Uromastyx Enclosure

Proper care for a uromastyx begins with finding the proper enclosure. The requirements for uromastyx enclosures, the interior climate, and the additional accessories all play vital roles in the comfort of these lizards.

Learn how we make comfortable homes for a uromastyx. Plus, learn about their natural habitat, behavior, and tips for feeding a uromastyx!

Natural Habitat of a Uromastyx

The uromastyx, also known as, “spiny-tailed lizards”, are native to dry areas in northern Africa, the Middle East, and parts of Asia and India. They thrive in very dry, arid climates like deserts and rock-filled regions.

The uromastyx is a ground-dwelling lizard that will spend the majority of its time moving between rocks in its environment. They are terrestrial, so you won’t see them climbing any trees. Instead, they’ll use their thick bodies and short legs to burrow into the ground.

How can you design a uromastyx enclosure that emulates this environment? From the size of the enclosure to the additional decor and accessories, we have everything you need to give your uro lizard a happy home!

Requirements for Uromastyx Enclosures

Sizes for a Uromastyx Enclosure

Uromastyces can grow to about 2 feet long from nose to tail. They’re also pretty active, so they need adequate room to roam.

  • Baby: Model 332 Cage
  • Juvenile: Model 433 Cage
  • Adult: Model 600 Cage

Uromastyx Enclosure Temperature

A uromastyx requires very warm temperatures. Furthermore, you need to implement a temperature gradient with a cool area, a warm area, and a basking spot (pictured above):

  • Cool Area: 83°-88°F
  • Warm Area: 90°-95°F
  • Basking Spot: 110°-120°F
  • Nighttime Temperature: 75°-79°F

You can achieve an ambient nighttime temperature of 75° by turning off overhead heat sources and using an under-the-tank heater to keep temperatures stable.

All our cages are built with ventilation and heating in mind to create the ideal habitat. Also, you can easily regulate heat with a 1000-watt thermostat and probe.

Our sister company, Custom Cages, also offers ventilation and lighting attachments to provide the most comfortable climate for your lizard.

Humidity Levels for Uro Lizards

Uromastyces live in very dry climates, so your pet will need low humidity. A humidity level of 10-25% is recommended, and we offer a humidity gauge to monitor and maintain that level.

Is humidity increasing to over 25%? Here are some ways to decrease the humidity level in a reptile enclosure:

  • Add a small dehumidifier
  • Increase ventilation
  • Move water bowls away from the primary heat source
  • Don’t mist the enclosure until humidity drops

The humidity level is important because if it’s too high, Uros, and most other reptiles, can experience several respiratory issues.

Substrate and Bedding

Uromastyces like to burrow, so you’ll need a substrate that allows for that activity, or include elevated surfaces that your lizard can nestle under.

In the wild, they live in very sandy regions, so a sand-based substrate would work well for them. We offer ReptiSand from Zoo Med as a functional and healthy option for your lizard.

You could also use paper towels as a cage substrate, especially for babies and juveniles. This substrate doesn’t look very authentic, but they are reptile-safe and very cost-effective.

Accessories

You can emulate their natural habitat by adding a hide on the cool side and warm side of the cage. You should also add a rock or two on both sides, including a rock underneath the basking spot.

It’s also important to add a water bowl. Uros don’t drink often, but they still require small amounts, either by drinking or bathing in it.

Clean your water bowls daily to remove bacteria from your lizard stepping, laying, or defecating in it.

We make our bowls out of HDPE, just like our cages, so they’re easy to clean and last a lifetime!

Design your Custom Uromastyx Enclosure

We have many standard enclosure sizes, but they’re all custom-built to fit your space. Please let us know if you have any questions about cage designs and customizable options.

Looking for a realistic cage interior? We offer scenic background images and many accessories like heating attachments, branches, hides, and bowls that provide a natural aesthetic.

Additional Information about Uromastyces

Behavior

In captivity, they tend to be docile and a little shy. For this reason, they’ve become popular pets for reptile hobbyists. They are territorial, however. They’re okay with being handled by humans, but are still territorial.

If you want to house multiple uro lizards in one cage, here are some things to consider:

  • Both sexes are content being alone in an enclosure, so that’s always the safest option
  • Never have more than 1 male in an enclosure
  • 1 male and 1 female can get along
  • 2 females can also get along

Brumation for Uro Lizards

Even though they live in regions that are hot year-round, spiny-tailed lizards may go into brumation, which is like hibernating.

They aren’t required to do this, but if one feels that temperatures are dropping and fewer food sources are available, they may decide to enter brumation.

This can happen in captivity even with controlled conditions. Uro lizards are active, so if yours becomes lazy, won’t eat, and keeps hiding, it could be in this relaxed state.

Uromastyx Preferred Food

Uromastyces live in some of the driest regions on earth, yet, they’re primarily herbivorous.

Most of their nutrients come from tough grasses and other plants able to grow there. They also will occasionally eat insects in the wild.

Since they live in such dry regions, they’re used to not having a surplus of fresh water. Thankfully, they’re able to harness the small amounts of water they get from eating plants and insects.

How to Properly Feed a Uromastyx

Watch this short video to see how we encourage our friendly uromastyx, Pancakes, to eat his food.

You should offer your pet uromastyx a mix of plants and grasses. Vegetables could consist of collard greens, turnips, dandelions, broccoli, kale, romaine, carrots, parsley, celery, green beans, and squash.

Veggies should make up the bulk of their diet, while mixing different greens with each meal so your pet doesn’t get bored.

You can also throw in a few seeds like lentils, flaxseed, and quinoa. These give them added nutrients and help mix up their ‘veggie salad’.

You may also provide a calcium supplement and a multivitamin. ZooMed, for example, offers nutrient-rich supplements and multivitamins for reptiles. They’re inexpensive, and you can find them at your local pet store!

How often should I feed my Uromastyx?

Feed a baby or juvenile uro lizard as much as it can eat once a day. As your pet reaches adulthood, you can slightly decrease the amount of food you offer daily, or cut back to feeding 5 days a week.