tapers off at around 80-75.

Ken and I measured him, he's about 5 inches.. 2 more inches before millet, I guess.

I feel so weird putting him on something not only loose but.. His own food? :/ Just doesn't seem right. But if Deer Fern Farms recommends it..

 

[RepBex]

well surely if its his own food it does not matter if it is injested and feeds them at the same time lol

 

[Lena]

I'll probably pick up a bag of millet today or tomorrow. I can tell the little guy really wants something to dig in.

 

[Crazygecko]

lol its going to be the biggest food dish he ever seen. lol I always wanted a mali. they just so cute.

 

[rubym]

He is adorable. Try dandilion flowers sometime as a treat. Our loved them. They would run to get to them when we put them down.

 

[Alusdra]

The sad thing is that it IS a sales tactic to keep animals in pathetic conditions so that people will 'rescue' them.

Congrats on your new baby, though, quite the cutie.

 

[Euphoric]

Uromastyx are great pets!
Yeah my ******** was feeding them crickets and I was hello!
They only eat greens!