again I am not forcing anything at this point. its a question. i have the recommended basking temps and ambient temps and food. correct size enclosure 4ftx24" there are many uros owners with the same things I have. i am sorry I should of just ran a poll instead of the post. you still havent answered my question. how long does yours on the avg sleep.

You haven't forced him to do anything yet. But you intend to. You said you want to conserve energy by not having the lights on so long. Also you talked about removing his hide to force him out into the heat. Like I said and you already noticed, he is not necessarily sleeping in his hide. It is probably the temperature he wants to be at. In their natural environment they don't stay out in the sun all day. It's too hot. They come and go to regulate their temperature.
If you think there is something amiss with his sleeping habits then by all means adjust the temperature and see what he does. Just because a caresheet gives a temperature to aim for doesn't mean it is for all Uros. Some like it hotter some cooler. You need to find what works the best for yours. They tell you what they require by their actions you just need to observe and make the corrections.
But again, if he seems healthy then what is the problem? I think the problem is just you and your requirement for a cheaper hydo bill.
Think about this. Any reptile wants to feel secure. If they can obtain their required temperature by not coming out into the open at all. Why would they except to feed?
So to satisfy your need for an average time. They come out around 8-9 am and usually retreat by 6 pm. Of course sometimes they are out till the lights go off after a 12 hr photo period. But right now the photo period should be reduced for winter hours. See what I mean--hard to average.
Above all if you can deduce that your Uro is healthy. Don't worry about it.
Take care, Uros are awesomely unique reptiles.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

well I got my temp gun a week ago and 125 basking 102 ambient on hot side and 81 on cool side. so temps are right on. i havent changed anything and he is still only up 8 hrs a day. though I havent got too many responses on avg sleeping time from others on this forum. so I have no way to compare. i would assume its normal this time of year becasue he is eating well and looks and acts fine. well see if he is up longer in the spring or summer.

If he seems otherwise healthy and active I wouldn't worry so much, especially if he is eating and defecating.

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"If you're not falling, you're not trying." - Sonni Trotter

~*~Lacey~*~

My Photos

I have to say that it is excellent that you pay so much attention to your Uro. There is much to learn about our reptile friends by simply paying attention to their habits and body language. Unfortunately many herp owners simply do what the book or caresheet says. Sometimes an individuals needs are more specific and could require some find tuning to keep them happy and healthy. This I guess could be a step to an intermediate level herper. If it were to be named.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa