uromastyx?

[normballpython2]

has anyone owned one before or know how hard they are to take care(i know they are atleast for the intermediate lizard owner but take in mind i have owned a 5 year old iguana, and a collared lizard so i know abotu the basics as far as dusting crickets and veggies do's and don'ts) i just wanna know peoples personal views on them. and just in case i specifacally interested in the nigerian red uromastyx or a mali uromastyx. thanx for any feedback.

Brian

[BallPythonBabe448]

I used to have one. They are great. They are not for beginners, but if you have had a few lizards it should be fine. They are herbivorous so they eat only vegetables and fruits. Although, as a special treat you can give them a few crickets.

Good Luck

[Jeanne]

I currently have a Mali Uro. I definately can tell you, they require more work than an iguana. They must have a very very warm enclosure, with a very HOT basking spot. You cannot feed them cabbage or broccoli, due to the gas it cause to build up in thier bodies. They eat lots and lots of greens. More than the iguana we had in fact. Mine also gets dusted crickets once a week, but only a few due to the amount of proteins in crix, they are unable to digest heavy amounts of protein in thier diet. Be very careful where you get a Uro of any species, especailly if you buy from a pet store. The Mali I have was sold to me as CB, but in fact, he is not. He is an import. Since he is an import, I do not really feel even he would make a good beginner uro for anyone because I have had some issues getting him to acclimate. And from what I have read through the Uro Mailing List, imports have low survival numbers in captivety. If you bought a Uro from a reptutable breeder I am confident you will have a good experience with this species. Here are a few breeders I reccommend. Uromastyx Specialties: http://www.uromastyxspecialities.com/home.html
or
Urotopia Uromastyx: http://www.urotopia.com/

Also- you can subscribe to the Uromasty Mailing List by visiting this site: http://www.icomm.ca/dragon/urolist.htm


If you have any questions please feel free to contact me by PM. Uros are a neat species and very rewarding to keep, once you get past the challenges that can come with them from time to time. They can be very personable and rather comical little beasts.

[normballpython2]

i read that they can also be fed meal worms once a week. is this true? also i know from research that they are way more work than iguanas i was just stating that to let it be known that i have had hrebivorous and carnivourous lizards. in all five lizards, in which one died due to a misinformed action on my part and the other four had to be given away due to a move. the reason i am so interested in them is because i have heard so much about their personalities and i wanted a uro way before i wanted a bp(but then ya know i do luv snakes lol) but i am really considering getting one next month. on thursday i am going to barnes and nobles with my big sister so i am gonna pick up a boock on bci's and one on uro's(hopefully if i can find any)

Brian

p.s. i know their are 12 sub species of uro's but i have not been able to find life expectancy and total length of the nigerian uro's or the mali's could you please tell me thnx.

[Tigergenesis]

They require a low protein diet - insects are not required, but okay on occassion. Many, however, say it might be best to avoid.

A great site/caresheet: www.deerfernfarms.com

I'm getting a Saharan from him once I get the cage ready. He comes highly recommended and is very helpful if you call or email him.

[normballpython2]

thank you guys for the help. i have decided to get a red phase saharan uromastyx. I will most likely have it's setup done by the end of this month. their is just one problem. how in the world am i gonna have the uvb light fixtures on top of the tank and a basking light? i have seen cages with the light inside the cage but i don't want to risk the uro getting burned. also is it ok if i just get a 55 gallon tank from the beggining even though the uro would be kinda small(4-6 inches) would it stress it out? i was gonna get a bci but after doing all this research on these little guys and seeing how rewarding they can be i just gotta get one lol

[Tigergenesis]

Most people just rest the lights on the screen top, etc. Some build special tops to accomadate the lights. Where are you getting it from?

[normballpython2]

i plan on getting most of the stuff from petland(just the tank,bulbs,fixtures, etc.) i am getting the play sand wherever i can find it and the slate from home depot. can you do me a big favor. could you just post a pic of your setup just to get an idea of what exactly i am supposed to do. i mean i have read alot abotu the caging but a visual wold really help. sorry to ask so much. thnx

Brian

[Tigergenesis]

The setup I was working on didn't work out - couldn't get the high temps they need in the particular cage I was working with. I'm not building a cage, but buying one (I'm not allowed around tools) - probably from www.cagesbydesign.com

If you go to the Uro forum on Kingsnake and browse through the threads and the Uro photo gallery you can see pics of other peoples setups. There are some awesome ideas on there - particularly for how to build an underground burrow with aluminum dryer vent tubing and disposable gladware containers!

I too am a visual person (and love pics) so I browsed through there looking for all the ideas I could find.

I don't know what Petland is (assuming a local petstore?), but be careful as it is likely that any red saharan you find will be wild caught. The one I have my eye on from Deerfernfarms.com is wild caught but I trust Doug as he is highly regarded. I've always said if I bought a Uro it would be from him.

[normballpython2]

no i am buying the supplies from petland i am getting the uro most likely from deerfarms or from someone on the ks classifieds. i really don't want a wc but if i feel that it's ok then i will buy one. oh and thnx for the tips on pics of setups. oh yeah so is it ok for me to go aaed and get the 55 gal or should i get something smaller until he/she grows?

thnx again

Brian