Basics for your Uromastyx

The Uromastyx is recognized a a wonderful pet due to its calm, easy to handle, domestic nature. A full size Uromastyx can be measured between 12 and 24 inches. They are a moderatly sized herp but not to outrageous. They range in colors and patterns all being impressive and beautiful. They are becoming quite popular due to the ease of care. These lizards live in hot enviroments with cooler nights. They are ground and rock dwellers, though they enjoy a tunnel/hiding place to cool off and hide when they want some privacy.

Yummy! Stuff~
The Uromastyx diet consists mostly of plants and lettuces. With some treats of crickets or worms occasionally. younger lizards will need to have insects a little more often then adults, about 2 times a week. Adults only a couple protien here and there. Tehy reccomend live protien however, my Mali wont eat live. So I buy her teh caned ones from the pet store. She REALLY enjoys those! About 75% of the diet should be leafy greens such as mustard greens, collard greens, kale, spinach ( not as often as others ). About 20 % of their diet should consist of vegetables such as peas, carrots, green beans, squash, lima beans, or bean sprouts. Frozen vegetables work well in place of fresh. The remaining 5% of their diet should be fruit. It is easier to give them this as a treat then to over do it though. My Mali really enjoys bananas and grapes. With all food choices be sure it can fit in their mouth. Lettuce they can bite away what they like but with foods like carrots I like to use a vegatble peeler and shave off her serving.

No Place Like Home~
When getting a home for your Uromastyx, be sure to remember his/her full growth potential. I reccomend a 40 gallon tank. I like the top to be whole or partially mesh. It allows good circulation and easy for the heat to get to him/her from atop the cage. The best substrate is ground english walnut pellets. They wont impact your little friend if swallowed and are large enough not to be swallowed in the first palce. I dont really reccomend sand especially for little ones....but you can use if you like when they are older. Maybe as part ofthe substrate or a small section of the cage. A little sandy area. You must provide them with some sort of shelter. It will protect them from direct heat and light and will provide them with a safe place. Keep them less stressed and more happy! Most important though is to be sure it is safe and your Uromastyx wont be harmed.

How Hot?~
During the day your Uro's home should be between 85-90 degrees F. With a basking area of 95-115 degrees F. At night it should drop to around 70-80 degrees F. Your Uro should have day temps for around 12 hours and then turned off for night temps between. Use heat lamps to acheive these temperatures. They are best to be placed on the outside of the cage to prevent injuries. Keep in mind the design of your cage when placing the lamps. Directly under your day lamp will be the basking area. It is important to have a cooler area of the cage for your friend to cool down. I DO NOT reccomend under cage heating pads as they can cause serious injury and burns to your Uro! If possible allow them some time in the sunlight that we enjoy. You will have to adjust your wattage to match your weather conditions. Night temps shoud be kept with a night lamp. These come in red and purple bulbs. Vary in wattage and help you Uro to digest. Smiple....Day/use day lamp....Night/use night lamp. Use thermometers at diffrent points of the cage to determin the temp. It only takes a glance then.

Extras~
In addition you shold give your Uromastyx a calcium supplement. It comes in a white powder form. A sprinkle a day on his/her food should do the trick.
Water is not something I leave in my Mali's cage. I wash her lettuces well with water and rarely give her a bath to help her shed. Other then that I DO NOT leave it in her cage. It can cause tail rotting and mold. So if you decide to give your lizard a bath be sure they are dry before returning to their home! Remember they are desert animals and do not require a ton of water. What they get from their food is enough for them. Besides, all my Sara does is drag her tail through it and make a mess of her cage and me to worry about her tail.

Well, I hope this helps with the basics.