Need Input! Thinking about getting Uromastyx :)

[AustinASU]

So i've known a few people with them, but they were always the blunt colored mali females. Well I've ran across some neon red and yellow nigerian uromastyx and my jaw dropped as to how beautiful they are. I've seen some pretty mali's as well as ornates....dont care for egyptians as they get way to big.

I was wondering if anyone hear has had experience with them, and if someone could point me into the right direction possibly I dont want one until i finish my tortoise/whatever else enclosure....in a few months. But even trusted websites or breeders would be great.

 

[tortadise]

My friend craig in san antonio gets them in regularly, and they are pretty ones. I use feel bad for the ones in the pet store I worked at when I was in high school. Nobody would buy them because they werent the super pretty ones. Theyre cool I like them, small eat greens, dont bite, kinda lazy. Alot like a beardy really. I can forward you his info, or you can just go to the san antonio reptile show spetember 15-16th and see what hes got and get his info then.

That is all,
Kelly

 

[AustinASU]

Hey Kelly that would be great, just PM his info. And yeah i'd rather get one out of a petstore rather than a vendor. Yeah i feel bad for the regulars....few go for the natural look. I may get two....just depends on how this enclosure build goes....lols i gotta finish my 150gal freshwater tank too....ahh too mnay projects and im only a college kid.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

I have kept the "Nigerians" before. First of all, they are not really native to Nigeria (only exported from that country). The more accurate label is Saharan Uromastyx. I have also kept a few Malis, and one Egyptian.

In my experience, Malis are fairly personable, but just too "common" for my taste. Finding a male can be tricky, as they don't develop the vivid yellow/black coloration until adulthood. And even some adult females can be pretty, too.

Egyptians are pretty docile as well. The latter does get large, but they grow slow. The Saharans are cool because they are small, averaging about 12-13" in total length.

Diet wise, they on par with most tortoises: lots of greens (Spring Mix salad is a good base), mixed with other veggies and a little fruit. No insects!

Overall, pretty durable lizards: high heat, low humidity.

A good site to check out is: http://deerfernfarms.com/

 

[AustinASU]

Yeah i was reading that on Mali's and that even some females can show all attributes of being a male.....lols but the Malie high bands are something else! And i've heard of deerfernfarms.....are they really as good as people say?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

I met them (DeerFern) in Daytona 2 yrs ago. Doug Dix is a nice guy and knows his stuff.

Lindsey Pike of Urotopia.com also is a knowledgeable guy, but I don't know if he is still working with Uros. I got my Egyptian from him back in 2010 at the Daytona show.

Also, look into Troy Jones of http://www.uroranch.com/

 

[Amanda1]

I rescued an orange female saharan last winter. I really like them, they've got a lot of personality and they are very similar to beardies, except much more active. You can't just walk around with them hanging off your shirt like you can with beardies.

While females don't have as much color as the males, I think they're still very pretty (especially my girl )

Tim/Robin (who are members of this forum) created a forum for uros (www.uromastyx.org), so you should check that out if you have any questions.

 

[wellington]

I have one. Not like the beardies at all in my opinion. They like to get out but also want to run. I liked my beardie better. This Uro I have although friendly, is much harder to take out and enjoy then a beardie. But still a great lizard. My second pic to a beardie.

 

[AustinASU]

Haha I can't wait to get one now, Beardies are okay....but man they are sooooooo lazy it drives me nuts. I love having something that is semi active.....and not lathargic or a neurotic spaz. I love your red saharan! Does she eat from your hand?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Maintenance-wise, Uros have all the perks of a display desert-type lizard with hardly any of the issues one has to deal with beardies (no insects, slower metabolism so less poop, less chance of substrate ingestion, less stink).

However, I will say they are not quite as "hands-on" puppy-dog tame friendly as a beardie. For instance, we're talking about getting a lizard for my two boys. As cool as they are, Uros are just a tad too fidgety for a small child to mess with. Beardies are more conducive for what we're looking for.

 

[AustinASU]

Yeah beardies are the perfect pet for first time or young lizard owners. I don't mind to much with them being squirmy, i don't plan on holding them for hours upon end, i just plan on being able to touch it and possibly work with it to eat from my hand. And i love desert lizards....it was a toss up between a urn, a beaded lizard, a gila, or a blue tongue....but uro's def have a lot of personality.....do they do better in pairs?

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Saharan's do okay in pairs...better than the rest, according to both Deerfern and Lindsey Pike.

Other desert lizards to consider are plated lizards, collared lizards, and desert iguanas.

 

[AustinASU]

I catch the collards all the time in my back yard....and holy cow those lil guys have teeth like monitors.

 

[tortadise]

Plated lizards rock I had a sudan plated lizard years ago. Dont like to be picked up. Well at least this one didnt but they are cool. I havent seen them in a while. But im usually just looking for torts aanyway.

 

[AustinASU]

Yeah they dont like it at all, it takes a while to break them.

 

[acrantophis]

I had a pair of imported Malis many years ago. I kept them on a large table. With plated lizards. They are great. Very personable. I had them for 7 or so years They would take crickets and waxworms sometimes. Also they like grit or birdseed for digestion. The female laid two clutches of eggs in her life. the second clutch had 13 eggs 8 hatched and six made it to nice cute juvis. I gave the them to a few friends. All uros are great. But a young Mali is a spunky little easy to keep choice.

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Yeah beardies are the perfect pet for first time or young lizard owners. I don't mind to much with them being squirmy, i don't plan on holding them for hours upon end, i just plan on being able to touch it and possibly work with it to eat from my hand. And i love desert lizards....it was a toss up between a urn, a beaded lizard, a gila, or a blue tongue....but uro's def have a lot of personality.....do they do better in pairs?

Uros and blue tongues do well together in a large enclosure ;-). I love blue tongues.

 

[AustinASU]

I had a pair of imported Malis many years ago. I kept them on a large table. With plated lizards. They are great. Very personable. I had them for 7 or so years They would take crickets and waxworms sometimes. Also they like grit or birdseed for digestion. The female laid two clutches of eggs in her life. the second clutch had 13 eggs 8 hatched and six made it to nice cute juvis. I gave the them to a few friends. All uros are great. But a young Mali is a spunky little easy to keep choice.

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Yeah beardies are the perfect pet for first time or young lizard owners. I don't mind to much with them being squirmy, i don't plan on holding them for hours upon end, i just plan on being able to touch it and possibly work with it to eat from my hand. And i love desert lizards....it was a toss up between a urn, a beaded lizard, a gila, or a blue tongue....but uro's def have a lot of personality.....do they do better in pairs?

Uros and blue tongues do well together in a large enclosure ;-). I love blue tongues.

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Oie can they normally have more than two clutches?

 

[Deac77]

Uros require high basking temps and absolutely no water the scales on their tales can and will mold if they come into contact with water it is my opinion that they should not be kept with other species especially blue tongues they require a lot higher temps most are happiest with 120+ basking temp and 85-90 on the cool they can be flighty at first but have great personality my red Niger is happy of he can room the house and he will also come when called by name same as my beardie they are amazing lizards but the care can be finicky they love to burrow I use excavator (a clay substrate that's 20 inch deep) al has multiple burrows

 

[acrantophis]

Oie can they normally have more than two clutches?

I meant in her lifetime. She laid only two clutches in her 7 years I had her. I don't think they lay multiple clutches per year. I have had beardies lay 3 clutches in a year. Rat snakes too. Oh and leopard geckos.

 

[AustinASU]

Deac77 can i see a pic of your habitat, and thanks for the good info about not having water out.....Im guessing they get all the water they need from their food? Or do i need to have a small sprayer that people use to water their venomous snakes?