Exception to no water rule is if your uro is dehydrated (often the case with wild caught imports) or females that just laid eggs. If you are considering getting a uro, please join Uromastyx Club on Facebook. There are great care sheets in the files and lot of knowledgeable folks including most of the top breeders in the US. You should make sure you have your set up correct BEFORE you get your uro. I’d add to no insects that things like lentils and seeds should be fed as treats and not staples in the diet. One other thing I’d add to this list of basics is that the minimum size enclosure for this reptile is 120 G (4x2x2 ft) and most folks generally avoid glass because it doesn’t hold heat well and because this species gets spooked easily typically and seeing things on all sides can be stressful, especially in a new home. In addition to a basking surface temp of 120-130 degrees (measured with temp gun), ambient temps across the enclosure should range from about 80F-100F; it’s very difficult to achieve this heat gradient with a smaller enclosure + healthy uros are very active and use all the space.
I remember when my dad had one paired with a Bearded Dragon, in a 40 gallon enclosure... They never fought, luckily, but I still didn't like that he had them together.
You'd be correct that keeping them together was risky. Not only are they both territorial animals, they have slightly different heating requirements. Bearded dragons are also known to carry a bacteria called D. agamarum. While it doesn't always affect the bearded dragon, it can be passed to uromastyx and potentally be fatal.
Hi there🙋🏻♂️ thanks for the useful tip... I recently got my Uro and learning everyday new tips on how to keep them happy and healthy...when you say 120-130 degrees is it at basking area or tank ambient?? I also noticed my uros just hide when the temp reaches 110!! They are young though... is this normal?
I have two question!! Are basking lights the same as a uvb light? And should I turn off the basking light at night? If I do- do they need a heat source at night?
A basking/heat light does not emit UVB unless it is specifically a mercury vapor bulb. MVBs are an all-in-one bulb. If you only have a regular basking light you'll need an additional UVB light, normally a linear T5 10.0 that goes about 2/3rds the length of the enclosure is best. Night time temps can drop into the high 60's, low 70's safely. Desert temps at night can drop quite low. You do not want to use any supplemental heat that gives off visible light at night, as it can keep them awake and mess with their circadian rhythm. If you need some extra night heat, a ceramic heat emitter is a good option.
I use a 50 watt ( small bulb) And hang the can inside the enclosure No , the dome does not get too hot at 50 watts More efficient , and I have the temp gun to check Be careful with heat lamps , if you have a cat or dog It can be knocked off the cage and start a fire I wire them in place
A 50 watt alone is not strong enough for a uromastyx, without being too close to the animal. We use a 160 watt mercury vapor bulbs for heat and UVB for ours in order to reach the 110-120 basking temps they require, and often still need supplemental heat. Too close to the bulb can cause burns from too much UVB exposure.
@@TyeDyedIguana I have the temp gun It is a perfect hot spot Besides , they free range out onto the East facing window sill above my desk daily I can grow weed with that bulb
What kind of substrate do you use? I bought Millet seeds but haven't used them yet. Mine are currently on shelf liner which does wonderful vs sand substrates.
We use Zilla's Desert Blend with our arid animals. If you decide to go with millet make sure to keep an eye on them, because they will eat seeds as part of their diet and some uromastyx may fill up on millet instead of their regular diet. Shelf liner or reptile carpets are your safest options regarding impaction, however they can't dig in it like many animals enjoy doing and the flat hard surface can sometimes be hard on their joints.
I'm currently using a 150 watt ceramic and a 150 watt daylight bulb. I also have a heating matt under the tank and a desert 50 uvb bulb. My tank is a 40 gallon.This is the tank I'm only reaching to 115 at most days. Occasionally it will hit 120.
Babies can be raised on the same food as adults. They may have a tendency to hunt more insects in the wild as babies, but we find it safer just to not recommend insects, as it's easy to overdo it. They're very sensitive to the extra protein.
We usually recommend just upgrading the baby to it's adult sized enclosure right away. They'll generally do fine with the extra room as long as it's set up correctly, and they'll quickly outgrow the smaller enclosure so you'd end up spending more money down the road only a few months later anyway.
I have a question!! Do Uromastyx get used to your hand reaching down into the top-opening tank? I always see people with front-opening enclosures but all I had was an aquarium tank with a screen lid. I know interacting with them from up above is a predatory approach but it’s all I’ve got, so I was just wondering. I just got my baby Ornate uro a couple weeks ago and I want to start trust building exercises.
Not all of them react the same way, some just don't give a darn! For more skittish reptiles, if you come down from the top, try doing it from the opposite of the enclosure from where they're at and scoop them up underneath from there. That way your hand isn't coming down directly on them like a predator might.
We recommend basking spot temperatures to be around 120-130. You may need to adjust the height of your basking spot or try a different bulb to reach those temps.
The feeding schedule and amount will depend on the animal. Babies and younger animals, as well as ones in need of some weight gain will benefit from food everyday. Adults, especially over the colder months, will eat less usually. We use calcium on their greens a couple times a week and a multivitamin once a week.
These guys need hot basking temperatures, but there needs to be a cooler side of the enclosure too so they can properly thermoregulate. Around 80F is good on the cooler side. As long as your room temperature allows for that difference in the enclosure, it should be fine.
We use light stands and hooks and reptile light fixtures. They come with the metal hooks used to hang them above the tank. They work fine and we haven't had any issues, the stands allow us to raise and lower the bulb as necessary to achieve correct temperatures. Mercury vapor bulbs are fragile, so bumping or moving them while they are on can damage them no matter what fixture you're using.
We use a mix of turnip or mustard greens here at the shop, but they can have a large variety of dark leafy greens and vegetables. They love different squashes and things like dandelion greens, endive, escarole, as wells as some types of flowers and seeds.
I was told collard greens, mustard greens, dandelions (as a treat, they go nuts for it!), spinach-free spring mix, spineless prickly pear cactus pads, and endive are good staples you can try feeding every day. Once or twice a week (any more can be too much protein, like a human eating nothing but steak for every meal), sprouted or dry (split) lentils are also a favourite snack. Look around and experiment, though! Plenty of online sources are available to give you ideas of more safe veggies. Just keep in mind that wildflowers and fruit are generally treats (they don't encounter a lot in the wild due to how hot it gets since other animals can eat the fruit or the heat can burn plant roots or wilt most flowers), so they usually are recommended maybe every two weeks or so, like if you had been told to go on a diet and were doing a "cheat day" for being so healthy.
Unfortunately, I work at a pet supply chain and where I live it is actually MANDATORY that we have to provide water for everything. including our bearded dragons and uromastyx enclosures. we get fined or we're no longer allowed to sell that animal if we do not comply. it's amazing the people that make these rules can't listen to biological facts of the well-being of these animals.
Chewy received burns from an incorrect lighting situation when he was much younger, we were able to get him all healed up and his personality was so great we kept him as an educational animal.
Nobody here is virtue signaling. We do much of our filming on our store floor while there are customers in the store. All public spaces in our county are recommended to follow current mask regulations.
Hi! I have 2 bearded dragons, a blue tongue skink, a leopard gecko, a banded gecko, 4 toads, a corn snake, and a sulcata. The beardies are my babies however. I want to either get another beardie or a uromastyx. Will a uromastyx be as chill as a bearded dragon?
Uromastyx tend to be a little more temperamental or flightier than a bearded dragon, though there are certainly some that do well with handling. If temperament is important to you, we recommended purchasing from somewhere that will let you meet and handle the animal before buying.
@@TyeDyedIguana Great thank you! Are different subspecies more handleable than others? (for example, northern blue tongue skinks are usually more docile then indonesians)
There isn't too much of a difference between them, but it will entirely depend on the individual animal. We normally carry Saharans and Malis, we've had defensive ones and more friendly, handleable ones of each.
Exception to no water rule is if your uro is dehydrated (often the case with wild caught imports) or females that just laid eggs. If you are considering getting a uro, please join Uromastyx Club on Facebook. There are great care sheets in the files and lot of knowledgeable folks including most of the top breeders in the US. You should make sure you have your set up correct BEFORE you get your uro. I’d add to no insects that things like lentils and seeds should be fed as treats and not staples in the diet. One other thing I’d add to this list of basics is that the minimum size enclosure for this reptile is 120 G (4x2x2 ft) and most folks generally avoid glass because it doesn’t hold heat well and because this species gets spooked easily typically and seeing things on all sides can be stressful, especially in a new home. In addition to a basking surface temp of 120-130 degrees (measured with temp gun), ambient temps across the enclosure should range from about 80F-100F; it’s very difficult to achieve this heat gradient with a smaller enclosure + healthy uros are very active and use all the space.
Perfect Video! Straight to the point👀💯
I remember when my dad had one paired with a Bearded Dragon, in a 40 gallon enclosure... They never fought, luckily, but I still didn't like that he had them together.
You'd be correct that keeping them together was risky. Not only are they both territorial animals, they have slightly different heating requirements. Bearded dragons are also known to carry a bacteria called D. agamarum. While it doesn't always affect the bearded dragon, it can be passed to uromastyx and potentally be fatal.
Glad I watched! I’ve seen ppl recommending the first two! Wow! So thanks 👌
been thinking about getting one of these i used to keep snakes and iguanas these videos are very informative
thank you this was vary helpful 😁
Hi there🙋🏻♂️ thanks for the useful tip... I recently got my Uro and learning everyday new tips on how to keep them happy and healthy...when you say 120-130 degrees is it at basking area or tank ambient?? I also noticed my uros just hide when the temp reaches 110!! They are young though... is this normal?
That means basking surface temp measured with a temp gun primarily.
Basking spot surface, not ambient temperature. We measure the basking spots in all of our enclosures with an infrared temp gun.
I have two question!!
Are basking lights the same as a uvb light?
And should I turn off the basking light at night? If I do- do they need a heat source at night?
A basking/heat light does not emit UVB unless it is specifically a mercury vapor bulb. MVBs are an all-in-one bulb. If you only have a regular basking light you'll need an additional UVB light, normally a linear T5 10.0 that goes about 2/3rds the length of the enclosure is best.
Night time temps can drop into the high 60's, low 70's safely. Desert temps at night can drop quite low. You do not want to use any supplemental heat that gives off visible light at night, as it can keep them awake and mess with their circadian rhythm. If you need some extra night heat, a ceramic heat emitter is a good option.
I use a 50 watt ( small bulb)
And hang the can inside the enclosure
No , the dome does not get too hot at 50 watts
More efficient , and I have the temp gun to check
Be careful with heat lamps , if you have a cat or dog
It can be knocked off the cage and start a fire
I wire them in place
A 50 watt alone is not strong enough for a uromastyx, without being too close to the animal. We use a 160 watt mercury vapor bulbs for heat and UVB for ours in order to reach the 110-120 basking temps they require, and often still need supplemental heat. Too close to the bulb can cause burns from too much UVB exposure.
@@TyeDyedIguana I have the temp gun
It is a perfect hot spot
Besides , they free range out onto the East facing window sill above my desk daily
I can grow weed with that bulb
What kind of substrate do you use? I bought Millet seeds but haven't used them yet. Mine are currently on shelf liner which does wonderful vs sand substrates.
We use Zilla's Desert Blend with our arid animals. If you decide to go with millet make sure to keep an eye on them, because they will eat seeds as part of their diet and some uromastyx may fill up on millet instead of their regular diet.
Shelf liner or reptile carpets are your safest options regarding impaction, however they can't dig in it like many animals enjoy doing and the flat hard surface can sometimes be hard on their joints.
I'm currently using a 150 watt ceramic and a 150 watt daylight bulb. I also have a heating matt under the tank and a desert 50 uvb bulb. My tank is a 40 gallon.This is the tank I'm only reaching to 115 at most days. Occasionally it will hit 120.
No insects even for babies? I've heard conflicting things
Babies can be raised on the same food as adults. They may have a tendency to hunt more insects in the wild as babies, but we find it safer just to not recommend insects, as it's easy to overdo it. They're very sensitive to the extra protein.
@@TyeDyedIguana would even like 1 as a treat wouldn't be ok?
Nice video Reptiles Cool pets.
Hello! I am planning to get a young Uro, wondering if a 25 gal. is big enough? Too small?
(Great vid btw, straight to the point and informative.)
@DCM Idk how young, but they could stretch in the palm of my hand, tail dangling off slightly.
@DCM Alr! Thanks!
We usually recommend just upgrading the baby to it's adult sized enclosure right away. They'll generally do fine with the extra room as long as it's set up correctly, and they'll quickly outgrow the smaller enclosure so you'd end up spending more money down the road only a few months later anyway.
I have a question!! Do Uromastyx get used to your hand reaching down into the top-opening tank? I always see people with front-opening enclosures but all I had was an aquarium tank with a screen lid. I know interacting with them from up above is a predatory approach but it’s all I’ve got, so I was just wondering. I just got my baby Ornate uro a couple weeks ago and I want to start trust building exercises.
Not all of them react the same way, some just don't give a darn! For more skittish reptiles, if you come down from the top, try doing it from the opposite of the enclosure from where they're at and scoop them up underneath from there. That way your hand isn't coming down directly on them like a predator might.
@@TyeDyedIguana That makes sense, I’ll definitely give that a try. Thanks for the reply!
My tanks temperature stays between 110 and 115.....is that close enough to correct temperature? Google recommended 110
We recommend basking spot temperatures to be around 120-130. You may need to adjust the height of your basking spot or try a different bulb to reach those temps.
What should the cool side temperatures be ?
Cool side temperatures should be about 80-90F.
What is the feeding schedule? And when to give calcium?
The feeding schedule and amount will depend on the animal. Babies and younger animals, as well as ones in need of some weight gain will benefit from food everyday. Adults, especially over the colder months, will eat less usually. We use calcium on their greens a couple times a week and a multivitamin once a week.
@@TyeDyedIguana thank you!
My roommates have the temperature super high from the room it's kept in. It has full heating lamps does the room need to be kept very hot as well
These guys need hot basking temperatures, but there needs to be a cooler side of the enclosure too so they can properly thermoregulate. Around 80F is good on the cooler side. As long as your room temperature allows for that difference in the enclosure, it should be fine.
@@TyeDyedIguana This was exactly the helpful reply I was hoping for. They have it between 76 to 80 so I'll let it go
Are there fixtures for the bulbs to make them more secure? I feel like having that kind of light just clipped is dangerous
We use light stands and hooks and reptile light fixtures. They come with the metal hooks used to hang them above the tank. They work fine and we haven't had any issues, the stands allow us to raise and lower the bulb as necessary to achieve correct temperatures. Mercury vapor bulbs are fragile, so bumping or moving them while they are on can damage them no matter what fixture you're using.
What greens do they like to eat?
We use a mix of turnip or mustard greens here at the shop, but they can have a large variety of dark leafy greens and vegetables. They love different squashes and things like dandelion greens, endive, escarole, as wells as some types of flowers and seeds.
I was told collard greens, mustard greens, dandelions (as a treat, they go nuts for it!), spinach-free spring mix, spineless prickly pear cactus pads, and endive are good staples you can try feeding every day. Once or twice a week (any more can be too much protein, like a human eating nothing but steak for every meal), sprouted or dry (split) lentils are also a favourite snack. Look around and experiment, though! Plenty of online sources are available to give you ideas of more safe veggies. Just keep in mind that wildflowers and fruit are generally treats (they don't encounter a lot in the wild due to how hot it gets since other animals can eat the fruit or the heat can burn plant roots or wilt most flowers), so they usually are recommended maybe every two weeks or so, like if you had been told to go on a diet and were doing a "cheat day" for being so healthy.
Why no UVB bulb?
There is a UVB bulb, we use mercury vapor bulbs on a lot of our animals which include both heat and UVB.
Unfortunately, I work at a pet supply chain and where I live it is actually MANDATORY that we have to provide water for everything. including our bearded dragons and uromastyx enclosures. we get fined or we're no longer allowed to sell that animal if we do not comply. it's amazing the people that make these rules can't listen to biological facts of the well-being of these animals.
Aw are they a rescue? They have burn scares on them :
Chewy received burns from an incorrect lighting situation when he was much younger, we were able to get him all healed up and his personality was so great we kept him as an educational animal.
Why are you wearing a mask? Is this a virtue signal? You do know we're not in the same room with you
Nobody here is virtue signaling. We do much of our filming on our store floor while there are customers in the store. All public spaces in our county are recommended to follow current mask regulations.
Can I spray my uromastyx with warm water or just leave him alone I never done it before but this lady at monster pet told I should I'm not sure
Hi! I have 2 bearded dragons, a blue tongue skink, a leopard gecko, a banded gecko, 4 toads, a corn snake, and a sulcata. The beardies are my babies however. I want to either get another beardie or a uromastyx. Will a uromastyx be as chill as a bearded dragon?
Uromastyx tend to be a little more temperamental or flightier than a bearded dragon, though there are certainly some that do well with handling. If temperament is important to you, we recommended purchasing from somewhere that will let you meet and handle the animal before buying.
@@TyeDyedIguana Great thank you! Are different subspecies more handleable than others? (for example, northern blue tongue skinks are usually more docile then indonesians)
There isn't too much of a difference between them, but it will entirely depend on the individual animal. We normally carry Saharans and Malis, we've had defensive ones and more friendly, handleable ones of each.
@@TyeDyedIguana Great. Tysm!
Mine is chilling on my chest and looks like it is falling asleep