Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I recently became the proud owner of a Saharan Uro. I have been doing a lot of research and have everything set up perfectly, cage, lighting, heat, etc. I have a few questions that were always ambiguously answered in my research. My uro was wild caught and the person who sold it to me did not know how old it was. It is about 10 inches long including the tail. I was wondering if there was a good way to age uros....I know that this is difficult as growth rates vary according to habitat/environmental conditions but would appreciate any tips. Also, I have had it for 2 weeks now and have only held it to soak it a couple times. When is it ok for me to start holding it and get it used to being handeled? Recently it hasn't been as shy as it was when I first got it, but is still skiddish and hides a lot. I want to be able to get it used to me without stressing it out. Any suggestions?

You're right. Trying to determine age of a wild-caught would just be a guessing game. Under good environmental & dietary conditions, I'd expect a yearling to attain that size. But, growth rates in the wild probably don't correlate what we see in the cage. As far as handling, I think the best course is to minimize it until the Uro has stopped retreating when you approach the cage. This could take several months. Begin to offer hand-fed favorites like flowers. Get that "association" process going. Then work up to handling. Don't rush it. And don't expect too much from your Uro in terms of interaction. Even captive bred, Ornates included, can be notoriously resistant to "taming." Then again, maybe I've just always worn the wrong aftershave...
Dan.