Care for Uromastyx Lizards

Uromastyx lizards (Also known as Spiny-tailed lizards, dabb lizards, and uros) are reptiles that inhabit a broad range that includes North Africa and India. They are widespread, but are little known among reptile enthusiasts. Here is how to care for these lizards.

Steps

  1. Ask yourself some questions: Before getting this lizard, you need to ask yourself some questions. Do I have the time, money and knowledge to fully care for these lizards? Can I make these lizards happy in an artificial environment? Do I know what to do with the lizard on vacation? If you say no to any of these do not go forward with your purchase of a uromastyx. Uromastyx are not by any means easy to take care of. They require dedication and hard work. If you can meet all of these, then read on.
  2. Choose your uromastyx: There are a great deal of different uromastyx, but here is just a quick overview of the most popular (It is best that you get a captive bred specimen as wild caught carry parasites, will not eat, and are very unhappy):

    • Egyptian Uromastyx: These are the largest uromastyx, as they can get to three feet in length. These large lizards are mostly colorless, with very fine scales. They are notable for their friendly personalities.
    • Mali Uromastyx: Malis are one of the most popular uromastyx. They have fairly good temperaments, and have a rather stunning black body and neon yellow back designs which grow brighter as the get warmer. These uros get to about {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} in length.
    • Ornate Uromastyx: The most beautiful of the lizards described here, these are the most expensive. They are also one of the most popular, and they sport a brilliant range of colors. They look very similar to the Ocellated Uromastyx, and their only feature that sets them apart are the enlarged, tooth-like scales (denticulate scales) at the middle of the row to the front of the ear opening.
  3. Set up your cage: Uromastyx do require a lot of space and have a few special needs that might be hard to meet.
    • Caging: Uromastyx range from 12 inches (Ornate Uromastyx) to two or three feet (Egyptian Uromastyx). They need large cages. You could keep one Ornate in a {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} aquarium with a screen top that resists heat (these are available at most pet stores). For larger species such as the Egyptian, it would be a good idea to build your own cages, as finding a suitable sized cage is very difficult.
    • Substrate: The best substrate, arguably, is washed play sand (make sure to wash it very well). This is much cheaper than the "Calci-sand" that is specially made for lizards and is generally advised against due to it being a particularly high impaction risk. The calci-sand can clump up in the uro's system. It does little good at a well-enhanced risk. Uros should still be supplemented calcium depending on their weight to prevent MBD. Note that playsand can cause impaction in lizards under 7" in length (read warnings for further info). For hatchlings and growing lizards it would be best to use newspaper. An alternative is birdseed, though you should not put more than 1" of substrate in, as the lizard will flounder and won't be able to get purchase in the smooth birdseed. Make sure that sunflower seeds are excluded as these are sharp and can injure your lizard internally. Sand best emulates their natural burrowing habitat, and it is best to put 5" of the stuff in the cage.
    • Heating and Lighting:You should use a heat lamp, ceramic bulb heater, and a UV light. Make sure that no heat source is able to come in direct contact with the lizard. Burns are not treatable and sometimes fatal. The hot end of the tank should be {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} and the cool end should be 80 degrees F (in the winter months this should be lowered a bit, probably around 100-110 degrees or less). Use a light that emits UV-A and UV-B (read the packaging carefully). At the night, all lights should turn off, and the temperature should drop to {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}}. Undertank heating pads are not the best heating source, as they do not heat the tank properly. Place temperature probes at both ends of the aquarium, or at all four sides if you have a square container.(Read warnings for more info about heating and light sources.)
    • Placement of objects: You should place your heating equipment at one end, so that there is a temperature gradient. This way the lizard can chose which temperature zone it wants to be in. You need a "hide" at each end. A hide is a little hutch or covered pit where the lizard can make itself at home. For cool end hides, bricks work well. For warm end hides, patio block make nice two level "condos" so that your lizard can bask on the surface, and then enjoy some shade in the caverns below. You also might want embed rocks in the sand so the lizard can perch on them. Remember to bury rocks all the way as Uromastyx's do like to dig. If they can burrow under the rock they might get stuck underneath; or worse, crushed.
    • Humidity: In a great deal of places in the world, humidity rises to unacceptable levels for uromastyx. Systems such as Central Air will dehumidify the air, but if you don't have one of these systems, a simple dehumidifier should do the trick. Remember to place temperature and humidity probes in the tank. Do not place water dishes in the tank, Uromastyx don't need standing water, and it will raise your humidity. The humidity level should be from 10% to 40%.
  4. Feed your lizard properly.The best part about Uros is that they eat foods that can be picked up from the grocery store. Adult uros will eat a mix of dark leafy greens such as bok-choy, and spring salad mix. Remember to take out the dark stuff in the spring salad. Do not feed Uros Romaine or iceberg lettuce! Lettuce has very little nutritional value. Sprinkle Tortoise dust onto the food to supplement it, and mix in a sprinkling of juvenile iguana pellets. Feed once a day in a small bowl (remember to rinse it out). Hatchlings require a higher dose of protein than adults, so feed them a small amount of crickets every week. If you have a wild caught lizard that doesn't eat, you will need a veterinarian to force feed it (not quite as brutal as it sounds).
  5. Keep the cage clean. If your lizard uses the restroom, then clean it up by scooping the poo and surrounding up with a meshed scooper or paper towel. Change the sand completely every one to two weeks. Your lizard should not urinate, as it only does this when extremely frightened. This depletes its natural stores of water, and can lead to dehydration.
  6. Handle properly. The Uro can be held. When you handle your lizard, it's a good idea to wear light gloves. Uromastyx have spiky tails and sharp claws, and they will scamper madly up your arm if scared, leaving scratches. Make sure their feet are always touching a mostly even surface, otherwise they will panic. When you pick them up out of their cage, try to nudge the lizard onto your hand. Grabbing around the middle will scare the lizard and cause it to urinate, depleting its stores of water. Make a "treadmill" with your hands if they start to crawl. They seldom bite, and they do not have teeth so you should not worry too much.
  8. (NOTE#2...They do have teeth and their bite do hurt. Egyptians even though they are very calm and don't get stressed easily can be very dangerous when you make them mad. Getting whipped by their tail will make you bleed and a bite will most likely end in stitches. These herps lived and thrived in an experiment filled with lions and several other large predators. If you really want to learn as much as you can about Uromastyx go to http://www.deerfernfarms.com/
  10. I am not trying to insult and or belittle the original author of this just trying to inform and possibly save you a trip to the E.R.
  11. Regardless there is a lot of useful information in here,



Tips

  • White crystals around the nose are nothing to worry about. They are a sign that the lizard is purging its body of toxic substances. These can be removed with a gentle wipe.
  • Uromastyx will not drop their tails. Even so, you should not hold them by their tails.
  • If you are bitten (this happens very rarely), wash the injury and stop the bleeding if there is any, if you are nervous or worried you may consult your doctor about a tetanus shot .
  • When your uro defecates, you might see a clump of white material come out. Do not panic. This is a clump of indigestible material that your lizard has purged from its body.
  • Always put a hand over your uro so he/she feels safe.

Warnings

  • You must get a UV-A and UV-B lamp. Do not keep this lamp more than 30" away from the lizard, as the UV rays are relatively weak. Read the packaging carefully.
  • Do not use heat rocks, or heat rock like heaters. They are poorly made, and have a history of burning lizards.
  • The lights should not be able to touch the lizard. Burns are painful, not treatable, and might cause death.
  • Some may disagree about having a heating rock... Some say it burns their frog-like belly... Others argue that frogs and lizards are completely different and when your lizard is too hot it will simply move. Burns suffered from a heated rock may be myth. However they only have heat sensors on their back.
  • Playsand, however nice looking, can cause impaction in lizards under 7" in length. Impaction is caused by a build up of indigestible particles in the gut. This will lead to death.

Things You'll Need

  • Heating lamp and bulb (available from pet stores)
  • Full spectrum UV lights
  • Captive bred lizard
  • Large cage with mesh top
  • Substrate (Play sand is great for adult uro's)
  • Vegetables
  • Thermometer
  • Rocks, patio blocks, bricks, etc.
  • Dish for food

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