Much of your Uromastyx lizard’s food can come from the grocery store as well as your home garden. Most Uromastyx species are predominantly herbivorous, with insects making up an insignificant part of their natural diet – around 4% or less. As with iguanas, many feel that Uros should take insect protein to have a healthy, balanced diet. This is false.
Captive Uromastyx have done quite well on a completely herbivorous (vegetarian) diet of plant foods. If you choose, you can offer newly acquired Uros some insects to get them to settle in, but this type of food is not necessary. Most herbivorous lizards do best on diets low in animal protein.
Oxalates, Glycosides and Goitrogens
That being said, some vegetable matter is better than others – and some plants have high levels of toxic compounds. Phytotoxins (plant toxins) come in a wide variety of forms. Many are targeted towards insect pests but can also affect reptiles, birds and mammals.
Oxalates and Goitrogens are the most common phytotoxins.
In order to avoid any negative effects and to take advantage of positive effects of these phytochemicals, it is important to provide Uromastyx with a variety of foods every day. See our list of common plant foods for nutrition as well as oxalate and goitrogen content.
Don’t resort to offering up your tropical houseplants for your Uro to munch on, consider the safe, nutritious plants in our list below!
Leafy Greens
Green leafy vegetables can make up the bulk of the Uromastyx diet. Spring Mix salads include baby lettuces (Lactuca sativa) usually including red & green shades of romaine, loose leaf lettuce like oak leaf, lollo rosso, and tango. Often included are chard or beet greens (Beta vulgaris), mizuna (Brassica rapa), arugula or rocket (Eruca sativa), frisée or endive (Cichorium endivia) and radicchio (Cichorium intybus). Some mixes may also include spinach (Spinacia oleracea).
There are many benefits to using a Spring Mix – it provides nutritious leaf lettuce and a source of moisture, as many Uromastyx species will not drink from a water bowl. Most species should not be provided with standing water as it could bump the relative humidity of the enclosure into high levels (over 35%). Spring Mix is also available year-round, and even Costco carries a bulk package. However, it can spoil quickly if you do not have a large collection or enjoy salad yourself.
Leafy greens last about 5-7 days. Freezing is not recommended, as it reduces the water content, changes the structure and reduces the thiamine (vitamin B1) content.
Uromastyx can be picky eaters, especially with newly introduced foods so it’s best to provide a wide variety every day, in the early morning when they are actively foraging. Their tastes are also seasonal, with some foods ignored at certain times of the year. Uros eat most vigorously in the spring months.
Note that cruciferous vegetables in the Brassicaceae family generally contain high levels of goitrogens and should be limited in the Uromastyx diet. For this reason, we do not recommend feeding cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts. These are all one species, which also includes the leafy greens kale and collard greens that may be used in limited amounts. See our plant nutrition list for goitrogen content of commonly fed plants.
Leaf Vegetable Family Designations
Asteraceae
Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
Endive/Escarole (Cichorium endivia), aka Broadleaf endive and Frisee/Chicory aka Curly-leaf endive
Radicchio (Cichorium intybus)
While lettuce (Lactuca sativa) as a type has been vilified for being nutritionally incomplete, it is low in oxalates/oxalic acid and does not contain goitrogens. Its 1:1 Ca:P ratio makes it one of the least offensive vegetables to feed but not an ideal green. The Chicories such as endive are, however, a wonderful staple green.
Amaranthaceae
Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) feed sparingly
Subfamily Chenopodiaceae: Beets (Beta vulgaris)
Spinach has also been discouraged as a food item because it is very high in oxalates, but as part of a well-planned diet every few weeks it is not a bad choice. Beet greens have about half as much oxalic acid as spinach so should also be fed with care.
Brassicaceae (Cruciferous vegetables)
kale, spring greens, collard greens (Brassica oleracea, Acephala Group cultivars)
turnip greens, rapini (Brassica rapa)
bok choy (B. rapa chinensis)
mustard greens (B. juncea, B. nigra Sinapis alba)
tatsoi (B. rosularus)
arugula/rocket (Eruca vesicaria)
watercress (Nasturtium officinale)
Again, beware the goitrogens in the Brassica family!
Vegetables
Besides green leafies, a wide variety of mixed vegetables from your local grocery can be offered. Be sure to offer gourds such as winter squash often, even daily, to create a nutritious balance to the diet of greens. Carrots and sweet potatoes can also be used, but provide moderate levels of oxalates, which should be kept low as greens generally contain high amounts.
pumpkin (chopped or grated)
squash (grated)
zucchini (chopped or grated)
sweet potatoes (chopped or grated)
carrots (chopped or grated)
peas
green beans (chopped)
Opuntia (prickly pear cactus)
bell peppers
cucumber
corn (limited quantities)
bamboo shoots
jicama (grated)
parsnips (grated)
sprouts (limited quantities)
Grated, chopped or shredded veggies can be stored, refrigerated, in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Thawed frozen veggies are fine in moderation, but note that their thiamine (vitamin B-1) levels are reduced in the process. Make sure you feed only with fresh green leafies.
Dry Beans & Seeds
Uromastyx have strong jaws that can crack dry legumes. These provide an extra boost of protein (but beware the phosphorus and goitrogen content) and seeds provide some dietary fat. Bean mixes can also be ground into a powder, just be sure to keep it dry as it can become a stuck on mess on toes, tails and bellies. We generally offer a dish of lentils and millet at all times to our Uros when not housed on birdseed.
Lentils
Proso millet (white millet)
Bean Soup Mix (ground, beans only)
Flax seeds (fatty!)
Do not feed these to emaciated and dehydrated uros because this puts a lot of burden on the kidneys. Also stop feeding high protein food when preparing to brumate your uros in the Winter for breeding in the Spring.
Fruits
Generally, fruits should be used sparingly (less than 10% of the diet). Most fruits are suitable for Uromastyx species, but do not feed Starfruit as it is very high in oxalates. Fruit in general tends to have moderate levels of oxalates.
Apple (with peel)
Berries
Cherries
Fig
Mango
Melons
Papaya
Prickly pear
Strawberries
Papaya and fig are high in calcium, but fig seeds can cause impaction in young Uros. Prickly pear cactus fruit is also a good choice.
Citrus foods are said to be too acidic for proper digestion, and too much vitamin C can cause diarrhea. Banana, plums, peaches, nectarines and passion fruits are highly skewed towards phosphorus in their Ca:P levels, so use caution with these fruits.
Flowers
The buds of many of the listed plants make a good addition to the Uromastyx diet. Hibiscus flowers are great, as are dandelion blooms, mallows, squash blossoms, rose petals and nasturtiums. Pollen and nectar are great additions to the diet in moderation.
Avoid the flowers from potato vines, tomato plants, eggplant, tobacco and related species in the nightshade family Solanaceae.
In the wild, Ornate Uromastyx in particular consume a lot of flowers during certain parts of the year. Use them seasonally and to increase the appetite.
Weeds?!?!
Many invasive weeds are highly nutritious to foraging animals. Leaves and blooms can be highly palatable. Be careful off possible toxic effects of harvesting weeds in inorganically enriched soils, as many can soak up nitrogen to toxic levels. Below is a brief list of the most familiar “weeds”.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinate)
Hawkbit (Leontodon spp.)
Cat’s Ear (Hypochoeris radicata)
Clovers (Legume)
Trefoils (Legume)
Mallows
Cheeseweed Mallow (Malva parviflora) – common in the Southwest
Silverbushes (genus Argythamnia)
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) – high in oxalates
Vetches
Bindweeds
Sedums (avoid sedum acre, possibly toxic)
Nettle
Chickweed
Unfortunately, nutritional data is unavailable for most wild fodder. However, such forage makes up the majority of the Uromastyx’s native diet.
Treats
Sugary, starchy or sweet treats, such as fruits or green peas should be used sparingly. Flowers are excellent treats because they are very nutritious. Use foods that have bright colors, such as red, orange and yellow; white flowers are also favored. Treats can get Uromastyx to tolerate your handling, and can often be “bribed” to walk onto your hand with a favorite treat. This makes it much easier to take them out of their enclosure.
Weekly Feeding Schedule
The below weekly feeding schedule is simply a guideline on how to feed your Uromastyx. The major things to consider are whether you are providing appropriate Calcium to Phosphorus ratios (at minimum 2:1) without providing too high of levels of oxalates or goitrogens. You can find all of this nutritional data in our Plant Nutrition list!
The first section of the Uromastyx food chart lists the daily staples for that week and include two daily greens and one vegetable. Squash and cactus pads can be treated as staple “greens”. The other vegetables should make up 20% of the daily staples. Mixed veg refers to either commercial, frozen mixed veggies or your own blend, depending on preference. The staples section is designed to always have something familiar for your Uros to eat, as drastically changing food items can put them off-feed. Staples should consist of 60-90% of the diet, which helps take advantage of availability (dandelion greens, hibiscus leaves and cactus pads for example).
The rest of the weekly diet can be loosely assembled, with the more food items the better. When feeding less, be sure to use highly nutritious foods such as cactus pads, alfalfa, dandelion, etc.
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | |
| Daily greens + 1 Daily Staple 80%, Staple Vegetable 20% | ||||
| Daily Greens | Spring Mix* | Spring Mix | Dandelion / Hibiscus | Spring Mix |
| Daily Staple | Squash | Endive/Raddichio | Squash | Cactus Pad |
| Staple Vegetable | Mixed Veg* | Sweet Potato / Bell Pepper / Carrots | Mixed Veg | Jicama / Turnip / Parsnip |
| 60-90% of total diet; can vary by season/availability | ||||
| Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | |
| Mix and match from the below rows (up to one item per row) | ||||
| Goitrogenic Food | Bok Choi | Collard Greens / Grape Leaf | Arugula | Kale |
| High Oxalate Food | Mustard / Turnip / Beet Greens | See fruits | See fruits | |
| High Calcium Food | Mustard / Turnip / Beet Greens | Collard Greens / Grape Leaf | Dandelion / Hibiscus | Cactus Pad |
| Seed / Legume | Bean mix, lentils and/or millet | Bean mix, lentils and/or millet | Bean mix, lentils and/or millet | Bean mix, lentils and/or millet |
| Flowers | See list | See list | See list | See list |
| Fruits (<10%) | Berries / Fig / Papaya / Cactus Pear | Cantaloupe / Mango / Tomato | Apple / Banana / Kiwi | Berries / Fig / Papaya / Cactus Pear |
| Other | Mixed Herbs (see list) | Cucumber / Watercress / Spinach | Dried hays (see list) | Fresh alfalfa (young plant, not sprouts) |
| 10-40% of total diet; can vary by season/availability. | ||||
| Total Food Items | 16* | 13* | 13 | 12 |
|
||||
Replicating a Wild Diet
See the Uromastyx Native Plants page for information on the plants eaten by Uromastyx lizards in the wild, as well as North American and European substitutes. Spice up your uro’s diet with these edible plants.
Calcium, Phosphorus, D3 and Supplements
Uromastyx Food Summary & Reference Links
Generally, foods safe for desert tortoises should be safe for Uromastyx species. This is not an exhaustive list! If you are interested in the native plants in the Uromastyx natural environment, please see this chart of native plants.
Below are some links to plant foods for herbivorous lizards and tortoises.
Note that there is a lot of controversy on what plants to feed to Uromastyx species, and certain plants and categories get villified. Beyond the truly toxic plants, there is a wide variety of questionable plants that Uros and Tortoises eat with no ill effects. Variety is key! The more you can offer, the more complete the diet.
Good sites with excellent info:
http://www.deerfernfarms.com/Food_Plants.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_plants_with_edible_leaves
http://africantortoise.com/edible_landscaping.htm
http://tortoiseforum.org/iphone/index.php/thread-6786.html
Should I wash fruits n vegetables before feeding them to my uromastyx !!!
I don’t know how old he is because I adopted him a month ago. Can I feed it raspberries n blackberries and can green beans …
Yes, you should wash all produce well, not only to remove any dirt or pesticides but also to provide them with moisture. They will lick water off the leaves, and when they eat they absorb the moisture as well. Go easy on the raspberries and blackberries, because the seeds can cause problems with young Uros. If you use canned green beans, be sure to wash those also because canned foods are typically high in sodium.
Good luck with your new pet!
My uro apx 3 years old is not eating much at all-maybe a couple bites of lentils or green beans. He was a very good eater until about about a month ago. Today I got a new UVB light and a 100 watt infrared basking light to see if the newer UVB light and added heat from the infrared basking light would help him to want to eat. I’ve been trying more varieties of vegetables to offer him but he looks at them and the turns away. I picked up some Flukers calcium with vit d3 today, but am not sure if I should use it and how to use it (says on the container that it is an essential to all indoor captive reptiles). Please tell me if I should use it and if it will help with his appetite. I do not feed him any insects and he stays indoors. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
How big is your enclosure and what is his setup like? Do you use paper towel or a natural substrate? Sometimes sand can cause an impaction which is a problem. If there is poop, you know he’s eating! Even though the tank shouldn’t have a high humidity, you need to offer him a humid retreat, especially if he’s not eating fresh veggies, or he can dehydrate. If this happens, they can lose their appetites as well.
Make sure the basking spot is hot enough – it should be 115-130 degrees for them to be able to digest food. The rest of the tank should have a cool spot at 85 and a warm side at 100 (besides the basking spot). There needs to be a temperature gradient for him to regulate his temps.
I would use the calcium & D3 sparingly, maybe a few times a week. You are using UVB and that should be helpful. Feed calcium rich leafy greens like collard greens, mustard greens and dandelion leaves if they are available. Check out the Plant Nutrition Chart we’ve made to help put together a healthy diet. Relying too much on the lentils and beans is not healthy, they need their greens!
Flowers like hibiscus and dandelions are also great ways to stimulate his appetite.
Good luck with your uro!
Hi, Thanks for theinfo. His enclosure is 36 x 16. I use vita-sand by Zoo Med (calcium carbonate substrate and have for these 3 years without any problem. I put some water in a plastic lid today and put his front feet in, but he just turned and walked out of it. He acted hungry but took a couple bites and quit eating. I have been offering shredded squash, carrots, lentils, and greens at every feeding lately to try to get him to eat. I think he might have eaten 3 bites of lentils in two weeks. I changed both bulbs, a new UVB and a new 100 watt basking light. I have a digital thermometer in the sand by the basking spot but it is only coming up to 105. I’m don’t remember what wattage I had in there a few months back but I know it was registering 120. I was gone 41/2 weeks this summer and had a friend take care of him. His basking bulb burned out and I had an extra one for her to use. I couldn’t tell when I changed it today what wattage it was, but I thinking I must have been buying more than a 100 watt before this one. What wattage should I get? His last poop was about a week and a half ago. He doesn’t poop but every 3 weeks. Always has been that way. I’m also concerned that he has been sleeping out of his cave for the last couple months. Is this normal? Again, I appreciate you sharing your knowledge. Kathi
Hi Kathi, sounds like that’s maybe a 40 gallon? Anything smaller for an adult Uro is not recommended.
I’m not a huge fan of calcium sand because of its tendency to cause an impaction and can cause loss of appetite as you describe. Only a vet and x-rays can rule a blockage out. However, it does sound like your problem may be the wattage in your bulb. You might want a 125 wattage, it depends on the size of tank and how close you position it to the basking spot. You want to make sure the dome lighting fixture can handle that wattage of bulb or you can short the circuit in the dome. Some combined UVB and heat bulbs have been malfunctioning lately but it sounds like you have 2 different bulbs.
It may also be likely that having lowered temperatures could have caused him to go in brumation – similar to hibernation but they don’t sleep the entire winter. This causes lowered activity and lack of appetite. It usually happens naturally and lasts from late fall to early spring if you let the temps drop.
Try to get your basking temps up, and if that doesn’t help a vet trip is definitely in order.
Thanks so much. Going today to get 125 watt basking bulb! I truly appreciate your responses!! God bless!
My male Mali Uromastyx bites my female Mali’s tail and body when I put them in his habitat. What does that mean and how can I make them more compatible? How much should they eat a day? The male is about 8 years old. He is kind of large. I give him dandelion greens, spring mix, arugula, green bean, peas. The female is just over a year old. Thanks.
It means that your male uro is being territorial of his space! Uro bites can really damage the muscle tissue if continuous.
Your female is too young to breed so it may not be wise to house them together if your temps get really low in the winter, which stimulates mating in the Spring. Sometimes they don’t even need this cycling to attempt breeding.
How large is your habitat? You need a really large tank, IMO, to house multiple uros. I have a pair in a 125 gallon. Sometimes pairs just aren’t compatible. It’s best to start them both in a neutral tank. If your current one is big enough, you can clean it out very well, arrange cleaned or new hides and other decorations in new spots. If you place them both in this “new” environment together, they may no longer feel territorial towards one another. Make sure there is adequate space, with hides and basking spots for both of them.
You may not be able to successfully house them together, and in that case you need to house them separately. Each adult should have 40 gallons of space, so either 2 40 gallon tanks or a 80+ gallon long terrarium split. Divided tanks are a popular way to house Uromastyx.
Your diet sounds good, make sure you are providing UVB light and/or supplementing the veggies with calcium + D3. You might consider adding flowers, birdseed and lentils to the diet. Good luck!
Thanks for the advice. I do have UVB lights in both habitats. I supplement with CA +D3. If I send you a picture of my male, can you let me know if you think he is too fat, and if I should cut back on his food?
By the way I have a joke for you:
My lizard has a headache, do you know what ai should give her?
answer: Reptylenol! HA HA
Haha!
Sent you an email, go ahead and send the pics.
Hi there, I just purchased an egyptian uromastyx a few days ago. It is approx. 5 inches long, he doesnt seem to be eating a lot, he will eat some salad mix (spring mix). My question is how old do you think it is and what more can i do for it. He just seems to be sleeping an awful lot, what should he be eating? and how active should it be at this size? Please let me know, thanks
If you just got him, he is just settling in and can take a while to adjust to his new environment.
He’s probably 6 months to a year old, and should be active as long as you have the temps and lighting set up appropriately: 75-80 degrees on the cool end of the tank, and 120-130 at his basking spot. Hopefully, you already have a large enough tank to accommodate him. He will grow to be 2+ feet in size so a large enclosure is necessary. At this age, a 40 gallon breeder tank is appropriate.
Depending on where you live and where you got him from, he could be brumating, which is a mild form of hibernation during winter. This is triggered by decreased daylight, so if the breeder or reseller already had him on a low-light cycle this could be the cause. You can gradually increase his daylight hours over the next few months until he’s at 14 hours of daylight. However, if he is healthy, then it shouldn’t be a problem if he is less active. My Ornates know when to brumate regardless of my artificial lights and they are much less active this time of year. Just be sure that your new Uro eats his greens to stay hydrated.
Good luck!
I am glad I found this website I am a new reptile owner . I just brought him Friday 12/2/11 .It is for my 13yrold . My Uromastyx is in his cacve right now .When were all out last night he was out we saw him when we came in out of his cave. Then back in when he heard the dog .I hope I feed him right .I am confuse what to feed him every day .Is feeding him spring mix everyday fine ? Also putting legumes on the sideis that fine or just stick with birdseed for now ? .
Spring mix is fine to feed every day. I like to supplement on alternating days with Miner-All indoor formula (with D3) and Repashy Super Veggie Dust. For the first week, I recommend feeding mostly the greens and no legumes just to make sure they get properly hydrated. Moving to a new home can be stressful so we want to make sure they have enough water. The majority of their diet should be greens, with bird seed, lentils and other vegetables (squash, sweet potatoes, etc) providing the protein, fats and vitamins they need. If you have adequate UVB lighting, supplementing with D3 might not be necessary, but it doesn’t hurt to be safe. You should still be providing extra calcium if the Uro is still young.
Good luck with your new pet!
We have a mali uromastyx and we have two lights for it. One red light and one regular light. Is it okay to have just the red lamp running at night?
As long as the temperature stays around 75 at night with the red light on you should be ok! The other light might interfere with their day/night cycle. If it’s still cold, consider a reptile heat pad on the side of the tank where he sleeps that just turns on at night, or a ceramic heat emitter that doesn’t produce light. Good luck!
My Uro doesnt seem very active like they should be. He doesnt eat very much only picks at his food in the middle of the night i have never seen him eat. should i maybe give him some alfalfa pellets or just stick with the veggie diet. i am giving him carrots an celary and lettuce mostly an apples oranges an other fruits here an there. also bird seed but if anyone knows why he isnt really active like he used to be would be cool to leave an response. it is winter here in ontario right now so i dont know if he senses that or not. but he just is pretty lazy an like i said i have not seen him eat yet at all
Winter weather really does slow them down, so that could be it. Even if you keep the temps high and light bright enough during the day they seem to sense winter and go into brumation.
However, you might want to make sure you’re providing the right daytime temps and lighting, especially if he’s out in the middle of the night. That is not normal at all. The minimum enclosure should be 40 gallon (breeder style) but I recommend 75 gallons for a permanent home. The cool side should be around 85 degrees and the warm side around 100, with a basking spot that reaches 115+ degrees. Night temps should drop into the low 80s or mid 70s.
You might want to consider adding more greens to the diet: Collard Greens, Bok Choy, Endive, dandelion greens. Flowers are also a great addition, hibiscus, dandelion, nasturtium etc. Adding some dry beans & lentils is a good addition once he’s out of brumation and acting more lively.
Good luck!
I have a 90 gallon inclosure, approx 48″ by 18″ and got a Saharan female Uro. Her colors are really starting to come through but I have found that she has stopped eating. I am feeding her Endive both the belgian and the curly leaf with romaine lettuce on a bed of millet bird seed. I’ve seen her inspect the food but never actually eat it. Her poop has also turned from a healthy brown/black to a white color. My basking spot is around 110-115 and is around 80 at the cool end. I really want her to be healthy and happy and look forward to a helpful response from you. She has also been sleeping a lot more than when i first got her.
As they get older, they may not eat every day and certain times of the year they slow down. Do you feed any other greens or vegetables? Any lentils or bean mix? A wide variety of food is highly recommended, especially during Spring I like to provide edible flowers – dandelion, hibiscus, squash blossoms, etc.
Do you provide any form of supplementation? What kind of lighting do you have? Does she have a more humid retreat to help her retain moisture? You don’t want a water bowl or a wet substrate, but a burrow that retains some humidity would help her self-regulate moisture.
I have 2 inferred 1x100W and 1x150W with a 150W basking spot lamp and two 13W UV lights. My warm end is around 100F with a basking spot that doesn’ t get higher than 105F unfortunately. The cool end is at 88F and at night the hot side is 89 and the cool side is 78. She has two hiding rocks, one on either side of the tank with a large rock in the middle for basking. I think she may be dehydrated. She looks fairly skinny and I’m getting really worried.
Correction, my warm side is only around 89, 90 ambient with the basking spot at around 103
You’ll want the basking spot to get up to 120 if you can, which will probably get the ambient up to 95-100 during the day. They really like the hot temps as long as they can retreat from them to the cool side, the 88 temps sound good for a cool side.
Making a humid hide can help with dehydration. Get a tupperware container with a hole in the lid and fill it with damp peat moss or organic potting soil. You can mix a bit of sand but don’t use just sand as it can be gritty and it’s not a natural substrate for them. Green leafies can help with dehydration but you want to provide other veggies as well.
Try some chopped sweet red and yellow bell peppers to get her re hydrated.. then balance out her diet .. might help and worth a try!
Thanks for the tips, you’ve been a real help. How do you feel about Mercury Vapor bulbs?
They’re great when they work. I’ve had several burn out prematurely. It could be user error (my fault) if I didn’t angle them appropriately. They can be pretty touchy. The UVB can also degrade after about 6 months, as can some of the florescents but I think they have a longer life. The good thing is they provide heat and UVB so the uros (or other animals) tend to bask under them longer. Florescent tubes do provide a wider exposure but they need to be close (around 8 inches). It’s easier to do this with a basking light, so MVBs take advantage of that.
My dragon died a few days ago and so my husband and I went to a reptile shop to find a new “son”. We saw the egyptian uromastyx and I fell in love at first sight while it took my husband to hold him to fall in love. We are very interested in buying one but find it rather difficult in our search to acquire one. The pet place we visited is selling two babys at $350 each, is that pricey? Also our tank is set up for our dear deceased dragon, Ralph, with lots of climbing branches so that he could reach the heat from the bulb up top. Our tank is 2 ft deep, am I right is assuming that if we bought a uro he wouldn’t be climbing to the top like Ralph did? We have done extensive research into owning a uro but you can’t exactly ask a website questions. We are not novices when it comes to caring for reptiles but after such a recent loss I wouldn’t want to loss a new uro just because we don’t have experience with this species. What is the lifespan of an egyptian uro? The websites say 30+ years but I found this info doubtful. Do you know how to sex a uro and if so can give some helpful tips? Ralph was a female, we thought he was a male but I think we deluded ourselves into thinking so, and this was his second year laying a clutch of eggs. He gave up on life and died so we do not want a female aeygpticus in case we encounter the same problem. The pet store we visited actually had the same thing happen to their female aegypticus so we are very wary of owning any more female lizards of any species. Around what age or better yet size would be best to sex a uro? Also since our tank is so deep would you recommend a under the tank heating pad for him or try to establish a light closer to the bottom of the tank? The websites don’t say anything about jumping… I know looks can be deceiving so do uros jump? I’m sorry this is so long but I want to make sure I know before I buy. When you buy an animal you are its guardian and provider and I just want to make sure I can perform my duty and not give it a death sentence. Thanks so much!
I’m sorry for your loss of Ralph.
Uromastyx and bearded dragons are both heat loving & veggie eating, uros seem to take it to the extreme, loving it even hotter and eating exclusively vegetation compared to beardies. A uro might be right for you, however an Egyptian needs a much bigger space than Ralph needed. An Egyptian Uromastyx (depending on subspecies) can grow to be nearly 3 feet, and need a 6′+ long cage to be comfortable. $350 is a little bit high unless they are captive bred and you have a lineage history behind them. If you are looking for a smaller uro, you would do well with a Saharan or Mali for its temperament and price. They would need at least a 40 gallon long breeder style tank to get the thermoregulation correct, with a cool spot of 85 to the basking spot of 120 in the warm end. Sounds like yours will be perfect!
You sex a uro in the same way you do a bearded dragon, so it’s really a matter of experience looking for hemipenal bulges. With experience you can probably do so after hatching but there is still large room for error. The older they are, the more likely you can sex them. Judging just by color is tricky, as many females can be “male mimics” in certain species.
Many uros are excellent climbers and can reach high areas of the tank if branches allow them to. Our ornate uros love to leap (they can jump a bit) onto the ventilation holes of their tank and readily climb every surface with a toe-hold! Egyptians are less likely to climb when they get big, but never put it past them! If you have slates or bricks you can build a climbing platform up to the light to reach 120 degrees, as slate retains heat better than branches. A reptile heating pad can be used if the temps drop lower than 80 degrees in a burrow/hide. You can use it taped to the side of the tank rather than under, depending on your type of substrate. It’s hard to say how long uros live in the wild or in captivity, but they should reach 12+ years and hopefully with continued research into diet, lighting, etc we can get them to reach the theoretical 30+ years. Reptiles are generally very long-lived animals.
I hope this answers your questions!
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I have a very sweet mali named Scarlett…I have always fed her a good variety of veggies and occasionally some fruit, BUT her very favorite thing in the entire world to eat is broccoli!…I know its a huge no no on a regular basis but if I dont give it to her 85% of the time she wont eat anything! I feel like Im dealing with a 3rd grader and I want to be a firm “parent” but I dont want her to go hungry so…..do I just stop giving it to her? I have reduced the amount to only one small flower amongst her other greens but she will ferrit it out first thing even if its at the bottom of the bowl. You also mentioned peet moss for her hiding place? do I lightly mist the peet moss for humitidy? Thanks so much for your help
You can try chopping just the florets (not the stalk) and sprinkle that over the top of the other greens. A small amount won’t be too bad but you want to break her of her picky eating habit. Usually by chopping everything really fine, they learn to just eat everything instead of hunting and pecking for their favorite bits.
You can mist the peat moss but make sure you have a variety of hiding spots, so that she can regulate her humidity. Too much can be pretty bad for Uros, but you should provide the option to have some humidity at times.
Good luck!
Hey man what’s up. I have been reading most of your answers to the questions that other people have been posting but i have a question. My lizard is really young, he eats normally but he sleeps a lot and it has began to worry me. Is it natural for him to sleep a lot?
Are your temps warm enough? Might want to check the basking spot. They do take a siesta during the day. Some Uromastyx species (like ornates) are just more sedentary than others. Has there been a change in behavior, or has he always slept a lot?
I have a uro named Toaster. Hes a princess when it comes to food, but i read your stuff and im gonna try it. Only thing is i use vita-sand or whatever its called and it really does slow down his eating. Sooooo in thay case papertowel? Orr what would you say is the BEST of the best? Thx
I really don’t recommend vita-sand at all due to compaction. It’s digestible “in theory” but in use it can cause various problems so it’s best to avoid it. There really is no “best” substrate, it all goes into how you want to house them. Paper towel is fine, as is a bare tank floor that you would need to spot clean regularly. I like using millet (a type of birdseed) for juveniles – new hatchlings should be on paper towel or bare floor to ensure they eat their greens. An adult can be housed on a mix of sand and soil (organic potting soil or compost) that they can dig and in some cases make their own burrows, as long as they are stable and can’t collapse. Uros should be provided with a humid retreat (damp substrate) so they can regulate their humidity levels as well as their temperature.
Hi I have a 6 year old uro his name is bob, I have him in a 40 breeder tank, he eats his greens regularly but he doesn’t seem to grown much, he’s about 6 inches and the floor is crushed walnuts I got from a pet store, my question is why he is not growing??? He has a beautiful yellow color to him but doesn’t grow much
I have a 55 gallon tank, and i put an 150 watt bulb along with a seperate 26 watt uvb bulb. The only thermometer i found that goes to a high enough temp. doesnt really work, so i m wondering if you think this is warm enough for him
Unfortunately, there are too many variables to tell for sure. You really should get two type of thermometers: a probe style which can measure ambient temperature and a digital temp “gun” to measure surface temps for basking. Both are critical, because having a high basking temp can raise the rest of the tank to too high of levels. If the basking spot is too cool, the rest of the tank might also be too cool and they won’t digest food properly.
How much does he weigh? It’s easier to tell growth with weight. It’s possible he has a parasite. At 6 years 6 inches is very small. I suggest a vet checkup! Also I recommend ditching the walnut, it’s not a good substrate as it can cause internal blockages.
Hello,
I am the new owner of a female red uro named, Little Foot. Soon, my students will enjoy her as our new classroom pet. Like many uro owners, cage temperature is my main concern, especially since she will be in a well air-conditioned classroom. I currently have a ceramic bulb and a 100 watt basking bulb, but the basking temp is only up to 100 even with both bulbs on at once. Before I decded to upgrade to the 150watt basking bulb, I was hoping you could suggest a more efficient heating bulb. Any particular brands that really do the job? Should I get a red bulb? There are so many different kinds to choose from, and I don’t want to keep wasting money on bulbs that don’t do the job. I mean, I am on a teachers sallary afterall. haha
ps. she is still little (5.5inches) so is in a 30 gallon tank for now.
Hi Jess, I’m not familiar with 30 gallon tanks, but if you mean a 29 gallon, then what we’ve used is a single 125 watt heat lamp (not red or infra-red). If you keep 2 bulbs on in that size tank it will be very difficult to get a cooler area for her to retreat to, so I would stick to one bulb that’s strong enough to create a suitable basking spot.
If it is a 29 gallon tank, then if you can mount the light so that it goes at least a few inches down into the tank, that will help get the spot to the right level. If you do that though, you have to make very sure that she can’t touch the bulb and it won’t get knocked down onto her! Alternatively you can stack up slate, other rocks and even branches to help her get a warmer spot closer to the bulb. Again though, make sure that these things are not going to be knocked over on her if a student bumps the tank or something like that.
The safest thing would probably be large flat pieces of slate stacked up several inches from the floor. Being large and somewhat heavy is important so they don’t get knocked over, unless you want to glue them in place.
The ceramic emitter will be great when the temperatures are lower. Just leave it on at night at a level that will keep the tank at least 65 degrees or so. If it’s much more than about 80 though you should probably get a light fixture with a dimmer so you can set it at a lower level or move it further away until the temperature is in that range. If the room stays above that level at night right now though, you can probably put away the ceramic emitter or now.
If you’re dusting her food with Miner-Al or another supplement that has good levels of Vitamin D3 you probably won’t need a UV light, but be aware that if she ever shows signs of MBD (Metabolic Bone Disease), you may need to get her a light that produces UVB so that she can make her own Vitamin D3. We alternate between dusting with Miner-Al and Repashy Super Veggie and for the most part we’ve had good results with that. Just make sure you don’t get lower quality supplements or you are much more likely to run into problems and have to buy a UV bulb.
Otherwise a single 125 or maybe 150 watt bulb should do it! The ones we usually use are the Philips 125-Watt BR40 Heat Light Bulb, and they cost about $9 at Home Depot. There may be better ones out there, and we’d love to hear about them, but these ones seem to work and they’re not very expensive.
I hope this doesn’t all sound too daunting! Uros are usually just about the easiest animals to care for, and if you forget any of this you can always come back and read more or ask more questions.
To sum up my advice:
1. 125 watt normal light spectrum heat bulb
2. Stacked slate/rocks high enough to provide suitable basking temperature
3. Dust food with Miner-Al (and optionally Repashy Super Veggie)
4. Save the ceramic heater for the winter
If you have any more questions, come back any time.
Hi my name is Shannon. I have owned my Mali for 5 years. He is a healthy dude, very robust, good eater. I do a variety of greens, and occ fruit or veggie, and hibiscus flowers alot with Mineral D 3 2 times a week. I recently obtained an 8 month old female. I read it can take 3-4 months for them to adapt. She seems to fear me more than Guito ( my uro). She sits on him but if we walk by she hides. Unsure if eating. I considered giving her her own enclosure, but its already been a month I feel that would set her back. My set up is 75 gallons, hot, lots of caves. Its actually pretty awesome. I have not seen any bite wounds on her. Also never fed the beans. I bought some bean mix soup. Do I grind into powder, or grind into chunks. I worry about a GI obstruction. And millet the brown seeds for birds. How often? I have read multiple sites and its not precise enough to where I feel comfortable. Thanks in advance. I appreciate your time.
Hello, I recently took in a couple adult uromastyx about a month ago and while Im still learning about them they seem to be doing well on diet of mainly endive, bok choy, spring greens, peas, green beans, squash & carrots (Thank you for your site, its been an excellent source of info for me!). I’ve read that they like flowers, particularly yellow flowers and I still have a few yellow begonia blooms in my garden.. wondering if that is a safe flower for them? Thank you.
I think Begonia flowers can be safe if fed occasionally, but they are high in oxalic acid so be sure not to feed too often or in combination with other foods high in oxalates (spinach, beets). Perhaps one once a week just to be safe. Good luck!
It can take a while for her to get used to her new surroundings and to not be afraid of you. I leave a bowl of lentils/seeds out for them for most of the year, you could do the same with the bean mix ground up (without the seasonings, of course!). If they start to slow down for the winter (brumation) you should remove the seeds & beans and just feed the moist foods. Reintroduce the beans in early Spring.
If you see that they eat the dry food more than their moist food you can also remove it. They tend to bulk up on these items and they really need the moisture in leafy greens to keep from dehydrating and hurting their kidneys with too much protein.
Good luck!
Thanks Amy for this amazing webpage with such awesome information like the weekly feeding charts. My husband and I had been researching about uromastyx for quite some time and were about to get all our questions answered here. I know sometimes people don’t do enough research before they get an animal but we had been looking to get a uromastyx and found the perfect two at NARBC in tinley park last weekend. Now that my two girls seem to be getting used to their new home and each other i couldn’t be more thrilled. We started there weekly diet plan with spring mix in one container and some lentils and millet in another. I love adding other leafy greens to see which ones they prefer and others that they just snack on. Thank you again for all of your wisdom and knowledge.
My basking lamp broke at home, so I am watching my Uro outside in his tank to soak up sunlight. However, around where I live in California, the temperature is around 61 degrees Fahrenheit. Is that too cold for my Uro to be during the day? Also, can I keep him in the sunlight for a few hours, and then bring him back in? I’m afraid cats will eat him, if I keep him out without supervision. Or, is that not enough? My Uro is also not eating very much recently. Please help me out!
If the temps are under 80, you’ll want to limit the outside time to about 20-30 minutes a few times a week for UVB exposure to generate vitamin D3. You definitely need to replace the basking bulb and make the enclosure warm for the majority of the day. It can drop to around 75 at night but you need to raise the “warm” side of the enclosure to around 100 and have a basking spot of 120+. The cool side should be around 80-85. They are from very sunny, very hot arid regions so you need to mimic this in captivity.
Low temps will prevent them eating and cause them to go into brumation, a lighter form of hibernation.
Thanks for the kind words, Shelly! I hope your new Uros are doing great!