If you're just getting started with Uromastyx, we strongly  recommend the following package.  It contains 3# of Mazuri tortoise pellets, one 5oz jar of Uromastyx Dust,  one 6 oz jar of Miner-ALL calcium/mineral supplement, and one PE-1 Infra-Red thermometer.  Each product is discussed in detail below. This package including shipping is $62.  If you already have an infrared thermometer and merely need to restock on the other supplies, save $26 and click on the second option  ($36 including shipping).

Starter Kit-1 (w/ PE-1 Thermometer) 

Starter Kit-2 (w/out Thermometer) 

This is the diet we are currently using with all our specimens so we wish to make sure our customers have access to it as well.  The Spring mix is available at all Costco stores and many larger grocery stores year round. Mazuri tortoise diet is harder for some to come by and tends to be expensive through the few Pet shops that carry it (around $8 to $10 per pound). We therefore offer the pellets here in 3 pound units for $10 plus shipping which is about the price most competing  products sell for in the cheapest bulk amounts (25 pounds).  This way we hope all our customers can use this diet without having to buy huge amounts or having to pay a premium for more reasonable amounts. One 3# bag should last a single adult Uromastyx over 3 to 4 months when fed at a rate equivalent to two or three  ground pellets every day dusted on the greens.  This is really a very cost effective portion of the diet, even after figuring in shipping costs.  We can fit 3# in a USPS Flat Rate Priority box so figure a total price of  $19 including shipping for 3 pounds.

Mazuri Pellets (#3 bag)  

 

 

Uromastyx Dust  

We offer Uromastyx Dust to our customers in two sizes at better than pet store pricing. We offer a 5 oz container designed the single pet owner for $10 plus  $3.50 shipping (note this container is almost three times the commercial size available through Pet Shops and is a nice price savings per oz. It should last a single Uromastyx about 6 months). We also offer a larger 2 pound foil pack for breeders or those with large collections for $32  plus  $9 shipping (the cart will show the large size as $41 with $0 shipping charges) . We ship these 1st class and Priority mail respectively for quick delivery. 

Uromastyx Dust (5 oz)    

Uromastyx Dust (2.0 lb) 

 

 

 

Miner-ALL (Indoor version)  

Miner-ALL is our preferred calcium / mineral supplement for several reasons.  For one, it's one of the few that supplies all the other essential minerals in a balanced mixture. The most common calcium supplements available through major pet shops are almost entirely calcium, or worse, calcium with added phosphorus.  Adding extra calcium without the other elements in balance actual makes the problem worse as it causes the Uro's digestive system to overly excrete several of the other elements.  The Uros normal diet is already high in phosphorus so supplying added phosphorus defeats part of the purpose of adding calcium in the first place (you want a final calcium to phosphorus ration of 2:1 or 3:1 overall in the diet).  Secondly, most reptiles need a source of vitamin D3 in order to assimilate ingested calcium.  Using expensive UVB-producing lights (which help the reptile make it's own D3) are one option to supply this.  Supplementing the diet w/ D3 is another.  Vit. D3 however is stored in the body and can easily reach toxic levels if overfed.  The most common Pet Shop stocked calcium supplements have D3  levels too high for daily use.  Miner-ALL's  levels are about 1/10 the commonly used dosages and thus works fine for everyday use.  As we wish to produce the correct diet every day, not just a couple days a week, this is the best way to go.

We carry it for our customers primarily because it can be hard to find locally for most people.  We are competitive in our pricing and sell it for $7 a can.  Shipping is $2.85 if shipped alone, if shipped with a can of Uromastyx dust, we'll place  them in the same box and adjust the shipping from this end (should save you about $2).  For the average Urophile, this should last you about 6 to 8 months.  If you're buying a Uromastyx from us at the same time, a can can be placed in the Uro's shipping box to avoid the extra shipping charge.

Miner-ALL -(indoor) 

 

 

 

 

Infra-Red Thermometers  

Failure to set up and maintain the correct habitat temperatures is one of the most common errors made by Uromastyx keepers and reptile enthusiasts in general.  Proper husbandry requires setting up a temperature gradient in the cage.  So you need to know the temperature of various sections of the cage, not just the spot where you happen to stick on the typical pet shop thermometer.   Infra-Red thermometers, while more expensive than the cheap,  inaccurate pet shop fare, give an instantaneous, accurate reading of ANY part of the habitat, including the actual animal.  Just point and click and the temperature is immediately displayed in the digital readout.   There is no need to leave the thermometer in the cage to be damaged or obstruct your view.  Nor do you need to  buy multiply thermometers for readings throughout the cage or for multiple cages.  Once you have one of these, you'll never know how you did without it!  They really are the next best thing since sliced bread.   

We offer two types to best meet the needs of the pet owner and the more serious reptile enthusiast.   For those who only have one or two cages to monitor, we offer the inexpensive, lighter-sized handheld PE-1 Hobbyist unit.   It provides instantaneous readings in both C or F, auto-shut-off to conserve battery life, and even displays the minimum and maximum readings within a cage when you scan the unit across the cage interior.  It's priced at $25 plus shipping ($3.50) so even the budget conscious can afford the convenience and accuracy of an Infra-Red thermometer.

For those with larger collections or more demanding needs, we offer the PE-2 Laser-sighted  Professional  Infra-Red Thermometer.  This is the type used by engineers for precision engine testing (we've actually had the local Police authorities borrow ours for finding hot water pipes hidden in concrete flooring scheduled for partial demolition).  This model shoots a red laser beam at the exact spot where the temperature readings are being  taken so you know exactly what spot is being measured.  It is very compact in size, has a nice tight  8 to 1  measuring ration (i.e. it measures a spot 1" in size  when measured from 8" away), easy button switch for toggling between C and F readings, a backlight digital display, hold, auto-off, and a temperature range that greatly exceeds anything you'll ever need to measure (-27 F to 428 F ).  This is the best unit for taking multiple readings  quickly and accurately over multiple sites and cages.  It is truly indispensable for breeders or those with larger collections and will pay for itself almost immediately in saved costs over buying multiple, short-lived  stick-on thermometers.   We offer this unit for only  $45 plus shipping ($4.50) . 

PE-1 Thermometer

PE-2 Laser Thermometer 

 

 

UV Bulbs / High Lumen Sun Bulbs

Two types of UV light rays are utilized by reptiles. In theory UVA moderates the circadian rhythm and innate behavioral drives in reptiles (helps set their biological clocks through the changing season and stimulates feeding/breeding responses).  Reptiles in the wild use UVB rays to convert pre-vitamin D in their skin into active vitamin D3 which is then used in regulating the absorption and metabolic deposition of calcium. Unfortunately UV from incoming sunlight will not penetrate normal window or aquarium glass nor even window screen. Thus many reptile keepers seek to supply these rays artificially. The problem is normal incandescent light bulbs don't produce UV rays and most specialty bulbs claiming to produce them produce far too little to be biologically useful.

In practice, activated vitamin D3 can simply be added to the diet, thus avoiding the need for exposure to UVB rays. We have successfully reared innumerable reptiles over multiple generations using only dietary vitamin D3. We use Miner-ALL indoor version calcium supplement to fulfill that need. Still, supplying at least some UVB / UVA exposure is a good idea where practical.  Unfortunately most of the bulbs we've tested are either short-lived or produce far too little UVB to be biologically useful. The exception has been the Westron bulb, currently marketed by T-Rex and Reptile_UV as the MegaRay UVB bulb. This is the only bulb on the market that has been proven to produce measurable levels of vitamin D3 synthesis in the skin of reptiles.  We offer these at just above wholesale pricing to make it easier for our customers to get a high quality UVB bulb for closer to the price of the more commonly available bulbs (note most pet shops ask $80 each for the T-Rex bulb verses $35 to $45 for Zoo-Med's bulb.  Also note the cheaper yet off-brands have all proven next to worthless when tested with our UV meter under real world conditions).  We have both 100 watt and  160 watt versions for $39 each plus $9 shipping.  Use the 100W for 20 to 30 gallon long style tanks, and the 160W for larger tanks.

Mega-Ray 100W  Mercury Vapor Bulbs

 

Mega-Ray 160W  Mercury Vapor Bulbs

Equally important to the care and breeding of Uromastyx is a bright cage lit with light in as natural a light spectrum as possible.  We feel this has a bigger impact on our breeding efforts than simply adding artificial UV exposure.  We prefer cool white high wattage compact fluorescent bulbs as they provide the best bang for the buck (most lumens for the watts used) with a near-sunlight light spectrum.  For now, the best bulb we've found to achieve this is the 40 watt Longstar 5000K bulb. This is a coil-type compact fluorescent bulb that fits in most standard incandescent fixture. These are as bright a bulb as we can find for a reasonable price (output is 2650 lumens, equivalent to a 150W incandescent bulb).  Above 40W, the price currently doubles for minimal output gains. Likewise 5000K is arguably the perfect rating for trying to simulate natural sunlight from a CF bulb (CRI > 84).  These are an excellent choice as the main background lighting for both pet Uromastyx as well as those intended for breeding.  We can offer them for $15 each plus shipping ($5).  

Being  compact fluorescents, they fit in most normal incandescent light fixtures.  For those who wish to build their own cages or add internal lighting to either Vision, Showcase, or Animal Plastics brand cages, we also carry a small super compact ceramic light fixture which is exceptionally easy to self wire.  These are $9 each plus $3 shipping.   The photo above shows a CF bulb in the compact ceramic fixture we offer.

High Kelvin/ High Lumen Output Bulbs  

Compact Ceramic Fixtures

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the most part, Uromastyx are not overly difficult to breed. It's successfully hatching the eggs that's the tuff part. Their eggs are exceptionally sensitive to overly wet or overly dry incubation media. While many types of incubation media can work for Uromastyx eggs (perlite, vermiculite, even plain sand), it's something of an art to get them setup and maintained at the proper moisture levels. Many people suggest adding so many parts of water per so many parts of incubation media. But bags of media inherently vary in how much moisture they already contain and how they'll disperse added water, making this a fairly inaccurate method.  HatchRite was introduced to solve this problem. It is a highly tweaked form of perlite whose individual particles act somewhat like the moisture control-release particles found in some of the high-end potting soil mixes. This allows the manufacture to pre-add a precise amount of moisture to the media before packaging it in a sealed container. Thus you are spared the ordeal of trying to accurately do this yourself.  We are currently trialing it with our own eggs and so far it seems to work as advertised. It definitely removes the hardest part of incubation from the equation, especially for those who are inexperienced in mixing up incubation media or simply hate the the hassle. We offer HatchRite in 2# re-sealable  bags for $14 plus shipping ($7). This is enough to set up  4 to 6 normal size incubation trays. 

We use Ziplock 9 cup rectangular disposable containers for small clutches or clutches we wish to break up between multiple containers, and Rubbermaid  "TakeAlong" rectangular containers for larger clutches. Fill them 2/3'rds full of HatchRite and place it in the incubator at 92F (or whatever the preferred incubation temperature is for the species you work with) at least a few days before you expect your eggs to be laid. Don't put any holes in the lid. Once the eggs are laid in your nest box, dig them up and rebury them on their sides in the HatchRite until almost completely covered. Pop the lid very briefly once or twice a week for air exchange and that's it.  Note HatchRite is not suitable as a nest box media.  Please see our Uromastyx care sheet for more information on breeding/incubation.

HatchRite (2# bag)

 

 

 

Critical Care Tube-Feeding Supplement

You need to be careful when tube feeding to make sure you don't give the wrong gut organisms a competitive advantage.  Medications such as Baytril and Flagyl and antibiotics in general tend to wipe out much of the normal gut fauna.  This leaves a wide open field for potentially deleterious species to move in and take over. To a large degree, the normally present population of beneficial organisms are responsible for keeping the populations of deleterious species in check through competition for space.  But radical changes in diet as well as illness or use of medications can tip this balance in favor of the wrong species. To correct the problem, large oral doses of beneficial bacteria often help  "reset" the playing field.  Yogurt is a common food used for this purpose in humans. The problem is that it's a dairy product and not a safe choice for reptiles.  Better products with bacteria better adapted for birds and reptiles were developed in the few years, (ex. "Nutri-Bac") and a few are generally available through larger pet shops.  We strongly advocate using something like them when tube feeding. This helps prevent the large dose of "bacteria friendly" semi-liquid food from initiating an explosion of growth among the wrong bacteria.  But even if you follow this precaution, the commonly used foods for  tube feeding (strained baby foods) can be a problem to a weaker individuals' system. We found a product called "Critical Care" formulated for tube feeding herbivores (rabbits, guinea pigs, etc.) that solves these concerns in the more common tube-feeding situations.  It's base ingredients are much more herbivore-friendly (ex. timothy grass) and is a much safer way to nutritionally aid seriously debilitated individuals or to jump start animals in a decline. It also contains beneficial gut fauna so it covers both health issues associated with tube feeding. 

We offer it in two sizes - Pet size  (141 grams) which is the most practical for the average pet owner, and Breeder size (1 lb) for those with larger collections or who do rehabilitation work. For animals still eating on their own, it is also an excellent supplement sprinkled onto the greens. If your animal is to the point where it needs tube feeding, we first ask that you go to your local Vet to learn first hand how to properly tube feed your Uro. We do NOT recommend that the novice try tube feeding without first contacting your local Veterinary and being show specifically how to safely tube feed and we will not sell any Critical Care for that purpose until you can demonstrate to us you know what you're doing.  However it is completely safe for those using it as an additive or spoon feeding their convalescent pets or breeders.  You must call us first before ordering so we can walk you through its proper use.  We offer the pet size for $10 plus $5 shipping and the Breeder size for $25 plus $7 shipping.  We've included a photo of a bottle of a generic brand of "Pedialyte" in this section as that's what we prefer to use when mixing up all our tube-feeding formulas and medications.  It's available as various store brands throughout North America and is a much better choice than tap water or bottled water.  It contains electrolytes plus easily absorbed dextrose.  It also is safe to use for enemas in severely dehydrated individuals or one's with gut impactions.

Critical Care (Breeder Size 1 lb -454 grams)

Critical Care (Pet Size 141 grams)

We use these for administering many of our medications and for tube feeding ill or convalescing specimens. Many novices try to "force-feed" Uromastyx or other reptiles by forcing food into the mouth.  There are several significant problems with this approach.  First, it really stresses the animal and at least with Uromastyx, they quickly learn to clamp their mouths shut.  Their jaw muscles are normally stronger than their jaw bones so forcing  the mouth open can  result in a broken jaw.  Secondly, it's almost impossible to gage how much medication they actually managed to swallow verses spit out.  In the case of  food, it's impossible to get measurable amounts down them  by simply cramming it into their mouths on the rare occasions you get it open long enough to get any in at all.  And lastly, the opening to their lungs ( a completely separate tube from the "throat" is right at the front of the mouth - the exact place you're cramming this food or liquid.   Good tubing needles solve most the above problems very nicely.  You only have to get the mouth open one time.  Then you can slide the needle right down the throat to safely and reliably deliver the food or medication directly into the stomach.  This minimizes handling time, stress, and any chances of  getting food into the lungs or lost as major dribbles from the mouth.  This is best shown to you by a Vet before you attempt it yourself, but we can also walk you though the process over the phone if  that's you're only option.  Most Vets don't carry the needles, they use soft catheters which are more problematic for the novice to use, but the technique is overall the same. 

Popper Rubber-Tip Medicating Needle: This is a 15 gauge, 3" rubber tipped feeding needle (shown in the photo above) that is our preferred needle for smaller individuals or hard to work with individuals.  This is marketed as a disposable needle as rubber tip wears off with use. However it's soft texture and small size make it the easiest to use and most readily accepted by most Uromastyx.  It's priced as a disposable needle (to make up for it's short lifespan) and we can sell these  for $6 each. Shipping is $1.75 for 1 to 10 needles.  We use a hard to find 10 ga stainless steel needle for tubing thick feeding supplements.  We have not found a wholesale source for these but can we can try to help you find a retail source if you need one.  Pricing varies but usually runs around $25 to $35 each when available.

Rubber-tip Medicating Needle

 

 

 

Plastic Mouth Teasers

Now - how to get the mouth open!  This problem has plagued Urophiles for some time.  As we do a lot of tubing, getting the mouth reliably and safely open when needed is a major issue for us. We solved the problem several summers past.  We found a product designed as a soft, plastic toothpick that works exceptionally well for teasing the Uro into opening it's mouth to bite it!  The soft tip is placed parallel to the front tooth and wiggled between the upper and lower jaw.  Most Uro's can't help but bite it within a few seconds.  Even truly stubborn ones will bite it in a minute or two. Once they latch onto it, the thick base helps keep the mouth open while you slide in the tubing needle.  The soft tip keeps it from injuring the mouth, yet it's till stiff enough to tickle the jaws.  The down side is the toothpick is often destroyed with one or two uses, but as they are meant to be disposable, this isn't a significant problem.  We are working to get these made for us for resale in small containers just as if they were for use as safe toothpicks for travelers (they are not offered commercial in any stores - we found them as a demo unit).  We don't know pricing but they should be relatively cheap or they would never work as toothpicks for humans.  In the mean time another trick that works but not quite as well, is to buy a toothbrush with the rubber tip "pick" on the far end.  Wiggle this tip between the front teeth  and the results are usually similar.  The larger size of the tip makes if fit less well between the teeth so the biting response isn't as reliable, but still it's pretty good for most specimens.  This tip is also destroyed fairly quickly and tooth brushes are too expensive to make this a practical approach for us.  We did find a unit made without the brush -just a thin metal handle with only the rubber tip end.  The tip was made so the tips were replaceable, unfortunately we've been unable to find a manufacturer so we can offer them.

To place an order with us please e-mail  or call us  (360) 435- 2679  Pacific Standard Time  to discuss your needs with us first so we can better help you make the best choices for your situation.   We accept Cashiers checks or Postal money orders, and are set up to accept Visa, Master Card, American Express and Discover through Paypal (click on the "Add to Cart" button below each item to use the shopping cart feature on this page or click on the "Buy Now" button below the Paypal banner to total everything yourself  manually).

Note Paypal payments allow us to ship immediately (we ship supplies Mondays through Fridays).   Please mail checks or money orders to:

Deer Fern Farms,
27610 Whitman Rd.,
Arlington, WA. 98223

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Email: douglasdix@deerfernfarms.com

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