Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Ok...Now I have had my Uros for about 8 months and I really don't know if they are mating or not....It may not even be possible(he is a Saharan and she is a Mali)...they are both juvenilles....1-2 years is my best guess on age. SO how would I ever be able to tell if she was ready to lay eggs? Lord knows I am noe expert and I am definitely no Dr. Dolittle. So can anyone give any advice so I know what to look for in the future?

Why why WHY? For what purpose are you trying to get mixed babies??? Breed either malis or saharans, but not to each other!

If we are breeding to reduce the collection of WC animals, why not stick to keeping the species seperate?
-----
Nicki and...

0.0.2 Uromastyx geyri (Saharan Uromastyx) - Dragon and Belle
1.1.0 Uromastyx dispar maliensis (Mali Uromastyx) - Spike and Lizzy
1.0.0 Cordylus mossambicus (Girdled Lizard) - Fidgit
1.0.0 Liasis mackloti savuensis (Savu python) - Bazzi
1.0.0 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri (Variable (Thayer’s) Kingsnake) - Kavi
0.0.1 Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli (Pueblan Milksnake) - Callia
0.2.0 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Red-Sided Garter Snakes) - Spot and Fluffy
0.2.0 Bufo Paracnemis (Roccoco Toads) - Red and Miss Hissy

Ontario, Canada

It's done all the time with other critters... ie Angolan Ball.
-----
(¯`·.¸¸.·´Kane`·.¸¸.·´¯)

Yes, it is done with a few other species, snakes in particular. Snakes species which are well established in captivity and are reproducing captive born offspring on a regular basis(eg:cornxratsnake cross). Uromastyx on the other hand are living a delicate existance in captivity and many species are difficult to breed because they are relatively new to the herp hobby. There is still so much to be learned about uromastyx before we go mixing species!!

Ontario,Canada

There's always more to be done. Cross-breeding also teaches. It would be interesting to find which Uros can be bred with which. If they mate & reproduce, go for it. Odds are they'll be sterile but if not, make sure anyone you sell them to is aware of the cross.
-----
(¯`·.¸¸.·´Kane`·.¸¸.·´¯)

Ithink you misunderstood me....I am not trying to breed them.....I love these guys as pets and that was my only intention but these were what was available from my pet stores that I used at the time I bought them. I was just asking so that I would know what to look for in the event that it happened.

Brian

Yep, I misunderstood for sure. Sorry about that. But if they may be large enough to breed (and are male and female), it would be a good idea to seperate them, to make sure it doesn't happen. As gexy said "Bottom line is, we need to establish the individual species in captivity first before we start to try mixng anything!"

I agree totally with that. And although interbreeding is done in other animals, a purebred is always more desired, and therefore expensive, among those most interested in that animal.

I'd just hate to see a pile of mutt uros on the market, being sold as saharans, or malis, or something else, and not being at least somewhat sure of what they are! Then someone buys them, and breeds one to a mali, and sells those as malis when they aren't, and in the end muddies up all the species in captivity!

Sorry to rant in your thread. To answer your question, you'd observe breeding behaviours first, then the female would become fat with eggs. She'd probably be very aggressive towards the male at that time, and she'd be searching for an appropriate nesting site to lay.
-----
Nicki and...

0.0.2 Uromastyx geyri (Saharan Uromastyx) - Dragon and Belle
1.1.0 Uromastyx dispar maliensis (Mali Uromastyx) - Spike and Lizzy
1.0.0 Cordylus mossambicus (Girdled Lizard) - Fidgit
1.0.0 Liasis mackloti savuensis (Savu python) - Bazzi
1.0.0 Lampropeltis mexicana thayeri (Variable (Thayer’s) Kingsnake) - Kavi
0.0.1 Lampropeltis triangulum campbelli (Pueblan Milksnake) - Callia
0.2.0 Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis (Red-Sided Garter Snakes) - Spot and Fluffy
0.2.0 Bufo Paracnemis (Roccoco Toads) - Red and Miss Hissy

Ontario, Canada

I completely understand what you are saying evn if I don't agree for certain reasons. Nothing I breed(purely by accident) would ever go to a market. I would keep them all simply because I am totally in love with the animals. The other reason I disagree is because when you have a small breeding circle you can tend to get genetic defects. This occurs in many many species. Simply by adding a new set of genes to a pool can remove so many of those. But like I said, I am not looking to play God. I just want my Uros to be happy and for me to be happy with them!!!! Thanks for the info!!!!

Brian

OK!!, I apologize for getting all bitter. I do feel strongly about this but everyone is entiled to their own opinion. I also love the uromastyx, they are my favorite cold blooded critters! Anyway, I'm sure you have had your question answered already. My female saharan bred within 3 weeks of emerging from winter cooling. By the time she was ready to lay those eggs(about 4 weeks later) she was huge! The sides of her belly were very lumpy with eggs, it is quite obvious!

First of all, I agree with Niki. Why would you even consider trying to mix species? I don't even think they would be compatible anyway! At 1-2 years old they aren't even mature enough to breed! My advice to you is do a little more research about the species, separate them and then find them a mate each of their own kind!! It is good that you are interested in breeding them because so many are wild caught imports but DO the RESEARCH FIRST!!!

Ontario, Canada

I don't see what's wrong with breeding them to each other. I mean, the captive market isn't so dwindling- in the chain pet store I work in alone I've seen three captive bred malis with several hundred more available for order. And not to mention all the quality breeder sites. I don't see interbreeding as bad thing because we don't know all there is to know about uros, I mean, look at Medel and the gene idea. Obviously cross breeds can teach us a lot. I mean, we could learn so much about how genes in uros get expressed, and whether or not some are codominant, or if bredding between types is even possible. Besides, an animal with the color of a Saharan and the tmper of a Mali would be ridiculously popular and probably reduce the demand for regular Malis, and since they're only captively available, no one's getting yanked out of the home den.
-----
April
1.0 Mali Uromastyx- Embrodak,
0.1 Saharan Uromastyx- Scheherazade
2.1 Mountain Horned Dragon- Beren, Luthien and Tinuviel
3.0.5 Hermit Crabs- Violet, Polly, Jennifer, Trogdor, Hedwig, Penelope and Sinistra
1.1 Five lined Skink- Leela and Fry
1.0 Bettas-Nuala

Ok, sure malis are the most common captive bred uro species. But many of the other species are rarely available as CAPTIVE BORN.Infact most of the saharans you see on dealers lists are all WC and if you only new how many die before they even make it to a dealer you wouldn't be talking so casually about trying to interbreed species. Bottom line is, we need to establish the individual species in captivity first before we start to try mixng anything!

If I only knew how many die before they get to the dealers. I love how you think I'm so much less informed than you. And I still fail to see how cross breeds hurt the rest of the species. In all likelihood, people will still breed the non-crosses.
-----
April
1.0 Mali Uromastyx- Embrodak,
0.1 Saharan Uromastyx- Scheherazade
2.1 Mountain Horned Dragon- Beren, Luthien and Tinuviel
3.0.5 Hermit Crabs- Violet, Polly, Jennifer, Trogdor, Hedwig, Penelope and Sinistra
1.1 Five lined Skink- Leela and Fry
1.0 Bettas-Nuala

I don't really think its your fault for mixing species. I think that you just had 1 tank and bought them thinking that it doesn't really matter on species.

My bro's ex had a pregnant mali, and she didn't even take her to the vet. She knew because she was eating more and was a great deal bigger then she was a couple days before. I do not think that your mali and saharan are sexually active yet. Plus they probably wouldn't mate anyway. My suggestion is getting another tank, and getting a mate OF THE SAME species for both your Mali and Saharan.