Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have recently been looking into Uromastyx, and they have really caught my eye. I am thinking about possibly purchasing one sometime in the future, but would like some opinions first. I've read lots of care sheets, but I always like to get more first hand information from keepers.

-What are the best species to begin with? How big do these species get?
-What is the smallest species and how big do they get?
-Are they personable? Give me some examples please.
-What have you found are their favorite foods? (I've read on care sheets what you can feed them, but what foods do they prefer the most?)

Thanks for your help!

CB Ornates, plain & simple.

-What are the best species to begin with? How big do these species get?
malis are kind of standard, they aren't too pricy and mine are very nice. i think females max out around 12 inches and males around 15
-What is the smallest species and how big do they get? i think the indians are the smallest

-Are they personable? Give me some examples please. i always people like beardies because they will sit on you and they think that is personable, i like uros because they can have attitudes, like helga when she is woken up but they are also nice and get excited when they see a treat. helga pretty much plows hugo over when she sees you walk in with a dandelion but hugo does the same thing back to her

-What have you found are their favorite foods? (I've read on care sheets what you can feed them, but what foods do they prefer the most?) helga is a bok choy fanatic, for the longest time it was the only leafy green she would eat, hugo and helga a little like endive. helga and xoco enjoy peas and hugo really like those little barley pearls. he also would only eat the purple pellets in one of those iguana foods. it made me want to try them to see if the pellets really tasted different

-----
vonnie

***Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months. Oscar Wilde ***

OK, fine, you can start out with Malis, they're less expensive. You'll STILL eventually wind up with Ornates in the long run... It's only natural...

I love the pic of your Mali Vonnie!!! You take great photos.
I was going to add that I hope sometime in the future add other types of Uros because I like a lot of them. Mali just happened to be what the pet store had when I decided to get one, and I don't regret it for a minute.
Yes, Arrendondo I definitely hope to include ornates as well. I'm sure yours are great. Uros are hands down a good choice for anyone regardless of which kind (right ) Niqui27 will love any of them, and I'm pretty sure except for origin and colors they're all just as fun to have.

--I can't say which species is better since i've only had Mali's and them for about 6 months. But mine re great, as i'm sure you'll hear from everyone else too!! )
They really are great friends to have, and all of them have their own personalities like we do. Mostly they are pretty laid back. The pet store loves it when I bring mine in because I let them ride on my shoulders when I'm in there. Most of the time they do pretty good at that, but sometimes they get excited and jump off on the floor. They never bits, are quiet the most you'll hear from them is a slight clicking sound unless you get two males together then they'll hiss. I don't know what all to say about them, but if you get one (whatever sub-species) you definitely won't regret it!!
AS for foods, the preferences from one to the next can vary. Also depending on what I think they need they will eat mostly one thing for a while then want a change. For a while I couldn't give them enough dandelions, then they wanted peas and green beans (warmed up from frozen which is nice because you use what you need and keep the rest in the freezer.) As treats they eat superworms, crickets, or waxworms. For a while my vet told me to give them more insects because they needed more protein, but normally they stick to veggies with an occassional fruit like a grape or strawberry. Like I said I think part of the diet preference changes could be due to their needs, then again maybe they just want a change once in a while.
I wish you luck and joy with your Uro when you get it, I'm sure you'll love it!!!!!

"I can't say which species is better since i've only had Mali's and them for about 6 months."
I'm keeping this in mind while I read the rest.

"The pet store loves it when I bring mine in because I let them ride on my shoulders when I'm in there. Most of the time they do pretty good at that, but sometimes they get excited and jump off on the floor."
Not excited but scared out of thier flipping mind and trying to make a break for it. I've expressed my concern with handling on here and other boards. Taking them out of thier enclosures for extended periods of time is not healthy because it a) is stressful and b) the temps are no longer maintained.

"They never bits, are quiet the most you'll hear from them is a slight clicking sound"
That is a uro saying leave me alone

"unless you get two males together then they'll hiss."
Male Uro's of any species SHOULD NOT be housed together as they are very territorial and will likely end up with the death of one of them. If you have 2 males and they are hissing at each other you should seperate them immediately.

"I don't know what all to say about them, but if you get one (whatever sub-species) you definitely won't regret it!!"
Doug Dix at Deer Fern Farms has a great breakdown on what species are good for beginners on his website. Some are harder than others especially if Wild Caught (a mojority of places will tell you they are selling captive born when in reality they are wild caught or farm raised which is virtually the same thing)

"AS for foods, the preferences from one to the next can vary. Also depending on what I think they need they will eat mostly one thing for a while then want a change. For a while I couldn't give them enough dandelions, then they wanted peas and green beans (warmed up from frozen which is nice because you use what you need and keep the rest in the freezer.) As treats they eat superworms, crickets, or waxworms. For a while my vet told me to give them more insects because they needed more protein"
A mix of fresh greens and other veggies are ideal and mixing up what you use will help keep the uro interested. There are other veggies and some fruits that are good as well. INSECTS SHOULD NEVER BE GIVEN TO YOUR UROMASTYX. Your Vet was wrong.
-----
1.1 Ornates (Lindsay Pike)(Doug Dix)
0.0.1 Mali
0.0.1 Egyptian
0.1 Weimaraner

Whatever you say. I trust my vet, you I don't know. Goodbye all.

"Whatever you say. I trust my vet, you I don't know. Goodbye all."

You don't have to listen to me on handling if you don't want to but as far as feeding goes, your vet is still wrong and giving you BAD INFO regardless if you know me or not.
-----
1.1 Ornates (Lindsay Pike)(Doug Dix)
0.0.1 Mali
0.0.1 Egyptian
0.1 Weimaraner

>>Whatever you say. I trust my vet, you I don't know. Goodbye all.

This is a debated issue - some say bugs yes, some say bugs no. I'm in the bugs no camp, but probably a few bugs here and there will not hurt. However, your vet suggesting to feed MORE bugs than you do is probably not the best of advice. Protein from plant sources are a better choice if you're looking to add more to the diet. But don't take my word for it or Jaffar331's, OR your vet's - do some digging on your own and make up your own mind. Remember that just because he's a vet, he may not know everything - especially about a newer-to-the-hobby species like uros. There's tons of research and info out there on igs, but much, much less on uros. Some of the information that IS out there is outdated and now known to be incorrect.

-----
Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.1 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, Tank, and Lilly)
1.1 Ornate Uros (Scuttlebutt and Shazzbot)
0.1 Collared Lizard (Rorschach)
2.1 Green Anoles (Bowser, Sprocket, Leeloo)
1.1 Chubby Housecats (Roscolux and Jenny)

Most veterinarians only spend a very limited time (few weeks) studying reptile care in vet school. Yes, that said reptile care, not individual care. Many MANY vets are misinformed/outdated about the issue of insect consumption and uros. A lot of resources even a few years ago said that they can consume bugs (because they will readily eat a bug... just like a cat will readily lick antifreeze because it tastes like sugar). Since then, it's been revealed that uros consume virtually no insect matter in the wild, and a heavy insect protein load can create digestion and kidney problems.

It's nothing personal. Lots of vets are misinformed and even lots of reptile specialists are entirely unfamiliar with uromastyx.

Blind faith in any one human, vet or not is not a good thing. Keep an open mind. I would not blindly follow your vet's advice. MOST vet are poorly advised on reptile nutrition/health. Not all, mind you but an awful lot of them.

Carole
-----
----------------------
www.reptilecare.com

My vets (there are two of them) both went extra years to school to specialize in birds and reptiles, and have been practicing 20 years. They knew the temps, etc., pertaining to Uros, one even had them for a few years. They aren't new to them nor are they uneducated. That's why I trust them. I've met others there with reptiles that come from as far away as 159 miles just to go to these particular vets. The one vet's son is even started college to follow in his father's footsteps. Perhaps it's better to check someone out before putting them down.
Since I've been to them with my Uros they've grown and done better than they were when I got them. I still trust them because I care about ALL my pets as if they were my own kids. That's why they go to a pediatrition instead of a GP.
Whatever works for you is fine. I've read the caresheets and message boards, went to breeder sites, etc. and was sceptical at first, but my Uros health from following their recommendations convinced me they know what they are doing.

I recommend that you ask where they found out to feed insect matter and if they know the percentage of food consumption that is devoted to insect matter in the wild. I don't care if a heart surgeon of 30 years was telling me that taking X supplement would make my heart healthy if it directly contradicted every bit of actual research I've ever seen on the matter.

I'd also be curious why the vet only owned the uro for a few years when they can live for 10-15 properly cared for... coulda bought an old wild caught specimen but I know the reason I still don't own some of the reptiles I had when I was little was simply because their care was inappropriate.

I wasn't trying to bash your vet's but just inform you that they might be giving you outdated info on the insect matter.
This from Doug Dix
"While most Uros consume the occasional insect in the wild, these generally cause more problems than they are worth in domestic specimens. On very rare occasion, we may offer an occasional superworm (Zoophobia sp.) to individuals that are slow to settle in. These are a great way to tame your Uros. Many are easily addicted to superworms and will go to great lengths to procure them. Conventional wisdom suggests gravid females fed a slightly higher than normal amount of insect matter produce better clutches, but we have not found that to hold true. Most commercially available insects are excessively high in phosphorous which causes the body to excrete calcium into the feces. Be careful to supplement w/ calcium whenever you feed insects and never feed more than just a couple per sitting and only a few per week at most. Hatchlings in particular easily develop metabolic problems if fed too many insects. All in all, we strongly suggest you avoid insects in the diet except under special circumstances (for example for individuals that are refusing to eat or refusing to tame down)."

From Audrey Vanderlinden
"Uromastyx lizards are primarily herbivorous. An occasional insect feeding is OK, even on a weekly basis. However, overfeeding with insects can cause health problems such as gout and kidney failure. High quality, gut loaded crickets and an occasional zoophoba or superworm are an acceptable insect choice. You may choose to "dust" the insects with a calcium and vitamin supplement prior to feeding. Young uromastyx should NEVER be fed superworms. These worms are extremely hard for young animals to digest and can wreak havoc on their digestive systems and even cause death. Baby uromastyx do best with small crickets. Stick to a primarily vegetarian diet for optimum health."

Even though she thinks the occasional insect is ok her last line is telling..."Stick to a primarily vegetarian diet for optimum health."

There is also a website called uronature that did studies in the wild and they checked feces to see what they eat in the wild and there were virtually no insects in thier diet. There were small traces that they said were prob from the flowers but not enough to show they ever eat insects intentionally.
-----
1.1 Ornates (Lindsay Pike)(Doug Dix)
0.0.1 Mali
0.0.1 Egyptian
0.1 Weimaraner

Captive breds of any of the species I would say are great. Personally, I like ornates the best because they are very tame, colorful and on the smaller side. However, they are one of the more expensive species. If you are inexperienced at keeping lizards and worried that you might fail, than a cheaper captive bred Mali might be best for you. However, with all the info out there and the great people of this forum, there is no reason you should fail.

I could not echo a sentiment any better.
Not only does it stem the importation of the animals from their native areas, but it limits the exposure to illness and the stress import animals have.
That in the long run make the experience better for both animal and keeper.
My advice would be to grab all literature you can regarding all the species, figure which one is right for you, what you can commit to, and contact one of the many breeders that support this hobby.
Ed

>>Captive breds of any of the species I would say are great.