Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I cant decide. Im hoping to get another reptile, and i want something fairly close to a bearded dragon. Im thinking leapord gecko or uromastyx. I will be able to provide the needed supplies for either. Id like to know what you all think.

leopard geckos are much smaller than bearded dragons, are nocturnal (active only at night) and strict insectivores. They do make excellent pets as they are not prone to bite, will tolerate gentle handling and are pretty easy to care for. Leopard geckos don't need UVB light, can make due with a under tank heater for nighttime heating and a low watt light bulb or ceramic bulb for daytime (or, in the case of the ceramic heat emmitter, night time heat). Leopard geckos can eat mealworms, crickets, silkworms and other similar insects. These geckos are also easy to find, come in a wide range of patterns and colors and are not all that expensive for the most part. Some morphs do have a pretty high price but they pretty much fall around the same price range as high end bearded dragon morphs.

Uromastyxs, on the other hand, are about the same size of bearded dragons (the Egyptian uro gets to be bigger than the average bearded dragon, over two feet but I don't think it reaches 3 feet but I could be wrong), are strict vegetatarians, require higher basking temperatures (115-125F I think), are not always as colorful (the ornate uro is striking though), though most have rather colorful backs. Uro's are not too difficult to care for, having pretty much the same care conditions as bearded dragons (very little to no insects at any age, slightly higher ampient and basking temps), are diurnal and terrestrial in nature. They don't take to handling as easily as bearded dragons but do calm down with consistant gentle handling. They do have spiny tails which can be a bit more painful to get hit by but I haven't heard uro's to be as tail thrashing as an annoyed green iguana.

Uromastyxs tend to hold a higher price tag than bearded dragons. Not a HUGE difference but where a common bearded dragon can have a price around $20, a common uro mali is more like $50-$75 (or $100 as it is up here in Canada). Ornate uro's in Canada typically are $300 or so, if I recall correctly. It has been awhile since I checked uro prices, so these may not be accurate. Checking the kingsnake classifieds will give you a good ideal what uro's go for these days.

Not sure if you have already, but deffinitely research deeper into leopard geckos and uromastyx and find which one fits with you the best, both in cage sizes, care requirements, activity times, how well they can be handled etc.
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PHLdyPayne