Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi, I was just wondering how long on average it takes for an egyptian Uro to reach adult Size?

Mine is a male and has been growing since the day i got him....but it's been like......2 or 3 years now? I think probably two but it's hard to remember....and he's still nowhere near what is supposed to be adult size. He's in a 60 gallon tank and still has plenty of room.

So i was just wondering how long it should take to reach full size. Or if possibly i was sold a Uro and told it was the wrong kind. I got it from a reptile pet store nearby who are usually very good.....but everyone makes mistakes. He looks very much like all the egyptian pics i've seen though so i'm pretty sure he is......just.....yeah......how much longer should it take? Is it uncommon to still be somewhat small at his age?

Thanks,
-Matt-
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0:2:1 Bearded Dragon (Jimmy, Peach, Andre)
1:1 Yellow Nigerian/Saharan Uromastyx (Rhyno, Raven)
0:1:1 Red Nigerian/Saharan Uromastyx (Pyro, The Cheat)
1:1 Leopard Gecko (Mofo, Geckemo)
1:0 Columbian Red Tail Boa (Slash)
0:0:1 Desert Banded Gecko (?)
0:0:1 Southern Alligator Lizard (?)
0:0:2 Ball Python (?,?)

I also have a young egyptian, not sure what sex, most people think its a male. Anyway, I am curious to hear responses on this as well.

What's the length of your guy and do you have pics? I'd love to see him.

I haven't measured him in awhile so whenever i get some time i'll have to do that. I have some pictures but don't have any online right now and go to work soon so i'll try to post them sometime soon. But good to hear that his growth rate sounds somewhat normal.
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0:2:1 Bearded Dragon (Jimmy, Peach, Andre)
1:1 Yellow Nigerian/Saharan Uromastyx (Rhyno, Raven)
0:1:1 Red Nigerian/Saharan Uromastyx (Pyro, The Cheat)
1:1 Leopard Gecko (Mofo, Geckemo)
1:0 Columbian Red Tail Boa (Slash)
0:0:1 Desert Banded Gecko (?)
0:0:1 Southern Alligator Lizard (?)
0:0:2 Ball Python (?,?)

I have an egyptian, microlepis variety not the larger aegypticus. I was told they do most of their growing in the first 5 to 6 years. When I added Mazuri tortoise food to his diet, I noticed a marked change in his growth rate. Doug Dix told me I could expect him to grow at a faster rate with that in his diet. My guy Gus is about 15" long now and about 6 years old. He's a big bruiser. :~)

Craigo

Does your microlepis have "enlarged tubercles on the flanks"?
Micro's are not supposed to.Usually in pics the ones w/ no tubercles are from Iraq, Iran ,or Kuwait. Egypticus is supposed to have tubercles. But the "microlepis" from in between the aegyptius range and the micro range have tubercles. I wonder are these intergrades or hybrids of aegypticus and microlepis.Some believe they are all the same and simply differ in their range, like morphs. I have seen reports of microlepis having a maximum size comparable to aegypticus, and other reports stating micro's top out at 2 feet. Technically, none should be exported from the reported aegypticus range( Egypt and Israel), and good luck getting a reptile from Iran, Iraq, or Kuwait. So i would also like to know where the "pet trade" Egyptians come from, and what the most likely taxonomy would be.
It would make a lot of sense that they are actually intergrades,and equally as much sense that they differ in their range. Maybe true aegypticus have spikes and grow to almost 3 feet, while true micolepis don't have the tubercles and grow to only 2 feet, and hybrids are in the middle somewhere. Or it is possible that microlepis only exist in the eastern part of the range and that aegypticus east of Egypt are mislabled as microlepis, or maybe the entire taxonomy is messed up, or maybe...This question should be directed to the veterans of the board as no doubt they have the most experience with this species. I think micro babies have a slightly different pattern, but I am not sure as i have only seen pics and never had two(micro vs. egypt.) to compare. My two are different colors:
the male is brown and lightens up to a tan/yellow esp. when in shed and has smaller tubercles than the female who is dark grey(almost black)when cool and lightens to very light grey when warm. In any case I read it would take 10- 15 years for aegyptius to reach a size of almost 3 feet. I am very interested in opinions, theories, facts, predictions, etc. pertaining to this subject. And yellow coloring can be observed
in both sub-species, although probably more often in microlepis, and is not really an indication of either. My favorite wild pic is an aegyptius in Israel colored yellow and black/grey.I think true microlepis looks significantly different than aegyptius most times, BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE "IN THE MIDDLE"?

Ok, now its offical.. I have so much more to learn! I was told that my egyptian had nice tubers by Doug at Deer Fern Farms, lol I didn't know what he was talking about until now. All I know is that my guy eats like a pig and looks healthy. I am so glad I can come here and learn more in depth about uros. Thanks!

Here is a pic of my egyptian uro, Ankh.

The description of your male fits mine as well. He has that dijon mustard yellow color, mostly on his back as well as tan on extremities and face. He has very faint patterning on his back that could be described as oscillated. If I understand what tubercles are, I'd say his are not pronounced. But I'm no expert by any means, just a hobbyist. I got mine from Doug Dix, and he told me that it was captive breed, but not by him. When I got him about 5 years ago, he was 8" long. Doug wasn't sure of age, but figured around 2 years. So now that I think about it, he's likely between 7 to 8 years old now.

For some reason, I'm not getting the image to appear, but if you right click on it, and select show image, you'll be taken to the image at theTegu.com.

Craigo

another thing to consider:
I think it was Randall Grey who said it would take around 15 years to reach full size. But noone said how old they were to begin with(for all we know he could have been talking about a specimen that was already 8 years old)
Also the weather may have been different when the 3 footers were growing up.I have seen reports of drought conditions killing off 55% of individuals in a colony.
These animals were taxonomically classified over one hundred years ago, before internet networking, by different people who may or may not have even set foot in each others areas.
One species may have spread and the other not.
I guess a rose by any other name smells the same.
I want mine to reach full potential, it's only right, but honestly, 2 feet of Aegyptius is still quite a bit to handle, let alone 3 feet, so I am in no rush for them to grow up!

LOL I can agree there.. I want my guy to get massive, as he is supposed to, but I also don't mind waiting for it to happen naturally. I just hope he stays friendly and remembers who supplies his dinner, lol it wouldn't be nice for him to bite the hand that feeds him. I wonder how many egyptian uros are actually kept in the US, I had heard they are endangered in their natural habitat.

It would be safe to say many if not all uro species are endangered in their natural habitats- and safe to say that Egypt and Israel as "nations" care more than say, Mali, about the plight of these animals. The pet trade is not the only threat. Drought conditions, habitat destruction, military, even recreational ATV riding. Believe it or not even flash flooding during rain(this goes back to habitat destruction and ATV's and military traffic).Arabs and natives eat them. And the "collectors" who now can afford old pick-up trucks connect a hose to the exhaust pipe and smoke them out of the burrows!Tough to be a wild uro nowadays!

Both of my very young Aegyptius have both the "classic" Egyptian hatchling pattern and the occellated pattern Craigo mentions faintly and variably visible depending on body temp throughout the day. Does this mean anything? I can't say.

That's horrid! I can accept dying from natural situations, but I also heard that our own military guys are popping them off left and right, with no real reason. Doesn't everything deserve to live and die by nature? It's really sad. On a happy note, I am so thrilled to be sharing space with these wonderful creatures, we are very lucky to be able to experience their beauty, for that I'm thankful. I am sure this is one thing that we all can agree on.