Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm not a beginner to reptiles, I do as much homework as I can...but i still have some questions.

So first of all, I live in Massachuetts. Anyone else keep Uros ok in MA? I ask because as of late our humidity is REALLY high...around 60-70%.
Would the high heat needed drop humidity enough to keep the uro healthy? Should I forget the idea of owning a uro comepletely here?

Also, I'd probably build my own cage. Anything I should keep in mind here? I have a UVB Bulb (murcury vapor...not florescent), but I'm wondering if I should use it. Its VERY hot, but I'm not sure how I could safely use it on a custom built cage (if the cage was wood), unless I made the top a metal screen. Any thoughts?

I saw a uro in a pet store recently (no I'm not planning on buying from a pet store), and he was pretty active chasing around a cricket, and kinda fun to watch.

I was wondering if they are always like that, or was he just like any other poor reptile in a pet store that is half starved and would run like hell to get a mouthful of something they wouldn't regularly eat under desperation?

Are they good choices for first lizards? (I've also looked at Leopard geckos and beardeds but they dont interest me as much).

Uros will chase crickets around but they're pretty bad at catching the darn things My uro has recently developed a taste for crickets (only as a treat through, he still eats his veggies) and I've watched him chase them around his enclosure. So yes, they do chase crickets. What was the condition of the uro in the pet store? Did it have a fat or skinny tail? Was there any evidence of veggies in there with it? Just wondering.

His tail looked pretty fat. HE was pretty fat. He was shedding at the time. He looked pretty healthy and active, but then again a pet store is a crap shoot.

leopard geckos are far easier to care for than uros and require little effort to get them to thrive and/or breed.

that said, uros are the best. i have yet to find a lizard with more personality. depending on the breed they can be very hardy. mine are exceptionally friendly. as sunfox said, if my uros COULD catch crickets they would chase them like crazy, but i usually just offer them from my hand. i would recommend coughing up a few extra bucks to get a uro that is captive bred. i recently saw some captive bred malis on the classifieds for like $40 or something???

good luck, uros rule
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1.2 Mali Uromastyx (Ricky, Quinn, Anna)
0.1 Yellow Ackies (Roxie)
1.0 Timor (Zealot)

Emily
www.egomantra.com/npoh

ok..first question is about the humidity. I would assume that if you have high humidity where you live you also have a/c in your home? That in itself cuts down on the humidity levels (which is actually what cools your home) so the levels could be maintained easily.

The light definately should be on something metal not wood or plastic. The cage tops I have on my aquarium are heat safe so they do not get hot. Maybe you could buy something like that to enclose it with?

As for the crickets, they are ok for your uro but only sparingly. They are more like a treat but not a major staple of their diet. I maybe give mine a couple just for fun to chase around and enjoy. But stick strickly with the veggie diet.

hope this helps!
Renee

Well I have an air conditioner in my bedroom, but not the rest of the apartment.
It helps a tiny bit with humidity, but not alot. 5 maybe 10 percent. If I need a humidity in the 20's for a uro, it wont cut it. PLUS I dont have room in my bedroom for a large cage.