From: mhall@netcom.com (Michael Hall)
Subject: Re: Uromastyx
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services  (408 241-9760 guest) 
Date: Tue, 29 Dec 1992 19:53:31 GMT

nvonstein@memstvx1.memst.edu writes:

>In article <1992Dec22.234052.13734@netcom.com>, mhall@netcom.com (Michael Hall) writes:
>> Regarding Uromastyx (spiny-tailed agamid), does anyone have suggestions
>> for terrarium-mates?  I don't have this beasty yet, but I'm thinking
>> about setting up a terriarum and then purchasing one or two and possibly
>> one or two other species of reptiles or amphibians.

>Is the Uromastyx an Old World tropical lizard (as the family Agamidae is
>described).

It's an Old World harsh desert lizard of the Agamidae family.

>I'm only asking because I don't know ANYTHING about Uromastyx.
>I may be able to suggest one cohabitant for your terrarium.  At our zoo we
>have a blue-tongued skink (herbivore) who shares its habitant with some tiny
>little geckos (yellow-headed geckos).  These geckos are about 2 inches long
>and a rotted log is provided for them.

It would have to be a *dry* rotted log, as Uromastyx can't tolerate any
humidity.  Skinks and geckos generally require a fair bit of moisture.

>The only other gecko of that size that I had ever seen is the Marico
>gecko which comes from the very dry regions of Africa.  I am really fascinated
>by these tiny geckos.  

Very dry regions, eh?  I'll look into them.

Anyway, I've now got my two Uromstyxes, Uromasticies, Uromastyxae, or
whatever now, of the aegypticus variety.  I purchased a fairly large
adolescent 8 month old male from the East Bay Vivarium and what I
believe, and the East Bay Vivarium workers believe, is a small maybe
3 month old female from Dolphin Pet Village, since the East Bay
Vivarium apparently had only males.  Prices were $200 and $149; you
can guess which was which.  Both pet stores say their Uromastyx'
favorite food is string beans and their second favorite food is peas.
They will also eat squash, grated carrots, lettuce, and on rare
occasions fruit and crickets.

I was rather surprised that after I drove them home with the car heat
turned up to where I was extremely uncomfortable that they were
"torpid".  But I guess I'd be feeling pretty groggy (or dead) if my body
temperature were only 80 degrees.  Same thing this morning - they were
very groggy as the temperature climbed through the low eighties;  the
air temperature will max out in the low nineties, but it takes a few
hours to reach that.  I guess I better provide another spotlight.
Hopefully they will eventually learn to sleep where the heating pad
is;  I'll make a "cave" there to encourage this.

An East Bay Vivarium worker recommended against putting any other
lizard in with Uromastyx.  One of the few other lizards that can
tolerate the same conditions is the Bearded Dragon, but they found
that the Uromastyx fight for their territory and beat up the
Bearded Dragons, since they are fellow agamids.  Also, they said that
since the Uromastyx will eventually get quite large (50 cm), two
Uromastyx is about all I can fit in a 55 gallon aquarium.  So far the
two Uromastyx have been getting along with each other, but that may be
because the big one hasn't been able to get fully heated up yet.

It's really neat how tame and nonjumpy these guys are.  I think it's
because not many predators can live in the deserts where they live.

It takes 3 or 4 years for them to reach sexual maturity, so it will
be a while before I have any chance of cute(?) baby Uromastyxes.

-- 
Michael Hall   \ 
personal account\ I'm an amphibian person dammit, not a reptile person.
mhall@netcom.com \