Uromastyx lizards are also called spiny-tailed lizards and are in a class of their own. Although Uromastyx lizards are not as common as other pet reptiles like a bearded dragon or leopard gecko, they are a perfect reptile to keep as a pet.
Saharan uromastyx are also called the Niger uromastyx, and they are a popular spiny-tailed reptile in the pet trade. Uromastyx Saharan is a hardy pet, and you can easily care for them with relative ease. They will thrive well in a spacious enclosure with good hiding locations and proper environmental conditions.
In this post, we will talk about Uromastyx Saharan, how to care for them, where they originate from, their tank requirement, their cost, and health problems that can affect them.
Contents
- What are Uromastyx Saharan?
- How much does Uromastyx Saharan cost?
- Basic care for Uromastyx Saharan
- Uromastyx Saharan Lifespan
- Does Uromastyx Saharan require any special care compared to other Uromastyx?
- Tank requirement for Uromastyx Saharan
- Uromastyx Saharan Diet
- How often should you feed Saharan Uros?
- Do Uromastyx Saharan Need Water To Drink?
- Do you need to bathe your Uromastyx Saharan?
- Common health problems of Uromastyx Saharan
- Wrapping Up
What are Uromastyx Saharan?
What is this reptile?
Uromastyx Saharan is sometimes called the Niger uromastyx, and they are a popular pet choice because of their moderate size and bold coloration. They are a hardy reptile with relatively easy-care requirements.
Saharan spiny-tailed lizards can thrive very well in captivity if you keep them in a spacious enclosure with good hiding locations, proper environmental conditions, and you feed them correctly.
Where does it come from?
Uromastyx Saharan (Uromastyx geyri) are usually found in parts of Mali, Algeria, and Niger. They prefer living in rocky and semi-arid habitats, and they escape from the extreme temperature by digging burrows into the soil.
How much does it cost?
The Saharan spiny-tailed lizards are quite common and you will find them in most pet stores offline and online. They are not expensive and their cost ranges from $50-$200.
How big do they get?
The Saharan spiny-tailed lizard is a relatively small and slender species when compared to the other species in their family. They are medium-sized lizards, and many can grow to about 28-36 cm in total length. Adult uros can weigh about 250g or more.
Care level required
The Saharan spiny-tailed lizards are intelligent reptiles with a great personality. It is very easy and cheap to care for and feed them. They originate from the desert area, and you will need to make sure their cage is hot during the day and with a mild temperature at night.
How many colors of Uromastyx Saharan are there?
Uromastyx Saharan is among the brightest colored species in the Uromastyx genus. They are usually beige or orange with lighter spots. Saharan spiny-tailed lizards have two phases, namely the red and yellow phase.
The red phase is usually solid reddish to neon pumpkin orange in color, while the yellow phase is in or near the neon-range. However, females are paler in color than males, and they have more than variation of the coloring.
Furthermore, they have less belly coloring with less vivid patterns, and most females do have simple freckling on their backs.
How much does Uromastyx Saharan cost?
The Saharan spiny-tailed lizards are quite common and you will find them in most pet stores offline and online. They are not expensive and their cost ranges from $50-$200.
| Breeders | Price |
| Backwater reptiles | $129.99 |
| The Tye-Dyed Iguana | $199.99 |
| Underground reptiles | $84.99 |
Basic care for Uromastyx Saharan
Uromastyx species care is quite different from the various tropical lizards in the reptile trade. However, caring for Saharan spiny-tailed lizards is quite easy, and they are beginner-friendly. Saharan Uros needs a high temperature for their optimal growth.
They need high temperature because they originate from the deserts and prefer dry, hot, arid climates. You can also provide them with a basking surface with a temperature above 120oF.
Uromastyx Saharan Lifespan
It can be quite tricky when it comes to determining the average lifespan of spiny-tailed lizards in captivity. However, the lifespan of uromastyx is above 30 years, but many believe that the average lifespan is 15 years.
Does Uromastyx Saharan require any special care compared to other Uromastyx?
All Uromastyx spiny-tailed lizards originate from extremely hot regions, and they don’t need any special care when compared to other Uromastyx.
Tank requirement for Uromastyx Saharan
Uros are terrestrial animals, and they enjoy digging. They are very active, and you must provide them with large floor space. You can keep hatchling Saharan Uromastyx in a 20-gallon long aquarium, but you will need a large tank for them as they grow up.
Once they grow, you will need a 40-gallon breeder tank to keep them. Creating a custom enclosure for adults with dimensions about 13 inches in length. However, you need to ensure that your enclosures can withstand intense heat.
Uromastyx Saharan Diet
You can feed your Uros with a mix of dark green leafy vegetables, lentils, dried peas, and seeds. You can also feed dark leafy greens like kale, cabbage, mustard greens, and dandelion greens to your Uros several times daily.
It is also important that you supplement their food with calcium by thoroughly mixing the dry food. You can also add a multivitamin supplement to the food every 1-2 weeks. You can also feed your Uromastyx Saharan with insects occasionally.
Furthermore, you need to feed your spiny-tailed lizards every day, and it is best to feed them with fresh feed.
How often should you feed Saharan Uros?
- Feed them with leafy greens seven days a week
- Feed them with vegetables four days a week
- Feed them with seeds six days a week
- Feed them with fruits only as a treat
- You can feed them with bugs only as a treat
Any difference between baby & adult diet? Hatchling uromastyx species will eat the same diet as the adult. However, you need to ensure the food is chopped into smaller pieces to avoid impaction.
Do Uromastyx Saharan Need Water To Drink?
No, Uros usually get most of their water from their diet. Many Uros keepers offer water to their lizards periodically but healthy, and well-fed Saharan Uros do not need to drink often. However, you can put a small water dish in their cage and ensure you change it every day.
Do you need to bathe your Uromastyx Saharan?
You should avoid giving baths in your Uromastyx Saharan. This is because they originate from a region with low humidity and need low humidity for their optimal growth. Moreover, high humidity levels can lead to medical conditions such as tail rot and respiratory infections.
Uros usually derive their needed fluid from their diet. This is why it is best to keep the humidity in their tank low.
Common health problems of Uromastyx Saharan
Uromastyx Saharan is a hardy species, which means they do not fall sick easily. However, some of the common diseases that can happen to Uromastyx Saharan are stated below.
Tail Rot: this is a health condition where the tail of your lizard turns dark and can even fall off if left untreated. This is a bacterial or fungal infection that occurs when your Uros tank is too humid, or you did not dry them off after a soak.
High Protein Diet: this health condition occurs if you feed your lizard with too much protein as it overtaxes your Uros kidneys and liver. This is why you should avoid feeding your Uros with excess beans, legumes, and insects.
Metabolic Bone Disease: this is also called MBD, and it can be used to describe several types of disorders that relate to the weakening of the bones caused by the imbalance of phosphorus, calcium, or vitamin D3 in your Uros diet.
Impaction: this is a health condition where undigested food or foreign objects block the digestive system of your lizard. Signs that your Uro is suffering from impaction are inability to defecate, lethargy, loss of appetite, and so on.
Wrapping Up
Uromastyx Saharan is a fun and interesting reptile to keep as a pet. It is very easy to take care of them, and they are typically herbivorous animals, which makes it easy to source their food.
You can easily keep your Uros happy and healthy by providing them with a proper diet, good housing, and proper care.