low basking temps cause gout?

[Chameleons Northwest]

Ran across this little blurb on the internet quite accidentally just now. thought I would link it here. It may be common knowledge, but I was unaware that temps too low can cause renal problems, resulting in inability to excrete uric acid, leading to gout. Though I did read before that too-low temps can disrupt nutrional absorption and other metabolic processes. I believe the vet states that temps need to be at least 80-85. So, the vet is suggesting veileds can develop this problem when their high temps are below 80, if I understand correctly. It is unlikely anyone here would have basking temps lower than 80 for a veiled cham, but it's an interesting little article. Is anyone here familiar with reptile republic?

http://www.reptilerepublic.com/university/stories/clinical-veiled.html

 

[dodolah]

Ran across this little blurb on the internet quite accidentally just now. thought I would link it here. It may be common knowledge, but I was unaware that temps too low can cause renal failure.

http://www.reptilerepublic.com/university/stories/clinical-veiled.html

very interesting. thanks for the link.

 

[wendysjungle]

Wow, thanks for that. I am still struggling to find the right temps and feeding schedule for Joyce that will keep her happy, but hopefully also keep her egg production low or nil to extend her lifespan.

She is MAD about her new Chameleon Weight Watchers feeding schedule! Yesterday afternoon she stared into her empty feeding cup and turned black, she is so hacked off. I'm trying to cut her down slowly, but she does not appreciate it!

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Wow, thanks for that. I am still struggling to find the right temps and feeding schedule for Joyce that will keep her happy, but hopefully also keep her egg production low or nil to extend her lifespan.

She is MAD about her new Chameleon Weight Watchers feeding schedule! Yesterday afternoon she stared into her empty feeding cup and turned black, she is so hacked off. I'm trying to cut her down slowly, but she does not appreciate it!

Is Joyce about 5 months old? Should you be curtailing her diet at that age? I haven't raised a female that young, so I don't know. It's just that I am thinking she is still growing and developing. Although I understand that your concern is that she is already likely developing eggs, and so you want to control that early, before it's too late to limit her first clutch size.

 

[wendysjungle]

Is Joyce about 5 months old? Should you be curtailing her diet at that age? I haven't raised a female that young, so I don't know. It's just that I am thinking she is still growing and developing. Although I understand that your concern is that she is already likely developing eggs, and so you want to control that early, before it's too late to limit her first clutch size.

I totally understand your question, I am there too! Once I got rid of the converted ferret cage and put her into her new LLL Reptile cage, she went immediately into pig mode (see thread "Joyce still pigging out!") and stayed there. I posted to see what I should do, since her (estimated) age is right on that border of 5-6 months old, and Brad said I had better start cutting her back some so she wouldn't become overweight AND start cycling eggs. He said female veilds are pigs, and they don't start self-limiting like the boys do in early adulthood. Right now she is getting 4 or 5 crickets or superworms daily (alternate feeders to provide variety are on order), which she inhales in about 5 seconds like a little green Hoover, and I am supposed to gradually get her to 8 feeders or so every other day. I usually mist her cage really well at the same time I add feeders to her cup, and yesterday she was so impatient she charged right past me and the hand-mister to get to her feeding cup (she usually hides when I mist).

I've ordered a digital gram scale so that I can keep track of her weight and make sure I am not over or under feeding her. It's confusing, when she is right at the border between growing baby and adult, trying to figure out what is best for her! I made a vet appointment for her next week, so they can check a fecal and her general health and hopefully tell me how I am doing.

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Sounds good. Brad would know about all that and would not lead you astray.

I saw her pictures and she's a beauty. Looks very healthy, too. Great job!

 

[wendysjungle]

Thanks! She has turned out to be quite a little project, but so much fun! Yes, I knew Brad would be the guy to answer the diet questions for a female veiled, so put her right on the schedule he suggested. Now if I could just get Joyce to blame HIM instead of me for it!

I figure the scale will also come in handy for my two smaller parrots, though my biggest macaw would probably make it explode if I tried to weigh her, she is HUGE!

 

[Chameleons Northwest]

Thanks! She has turned out to be quite a little project, but so much fun! Yes, I knew Brad would be the guy to answer the diet questions for a female veiled, so put her right on the schedule he suggested. Now if I could just get Joyce to blame HIM instead of me for it!

I figure the scale will also come in handy for my two smaller parrots, though my biggest macaw would probably make it explode if I tried to weigh her, she is HUGE!

Just curious, what are your settings for Joyce's current temperatures?

 

[wendysjungle]

Just curious, what are your settings for Joyce's current temperatures?

I had originally set her up with an ambient temp of around 75-80, and a basking spot around 90. After reading about keeping female veild egg production down on Brad's website I was trying to drop that to a basking spot in the low 80's and the rest of the cage in the 70's, but with the 90 degree days we are suddenly experiencing in Washington it's a bit tough!

Now with the gout article I'm not sure what is best to do, since the Kitty website suggests low 80's for the basking spot and the rest of the cage cooler, but the gout article says 80-84 for ambient temp to prevent gout. Not that I can achieve either one while we are having 90 degree weather anyway! But maybe once things cool off a bit, I can get a basking spot around 85 and temps ranging down from there in the rest of the cage to find a happy medium???