Getting a Uromastyx,

Question
I am a college student and I have always wanted a lizard.  Since I don't think my roommates would appreciate crickets in our apartment I decided to go with a Uromastyx knowing that they eat primarily veggies. (Is this a good idea?)

Now I just want to know any tips you have on basically anything you can tell me: How should I lay out the tank?  What kind of vitamins or minerals should I use on its food? What vegetables do you primarily feed them and how often? How does their temperament differ between the sexes?  Is it better to get a younger one and raise it (I know they are cheaper)?  How fast to they grow and about how many tanks do you think one goes through during a lifetime?  Speaking of lifetime all of the research I have done says the lifespan ranges from 15 - 30 years to me that seems very general can you narrow this down at all?  Do you suggest taking them to a vet after you initially get them even if you get them from a store and they have had not previous owners? And lastly how do they travel and do you know if they are allowed on planes?  Because I do go home for months at a time and would like to bring my lizard with me if possible.  

Thank you so much for your time.  If you know any websites I should visit to learn more please tell me because I haven�t been able to find any.  I know these are a lot of questions but this is a big commitment and I just want to make sure I'm making the right decision.  Thanks again!


Answer
Hello Jen, I know what you mean about the crickets. They can get really loud. Yes Mali usually eat veggies and some will go for crickets although I have heard some people have absolutely no luck with crickets. If you want more protein in a diet for one then maybe worms would be better then crickets?


All right, well the tank should be pretty large. A 55 gallon would probably be ok. You want a cool side and a warm side. Not cold, but somewhere if the heat side gets to warm he can cool off. You will want a hiding spot for each side so he can be sheltered and feel safe. They like a lot of rocks and stuff to crawl on and hide in. Some plants (fake ones are easiest) You don't want all four transparent sides. Usually you only want 1 transparent side for you to see him. But they don't know the concept of glass and can harm themselves by running into it over and over again. Usually you don't need a water dish because they are desert animals and get water from there food (leafy greens) DON'T use sand. No matter how much other people say it should be used. It does look natural it is in their natural habitat BUT it can be very dangerous. For the wild animals it helps with the population. But for pets we want our reptiles alive. The sand (any sand) can and usually will get stuck between toes and can irritate them really bad. Also if they try to eat and accidently ingest some sand it is REALLY bad and causes impaction. Try something like Eco-Earth or organic soil. Some people (like myself) use tile. Slate tile is my favorite. It looks really natural. Isn't to expensive and is easy to clean. You dont want it to near your heat though because it can burn the feet of your lizard. Reptile carpet is also a good choice.  Some good veggies are Mustard greens, Collard greens, dandelion greens and flowers, Bok Choy greens. Younger is usually better. It gives the young and curious more time to get to know you. An older one is usually wild caught and can get stressed easily with people. Younger is always best. You can buy the biggest tank you will need to start off with (55gallon) and then just keep that his entire life instead of buying one every couple of months. YES I do recommend a vet check right away. Its always best. Because the pet store is the one that owns it before you. And wherever the pet store got it (usually wild caught) so take him in to make sure there are no parasites or anything wrong. It will never hurt to be sure. I'm not sure about taking them on planes. You would have to contact the airport that you go with and see what their policy is. One way to transport them is either by care or some shipping companies (like UPS or FEDEX) will ship them. OK now I think my fingers are cramping from the typing and so here are some good links :D

1) Uromastyx care sheets (there are a few each different)
http://www.repticzone.com/caresheets/Uromastyx.html

2) Another care sheet
http://www.sundialreptile.com/care%20sheet--uro.htm

3) Uromastyx FORUM (you can become a member and ask as many questions as you want and share ideas or pictures or whatever)
http://www.repticzone.com/forums/Uromastyx/index.html
I am a member of the RepticZone Forum but usually I only post under the Water Dragon Forum. But go ahead and explore the site there are some cool people there.


I am glad that you want to have as much knowledge about this as possible. Most people just go out and buy a lizard because it looks cool and they get neglected. Its good to hear that you have a heart and want the best for your upcoming pet!

Good Luck
Anything else just ask!