Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I want to get a uro i have a lot of experience with herps. I don't know which type to start with. I will be buying a pair but can't choose which type. easy to keep yet still colorful?

Ornates are very colorful, have good temperments, and are not as sensitive as some of the species. US breeders have a well established population, so for CB uros they are pretty easy to come by. They are usually available as hatchlings or juvies. Adults rarely come on the market, but when they do they are expensive. If you want to breed them, it's better to raise them together. Introducing potential mates as adults can get messy.

On the other hand, male malis are quite striking, with similar temperments and ease of acclimation to the ornates, and significantly less expension. The low cost is due to the fact that most of the available animals are imported. Buying an imported animal silently endorses the terrible conditions involved in the reptile trade. No congnitive dissonance here, I do recognize that all CB populations have descended from animals that survived importation. I just wish there was something I could do to make it all better...

--Laurel