Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I recently got my first reptile pet, a uromastyx, about a month ago. I have a few questions I hope more experienced lizard folk can help me with. Firstly, based on the pictures below, anyone have any ideas on species/gender/age? I've looked at many pictures of other uros and still have no clue as to mine. Also, my uro tends to spend about half the day trying to escape his lovely new home, which leads me to believe he was not captive bred. Does anyone have any advice on how to acclimate it to its new surroundings? Thanks for any advice.

-Mike

a top view

It's a wee bit hard to see him in the pictures, but from what I can see (and knowing what's most common), it's possibly a Mali. You can check out Deer Fern Farms pages on the various species available. There's lots of pictures, including juveniles (yours looks pretty young from what I can see), so you might be able to tell for sure by looking there.

-----
Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Joe and Arthur)
2.0.1 Uromastyx Dispar Maliensis (Tank, Turtle, and Spike)
1.2 Anolis Carolinensis (Bowser, Leeloo, and Sprocket)
0.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Sheila)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

Thanks for that site, I can see the mali resemblance somewhat. I apologize for the quality of the first two picks, Ron (or possibly Ronita) wasn't having a happy day, but he/she seems to be a little more social now, so I was able to get a picture out of the tank. You mentioned that its probably juvenile, so it'd be too early to determine gender right?

-mike

Yeah - even for the easier species, it's usually about a year at least before you can tell gender. My Mali Turtle is about 3 years old, and I'm still not sure!
-----
Torey
Eugene, Oregon, USA
1.1 Uromastyx Geyri (Joe and Arthur)
2.0.1 Uromastyx Dispar Maliensis (Tank, Turtle, and Spike)
1.2 Anolis Carolinensis (Bowser, Leeloo, and Sprocket)
0.1 African Dwarf Frogs (Sheila)
1.0 Betta Splendens (Mr. Miagi)
1.1 Felis Domesticus (Roscolux and Jenny)

I dont want to be nitpicky BUT lizards or snakes or dogs etc do not have gender!! They only have sex. Only humans have gender which is whatvever our culture invest in what is considered male and female. Unfortunately I read and her gender used as synonym for sex more and more, which is completeley wrong.

End of diatribe

Tom hakansson

is your uro on wood chips? i am not really sure if that is good for them or not but i would be concerned with possible ingestion, perhaps someone else knows better
also i am not sure glass dancing has anything to do with WC/CB because mine are both WC and neither one of them do it. sometimes stress can cause them to do it. are the sides and back of the cage covered so he only has to worry about the front for "predators"? it can help sometimes
-----
vonnie
***There is no pleasure in having nothing to do; the fun is in having lots to do and not doing it. Mary Wilson Little ***

Nice to have you here Cute little friend you have there, does look like a mali.

I think everyones had them stand and glass dance as we call it, one time or another. Should subside in time as he/she gets better acclimated. But they still do it on occasion.

I always tried to distract them, when they did it, like putting a treat in for them to eat, or taking them out a minute or so.

My female still will do it when she has to go to the bathroom, she does not seem to like to dirty her house , hahahhaha .

Sure is a cutie ! Nice to have you both join the rest of us lizard nuts !
-----
-----

PHEve / Eve

Thanks to everyone for the warm welcome. I'm going to try blocking the sides and see if the glass dancing goes down a bit. In regards to the substrate concern, i'm planning on changing it to small seeds and large rocks. I was originally planning on getting another lizard, but after reading about the problems wood chips cause uros, I'm changing it.

-mike

Welcome to owning a very personable, gentle and intelligent reptile (individual personalities not withstanding =)). From your pictures, I'd be very sure that what you have there is a mali. It is right when you hear that gender is difficult to tell in Uromastyx. There are a bunch of indicators as they age but there are always exceptions to those. Don't worry about the trying to escape thing. They will always do that captive bred or not. Mine still do it after 2 1/2 years =) I let mine out in the room while I'm working out and they go to every wall and try to climb it as well. Uromastyx have to be some of the most interactive social lizards I've owned. One of mine knows their name (no garauntee they'll come when their called =)) and I can lay her on her side and pat her back and she'll close her eyes and move her little paw =) My other one doesn't mind being handled but it very independent and only wants to socialize on her terms =) I handle mine a lot though even when they were recently purchased juveniles (that is not always recommended by experienced herpers). I hope you learn alot about caring for yours and really enjoy having him/her around!