How to Care for a Mali Uromastyx

The Mali Uromastyx is a long-lived lizard that requires a bit more care than most. It lives for 30 years or more and reaches up to 16 inches in length. Equipped with a spiny tail used as a defensive weapon, this is a terrestrial lizard that is diurnal or active during the day, unlike many lizards. Read on to learn how to care for a Mali Uromastyx.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Enclosure
• Screen lid
• Basking rocks
• Hiding rocks
• Substrate
• Heat lamp
• Full-spectrum lighting
• Dark leafy greens
• Crickets
• Reptile vitamin and mineral supplement

1. Provide at least a 55 gallon aquarium for one Mali Uromastyx. The Uromastyx is happier with more space, so buy a larger aquarium if it is feasible. Also get a locking screen lid for the aquarium.

2. Place a few basking rocks or hollow rock hiding spots in the aquarium before placing the substrate in it. Glue down the rocks to keep your Uromastyx from digging under them and becoming injured if they tip over.

3. Use sand or paper as the substrate in your aquarium. Make a layer about 1 inch deep so your lizard can dig through it.

4. Affix a heat lamp at one end of the tank to provide a basking area that is kept at 130 degrees F. Keep the rest of the aquarium at 80 degrees F.

5. Light the cage using full-spectrum reptile lighting for 14 hours a day. Turn the lights off the remaining 10 hours each day to simulate night. Use a lighting timer to automate this cycle.

6. Feed your lizard plenty of dark leafy greens and also provide dry foods like birdseed, peas and lentils. Spray the greens with water before feeding to keep your lizard hydrated.

7. Offer your Mali Uromastyx crickets dusted with a vitamin and mineral supplement twice a week.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have trouble reaching appropriate temperatures, place a heat mat underneath one side of the aquarium to help raise the temperature.
• The Mali is not arboreal so get a longer and wider cage as opposed to a taller one. The extra height is wasted space.
• Use night spectrum lighting if you wish to view your lizard during his "night" times.
• Do not place containers of water in the aquarium as they are unnecessary and raise the humidity level. The increased humidity can lead to lung infections in your Uromastyx.

[georgiasky]

on 5/4/2009 I just wanted to add a few things. First of all, an aquarium is for fish not reptiles. You can call this a vivarium or a terrarium I suppose. Also, you have that temperatures should be 130, but be cautious because the range is 110-130ish so it would be better to put a range. I don't think it should go any further than 130. The substrate specifications confused me just a bit. Use 1" of sand or paper? So you pile on the paper towels you mean to get 1"? Thats a lot of paper since you also stated that you should do this so the uro can dig in it. But how can a uro dig in paper? If you wanted to recommend a digging substrate why not something else like alfalfa meal or millet. Though I personally use ground walnut shells. Zilla makes some, I don't know if there are other brands that do since I've never seen them but they probably do. So maybe a list of other substrates would have been cool.

[mel1981]

on 4/1/2008 accurate advice! make sure to turn off the heat source at night, though! the temperature needs to drop sharply to about 65 degrees, as it does in the desert. also, crickets twice a week? not too sure about that. as a mali uromastyx owner and a pet shop employee, my long research has concluded that insects should make up LESS THAN 5% of it's diet. i offer my juvenile 2-5 crickets a month! malis are great lizards... but not for a beginner.