Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey all,
I had an interesting experience with my four year old female Mali Uromastyx the other day. I personally adopted her out of some pretty pitiful conditions about a year ago, when I got her, she was being kept in a ten gallon tank with no light whatsoever on it, no UVB, no nothing, and was being fed romain lettuce and crickets. She was a sad sight when I got her. Anyway, I've beefed her back up, now she's healthy as all get out, energetic, and a lot of fun to watch. I usually don't handle her, because she tends to get frantic in the hand, and I prefer just to watch her. She does know who I am though, she's gotten used to me feeding her and all. Anyway, the other day was a first for me. I reached in the cage to move her, because I was doing a bit of spot cleaning in her cage, and she absolutely flipped. Whipped around and got me with her tail twice, puffed herself up like a balloon, started hissing, snapping, you name it, this uro was doing it. She was doing everything in her power to get me out of her tank. Anyway, I got my hand out of there, and since, she hasn't done it. She's in the middle of a shed, which I thought might have made her a little more tempermental. Anyway, it was interesting. I enjoy seeing animals act like they're supposed to, and I know uros aren't one of those animals that particularly likes being held, so I've respected that with this one. Anyone have any ideas as to why she did that? I'm just curious. Thanks, all.
Kevin

Maybe she was daydreaming and you startled her. Seriously though, if she's already grumpy with a shed and she did get spooked, maybe it was just an overreaction. If I inadvertently sneak up on my friendly uros, even they will panic and flee for their hides.
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Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Saharan Uros (Joe and Arthur)
3.0 Mali Uros (Spike, Turtle, and Tank)
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)

Yup just sounsd like you may have freaked her out by accident!

I know a couple of days ago i was showing a friend how the color from my nigerian when he sleeps changes drastically, i went to pull him out like i have done several hundred times while he was sleeping, and he just lost it as well, flailing the tail back and forth so fast my eyes couldn't watch, i immediatly let him go right back to sleep, which i probably just scared him this time,or he could have been dreaming and i disrupted his dream.

I agree with what everyone else said, you just caught your little uro at a bad time or she was just having a bad day . I actually went into a cage of a male bearded dragon one time and believe it or not, I got bit He never attacked any one before, but on this particular day he had my fingers on his menu for lunch. Of cource I was excited about being bit by a bearded dragon, in fact it sort of gave me a rush haha, but the fact that it was a bearded shocked me. Goes to show that anything can bite you at any given time..after all they are wild animals by nature.

Happy Herping,
-Paul

I figured it might be something like that...but still, several days later, she's still pissed, though she's lost the hissing and biting thing. I stuck my hand in there to try and pick her up, and WHAM, tail whip right on the knuckle. She let me have it good, the little snot. I'll just let her be for now, she's probably just grumpy due to shed.

Kevin

Could be i would let her be for a bit and then no matter what she may end up being pissy for a while until she gets used to you and the fact that you are her new owner.