Uromastyx Shopping List
These are the products recommended for setting up a functional uromastyx enclosure. The recommendations below apply to most uromastyx 24″ / 61cm long and shorter.
Enclosure Requirements for Uromastyx
Uromastyx vary widely in size but plan for no smaller the a 4'L X 2'W X 2'H/1.2 X 0.6 X 0.6 enclosure. Some types of Uromastyx can get large and will need at least a 6'X3'X3'.
Recommended minimum calculated enclosure size:
SVL=Snout-to-vent lenght. If you are unsure of the adult SVL for your species, the enclosure should be at the least twice as long as the total length and at least once as wide/fall can work as a rough starting point. The enclosure should be front opening and should have a mesh top for the best possible ventilation and of course bigger is always better!
Recommended Enclsures by length of Uromastyx: Aly's Dragons and More is a dropshipper for Zen Habitats
18"/45cm long or less:
Custom Reptile Habitats 3 Foot Reptile Enclosure- 3 Foot Reptile Enclosures – CustomReptileHabitats.com
Exo Terra 36" X 18" X 18" All-Glass Terrarium and can be found in most pet stores
Carolina Custom Cages Large 36" X 18" X 18"- Carolina Designer Dragons 36LX18WX18H Archives - Carolina Designer Dragons
Repti Zoo 36" X 18" X 18" Reptile Terrarium-Can be found at most pet stores or online
24"/60 cm Long or Less:
Custome Reptile Habitats 4 Foot Reptile Enclosure- 4 Foot Reptile Enclosures – CustomReptileHabitats.com
Zen Habitats 4'X2'X2' (120 Gallon) PVC Panel Reptile Enclosure- 4'x2'x2' Original PVC Panel Reptile Enclosure | Zen Habitats
Dubia.com 4X2X2 (120 Gallon) Reptile Enclosure- Reptile Habitats 4x2x2 PVC Reptile Enclosure | $299 Free Shipping – Dubia.com (dubiaroaches.com)
36"/90cm Long or Less:
Custom Reptile Habitats Essential 6 Foot PVC & Aluminum Enclosure- Essential 6 Foot PVC & Aluminum Enclosure - 72 L x 24 W x 36 H – CustomReptileHabitats.com
Recommended Lighting and UVB
General Lighting Illumiation
For Optimal mental and physical health of the uromastyx bright light with a color temperature of around 6500k should be strongly correlated. Addtiional "daylight" lighting in their enclosure are more alert, more active than those that don't have the additional, demonstrate better appetites and have more natural behaviors.
Full Spectrum lighting is not the same as the reptile UVB lighting, so you will need two saparate lamps, You will need one long enough to span at least most of the enclosure, or multiple lamps. A couple that are excellent lamp choices are:
Uromastyx are what is called diurnal, which means that they are most active during the day and becasue of that they are stimulated by the presence of white light that is bright in their environment and also require stron, highquality UVB lighting to survive. Listed below are recommended items and you don't need to buy every single one of these items. You will need a heat lamp, a heat lamp fixture for exampte Zoo Med Combo Deep Dome Dual Lamp Fixture and lamp dimmers, UVB tube lighting. Listed below are recommended for each type of item.
Zoo Med Combo Deep Dome Dual Lamp Fixture
100W Arcadia PAR38 Halogan Flood Bulb X2
Lutron Credenza lamp dimmer, X2
22" T5 HO Arcadia Dragon 14%
24" Arcardia Pro T5 or Vivarium Electronics T5 HO Fixture
34" Arcadia Jungle Dawn LED Bar
UVB Lighting
Because of UVB lighting being tricky and getting the right strength of UVB (UV index, or UVI), you need to take into consideration the distance and potential mes obstruction. Uromastyx are Sun-Loving reptiles and to provide appropriate UVB, it is recommended to use Arcadia Dragon 14% bulb and it should go half the length of the enclosure and should be on the warm side. The Arcadia Dragon buld should be mounted in a reflective T5HO fixture as the Arcadia ProT5 or Vivarium Electornics T5 HO fixture.
Uromastyx Temperature Requirements
Because of humans being warm-blooded our body temperature is automatically regulated. Uromastyx are cold-blooded and have to move between areas of different temperatures in order to regulate their body temperature . In the wild Uromastyx warm up by basking under the sun. But, in captivity they do best with a hologen heat lamp as the heat source. Here are the temperatures that should be within the enclosure:
Halogen 100w PAR38 Flood Bulbs should be plenty to achieve those basking temperatures and if you build up the basking platform to be about 10-12" below heat lamp. If your uromastyx gets to hot reduce the height of the platform or use a plug-in lamp dimmer to dial it down.
For a special type of basking platform for your Uromastyx it is strongly recommended to construct a Retes Stack. Retes Stack is a stack of Several Large pieces of flat wood, Flagstone or stone pieces or slate tile with spacers in between to create secure crevices where Uromastyx can choose the exact temperature it wants to bask at as well as feel secure while basking. Retes Stack(s) should have 2"W X 2"H wood spacers and should be bought in person verses online and also the wood stilts that should be bought inperson verses online.
Best way to measure the basking surface temperature is to use an infrared thermometer also known as a temperature gun. To Passively track basking temperature is by using a digital probe thermometer, with the probe place on the basking surface under the heat source. Most reptile-brand digital probe thermometers function well enough and a good infrared thermometer is the Etekcity 774- Etekcity Lasergrip 1080 Infrared Thermometer and you can also find similiar at Lowe's or Home Depot.
Humidity Requirements for Uromastyx
Humidity Levels that are consistently higher than 20-30% can make your uromastyx sick. Uromastyx require very low ambient humidity levels and can be measured by a digital probe hygrometer with the probe placed on the ground on the cool side of the enclosure.
Uromastyx do benefit from having access to some kind of humid burrow in their enclosure. The burrow is usually something that they have dug out for themselves in the substrate which will be talked about next. It is advisable to periodicallly add water to the substrate to help prevent the burrows from collapsing and to help the burrows to maintain healthy humidity levels. However, the to 1" or so of the substrate should always be dry.
Note:
Certain Coastal Uromastyx species prefer more humid conditions than others. U. Yemenensis needs an average humidity of around 50%, and U. macfadyeni needs it to be around 30-35%. Occasioal nighttime misting may be appreciated by these species.
Uromastyx Substrate Options:
Healthiest and Happiest Uromastyx are when they are housed on substrate also known as bedding that imitates their natural habitat conditons. Northern Africa and Middle East habitat is typically sand or very sandy soil. Fine Sand or Sandy Soil, packed at least 4" deep preferably deeper if possible should be used in your uromastyx's enclosure. In a 4X2X2 enclosure that takes at least 2.5 cubic ft of substrate. My recommendations would be to use newspaper or childrens play sand. Because of loose substrate such as sand when they eat, they can digest the substrate and possibly cause problems. Everything would need to be on point to minimize the possible problems.
Listed below are some naturalistic substrate options appropriate for using:
Jurassic Natural Australian Desert Dragon Habitat-Can be found on Amazon- Amazon.com : JurassicNatural Australian Desert Dragon Habitat 10lb Substrate for Bearded
Dragons and Other Lizards, Red : Pet Supplies
Jurassic Reptile Substrate- Reptile Substrates – JURASSIC SANDS
Zoo Med Reptisand-Can be found on Amazon or in your local pet store
Exo Terra Desert Sand-Can be found on Amazon- Amazon.com: Exo Terra Desert Sand, 10-Pound, Yellow : Everything Else
Childrens Playsand-Can be found at your local Hardware store
You can also make you own DIY Desert mix of 50% plya sand, 30% organic topsoil and 20% Zoo med Excavator Clay Amazon.com : Zoo Med 26406 Laboratories 690108 Excavator Clay Burrowing Substrate, 20 lb : Pet Supplies
Sick or Wounded Uromastyx should NOT be kept on loose substrate. Instead, use paper towels.
Feeding Your Uromastyx
Uromastyx are true herbivores, In order for them to get the nutrition their bodies need they need an entirely plant-based diet. Depending on age is how often they get fed:
Juvenile uromastyx should be fed daily, as much as they can eat. Adults should be fed 4-5x/week.
VARIETY is key to providing a healthy, balanced diet for your uromastyx. Here is a quick list of safe, nutritious vegetables to get you started:
Safe greens:
· collard greens
· cactus pad
· spring mix
· arugula
· kale
· pea shoots
· alfalfa
· bok choy
· carrot greens
· spinach
· dandelion greens
· hibiscus leaves
· endive
· clover sprouts
More options for leafy greens to feed to your uromastyx can be found at Browse the Tortoise Table Plant Database by A-Z
Seed options:
Interestingly, Uromastyx also need seeds (ex: lentil, white millet) as a regular part of their diet. These provide an important source of protein and fat. Offer them 1x/week.
Treats:
Edible flowers like dandelions, rose petals, clover, hibiscus, and squash blossoms make great treats.
Fruits like papaya, figs, apple, prickly pear, berries, or cherries can also be offered as a rare treat. Make sure that flowers are free of pesticides before feeding.
Supplements
To ensure that your uromastyx is getting all of the vitamins and minerals that they need, you will need a calcium powder and a multivitamin powder — or a good all-in-one like Arcadia Earthpro A or Repashy Superveggie. For best results, use as directed by the manufacturer.
Also add a pinch of organic bee pollen powder or granules to your pet’s salad once a week.
Drinking Water
Uromastyx are well adapted to living in drought conditions and get most of the water they need from their food. However, as long as the enclosure is well-ventilated,
Handling Your Uromastyx
Generally, Uromasytx tame down well, becasue each uromastyx is its own individual, and some tame faster than others, while some never become tame at all so it is important to remember this when adopting a Uromastyx. This may take a while, so be patient! Captive-bred uromastyx are likely to be more tameable than wild-caught individuals, and juveniles are generally much more skittish than adults.
Please take these steps below to help your Uromastyx get use to their new environment and a happy, healthy life with you:
1. After bringing your uromastyx home, leave it alone for 2 weeks or so to settle in. If your new pet hasn’t eaten by the time the 2 weeks are over, DO NOT HANDLE and make an appointment with an experience reptile vet in your area.
2. To help get your Uromastx get used to you introduce yourself with food via your fingers or soft-tipped feeding tongs. Make sure to get your hands in the enclosure daily for spot cleaning, water changes, etc.
3. Once your uromastyx regularly takes food from your hand, encourage it to climb onto your hand. For example, place the food so it has to climb onto you to get it.
NEVER, approach quickly or from above, as this is predatory behavior that will scare your pet. To Pick up your uromastyx, always gently scoop it up from below and support as much of its body as possible. As you handle your uromastyx, keep your movements slow, and only loosely restrain it (if at all). “Treadmilling” it from one hand to the other can help it work off nervous energy.
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