Red Niger Uromastyx Care Sheet
Lizard
11 - 14 inches long
15+ years
Herbivore
Diet & Nutrition
Red Niger Uromastyx are strict herbivores. Offer a variety of leafy vegetation including turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, and kale. Non-leafy vegetation includes yellow squash, snap peas, green beans, dandelions, and hibiscus. Fruit and insects are to be used on an extremely limited basis. A
Uromastyx will readily eat insects, but the long-term effects on their kidneys are life threatening.
Feeding Schedule
Feed babies daily. Adults should also eat daily, although they will likely eat less than a baby. Feed a mix of the above described vegetation. Dust food with calcium powder daily & a multivitamin once a week. Have enough food in the bowl that they can forage throughout the day.
Housing & Habitat
The Red Niger Uromastyx is from Algeria, Mali, and Niger Africa. This part of the world is extremely hot and dry. Uros are ground dwellers and love to dig and hide. Provide plenty of hiding places along with flat basking surfaces. Uros may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Uros should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together.
Enclosure Size
An adult must have a minimum cage size of 36" Long x 18" Deep x 12" High, although many keepers prefer a larger cage.
Substrate
Uros love to dig and burrow. Since they come from the desert, ground walnut shell and sand are acceptable substrates. Provide 3-6 inches of substrate.
Temperature & Lighting
Temperature
A Uro's basking spot should be 120°- 130°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 80°- 90°F.
Lighting
Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB.
Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs.
Humidity & Watering
Humidity
Humidity in the enclosure should remain below 35%.
Watering
The Red Niger Uromastyx CAN NOT have a bowl of water. In fact, this region of Africa receives less than 1/4 inch of rain per year. Providing even a small water bowl will cause too much ambient humidity in the cage. This will ultimately lead to respiratory issues. The Uromastyx receives all its moisture from the food that it eats.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What do Red Niger Uromastyxs eat?
Red Niger Uromastyx are strict herbivores. Offer a variety of leafy vegetation including turnip greens, collard greens, mustard greens, and kale. Non-leafy vegetation includes yellow squash, snap peas, green beans, dandelions, and hibiscus. Fruit and insects are to be used on an extremely limited basis. A Uromastyx will readily eat insects, but the long-term effects on their kidneys are life threatening. Never Feed Lettuce! It contains no nutrition, only water and cellulose.
What size enclosure does a Red Niger Uromastyx need?
The Red Niger Uromastyx is from Algeria, Mali, and Niger Africa. This part of the world is extremely hot and dry. Uros are ground dwellers and love to dig and hide. Provide plenty of hiding places along with flat basking surfaces. Uros may be kept alone or in pairs. If housed together Uros should be of similar size to avoid injury. Never house two males together in the same tank. Two females generally get along well. A male and female will likely breed if housed together. An adult must have ...
What temperature and lighting does a Red Niger Uromastyx need?
A Uro's basking spot should be 120°- 130°F. The cool end of the tank can be as cool as 80°- 90°F. Since this is a diurnal species, it requires two light bulbs. One is the heat lamp which also emits UVA. The second is a UVB lamp. The UVB lamp will specifically say UVB on the box. If the box doesn't say UVB, it's not UVB. Plant and Fish bulbs are not UVB bulbs. Humidity: Humidity in the enclosure should remain below 35%.