Uromastyx is a genus of agamid lizards, that also includes bearded dragons, Chinese water dragons and more. But do uromastyx make good pets? Are uromastyx good pets for beginners and advanced keepers and what are pros and cons of uromastyx? Let’s find out.
Are uromastyx lizards good pets?
Yes, uromastyx make great pet lizards! Uromastyx are curious, rather active, friendly, beautiful! They are also vegetarian, which is big plus for an owner.
Are uromastyx good for beginner keepers?
Yes, beginners can have a uromastyx as their first pet lizard provided they have done all the research. High heating and lighting are two of the main needs.
Are uromastyx friendly?
Yes, most uromastyx are very friendly, but it will depend on a personality and how acclimatized it is. Some can be skittish, but are very unlikely to bite.
Pros of uromastyx as pets
#1: Most uromastyx have amazing personalities and are docile
Uromastyx have amazing personalities and will always keep you entertained and amazed. Even though some uromastyx can take a while to trust you, most will eventually tame out and be fine with handling, touching and eating from your hand.
Uromastyx also have the most curious eyes and love looking around to learn everything around them. They also very unlikely to bite if feeling threatened.
#2: Uromastyx are vegetarian
The fact that uromastyx are entirely vegetarian is very good news for many keepers, especially beginners. Many owners do not want to deal with live bugs, gut-loading and keeping insects in the house. Your uromastyx will only need to eat veggies, greens, as well as some legumes, beans and seeds for extra protein.
#3: Long lifespan
Uromastyx live a long life if you provide good care. Most captive uromastyx kept in good conditions can live for 15-20 years, and sometimes even up to 25! That is a very long lifespan for a pet lizard.
#4: Amazing colors
Most uromastyx develop amazing colors as they get older. Some species such as ornates, ocellata, thomasi and other are born with some coloration, which develops with age.
However, some species such as Moroccans and Mali will be born mostly beige colored, and will develop colors only after 2-3 years. Egyptian uromastyx stay mostly beige or yellowish throughout their lifetime and don’t develop coloration.
Apart from coloration, uromastyx look like little dinosaurs, have beautiful eyes and a gorgeous spiny tail! Some even compare their heads to tortoises or dinosaurs, which is very cute too.
#5: Uromastyx are moderately active and diurnal
Uromastyx tend to be moderately active throughout their lifetime, and love digging as well as climbing. Baby uromastyx are especially active and fast, and love digging and climbing high in the tank.
Also, they are diurnal, which means that they are active during the day and sleep at night. And because they are moderately active and diurnal, they are very interactive and interesting to watch. They often like climbing high up and looking outside the tank to see what’s going on there. But uromastyx also hide a lot in narrow spaces and love to dig.
#6: Various species and sizes
Another great thing is that there are many different species of uromastyx! All those various species (around 20 + Saara group) have different coloration, activity levels and reach different sizes!
So whether you would like a smaller uromastyx (such as an orange or yellow u. geyri that reach 10-14 inches) or larger uromastyx (such as Moroccan – 15-17 inches, u. dispar flavifasciata – 19.5 inches), you can pick one that you prefer.
Egyptian uromastyx are the largest species – reaching around 30-36 inches, but mostly lack any coloration. They however tend to be kind and docile.
You can find a full list of uromastyx species with facts and pictures here.
Cons of uromastyx as pets
#1: Uromastyx need high temperatures
To stay happy, active and healthy, uromastyx need high temperatures in the tank. The basking spot in the tank should reach 120-140 Fahrenheit (49-60 Celsius). Background temperatures should reach 80-100 Fahrenheit (26.6-38 Celsius) and the cool side – 80-85 F (26.6-29.4 C).
These are very high temperatures, and uromastyx need them as they come from hot and dry areas. However, it is not too hard to achieve those temperatures with one 100-150watt basking bulb in a large tank. Make sure to choose a wooden tank over a glass one – it will be much easier to reach and maintain high temperatures.
#2: Some uromastyx take longer to trust their owners or stay skittish
While uromastyx are calm, rarely bite and are often docile, some individuals might take much longer to start trusting their owners. Some might also be skittish when you get them, and it can take quite a long time and patience to earn their trust.
Some might stay skittish even after a year or two, so you would need to handle less. While some can acclimatize and become docile within few weeks, other might take months and even a year or longer.
However, you might speed up the process with various tricks. If you want a pet lizard mainly for handling, uromastyx might not be the best option unless the seller assures that it’s very docile and enjoys handling (if it’s an adult).
When getting a young uromastyx, you cannot guarantee that it will tolerate handling. While you can definitely tame and handle your uromastyx, they are often not too happy about handling. However, this greatly depends on each uromastyx personality, so when getting a baby you have both the ability to tame it, but you won’t know its personality from the beginning.
So to sum up – you might get a very easy going uromastyx or tame it to be very docile. But sometimes, you might get a uromastyx that doesn’t like handling and will stay skittish. Just be prepared that it might happen – but always stay patient as yours might eventually tame out after 6-18 months.
You can read a uromastyx taming guide here.
#3: They can be harder to find and more expensive than other common pet lizards
Uromastyx are not as widely available as bearded dragons, leopard geckos and others. You will often need to contact private breeders or local shops to get a uromastyx.
Many uromastyx that you find for sale might be wild caught, and these animals might take longer to settle and can have parasites. Unless you are an experienced keeper, avoid getting a wild caught animal.
For beginners especially, it’s a good idea to get a few months old captive bred baby uromastyx that has been eating, pooping and showing other normal behaviors. Or, you can also get a 1-2 year old sub-adult that has been proven to be docile and healthy.
They are also often more expensive than other commonly found reptile pets, and one uromastyx will often cost $150 or more. However, uromastyx are not too uncommon, and you will definitely find one for sale after some search.
Summary – do uromastyx make good pet lizards?
Yes, uromastyx definitely make great pet lizards. Their beautiful looks, curious eyes and interesting behaviors make them very fascinating to watch! They are also rather easy to keep after the initial setup and don’t require any live feeder bugs.
Make sure to get a wooden tank and test the setup, especially heating and lighting before you get a uromastyx. Most get a uromastyx to make it a display pet lizard, but you can work with your uromastyx to make it comfortable with you.
Just know, that most will take months to get used to you and trust you. But it’s definitely worth it as they are amazing lizards. Most also tame out eventually.