Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have never kept them before and wonder about a few things when it comes to caring about them.

I read that they require high heat and UV lighting. So lets say for a 20-gallon tank, how high a watt bulb do you need? What if the house ambient temp is 70F. What if ambient temp in house is over 80F?

I assume that if you house them in all wood enclosure that the watt needed would be lower than using a glass tank. Is this true? So would you also limit the amount of airflow to only a few vents?

How big a cage can you house an adult pair of malis? How big a cage do you need to house 2 baby malis?

I really like some of the uromastyx species, but am concerned about my electricity costs if I have to keep a heat lamp on the cage 24/7 that is 100 watt and a UV light for 12 hours/day. Any insight would be helpful so I can convience myself I can keep them.

well a 20 gallon tank seems small, and it wont give the proper heat gradient, the bigger the better, most say use a 55 gallon tank, i also like a 40 gallon long or 40 gallon breeder, both these have the same floor space, as a 55 gallon, if you get a custom tank like something made from oak or melamine these cages should hold the heat better if you are concerned about high wattage bulbs, you are aiming for a basking spot of 120 or better, hot side of the tank of 90 -100, and a cool side of about 80-90, so it gives your uro a chance to regulate his temps, i hope this helps good luck