The Ornate Uromastyx is a species of lizard that belongs to the Agamid family. They are native to the Middle East and can grow to over 1ft in length.
Ornate Uromastyx Taxonomy
The Ornate Uromastyx belongs to the Agamid family of lizards. This is a large family of lizards with over 300 different species currently recognised.
Many species of Agamid lizards are often referred to as ‘Dragons’ due to their dragon like features. Some common examples of this include the Bearded Dragon and the Chinese Water Dragon.
Agamid lizards are native to Africa, Asia and Australia. There are also a number of species that can be found in Southern Europe, in countries such as Italy and Greece.
The Agamid family are often considered to be a sister family to the Iguania family. There are some similarities between the two and scientists believe that these lizards may have diverged from each other in the past.
One difference between Agamids and some other species of lizards such as Geckos and Skinks is that these lizards cannot drop and regenerate their tail.
The genus that the Ornate Uromastyx belongs to is simply called Uromastyx. The lizards in this genus are often referred to as the Spiny Tailed Lizards.
The name Uromastyx is derived from two Ancient Greek words, ‘ourá’ meaning tail and ‘mastix’ meaning whip. This is a clear reference to these lizard’s characteristic tail.
There are currently 15 recognised species of Uromastyx. Some of the commonly known species include the Egyptian Spiny-tailed Lizard and the Ocellated Spiny-tailed Lizard.
The scientific name for the Ornate Uromastyx is Uromastyx ornata. It was first described in 1827 by a German naturalist and explorer.
Ornate Uromastyx Description
The Ornate Uromastyx is a medium sized lizard that can reach over 1ft in length, including their tail. They are one of the most colorful species of Uromastyx.
The color and intensity of these lizards can vary but typically consists of greens, blues and red coloration. They also have yellow lines and segments along their body and tail.
Their tail is flat, very spiny and slightly flattened. It is divided into 20-23 ridges or segments. This is why Uromastyx lizards are referred to as Spiny-Tailed Lizards.
It is generally easy to tell the difference between males and females as the male is more brightly colored. Males possess the green, blue and red coloration while females are typically duller, with light brown or rusty red appearance.
Natural Habitat and Distribution
The Ornate Uromastyx is native to much of the Middle East. They can be found in countries such as Egypt in the Southern Sinai Peninsula, Southern Israel, Western Saudi Arabia and parts of North-Western Yemen.
These lizards live in a very hot climate where their primary habitat consists of dry, rocky desert regions with sparse vegetation. These rocky environments provide security and shade for the lizards as they can retreat into crevices in the rocks.
Temperament
The Ornate Uromastyx is a diurnal species, meaning they are mostly a tive during the day and sleep at night. They will use the heat of the day to bask out in the open to raise their body temperature.
They will typically be found basking on rocks, where they can quickly escape into a crevice if they detect a predator nearby. These lizards are solitary animals and will live in a burrow on their own.
The Ornate Uromastyx is known to brumate during the cooler months if the temperature is too low for them. They may still come out to raise their body temperature during this time if there is a warm enough day.
A captive bred Ornate Uromastyx is generally a docile animal that can become very accustomed to handling. Of course, every animal will have their own unique personality and you will need to build up a level of trust with them.
Males can be very aggressive towards each other so shouldn’t be housed together. Even young males can fight. Females become very protective of nesting sites so shouldnt be housed together with a male as a trio.
Ornate Uromastyx Enclosure
A juvenile Ornate Uromastyx can be housed in an enclosure measuring around 2ft x 1ft x 1ft. It is best to house them in a wooden or PVC enclosure as an all-glass enclosure might make them feel very exposed.
If you are using a glass enclosure, cover 3 of the sides with an opaque material so they can feel secure. As your lizard grows, you will need to upgrade them into a larger enclosure.
An adult Ornate Uromastyx can be housed in an enclosure measuring around 4ft x 2ft x 2ft. If you are housing a pair together, you might need to go slightly bigger to provide them with enough room.
Their enclosure should include plenty of decoration and enrichment. Remember, these lizards’ habitat consists of rocky desert terrain, so you want to replicate this in captivity.
You should include a number of rocks in the enclosure for your lizard to climb on and hide between to replicate their natural behaviour. It is very important that these rocks are secure and can’t fall and crush your lizard.
You only need to include a small water bowl as these lizards live in arid conditions. A large water bowl can raise humidity levels too high if there isn’t enough ventilation.
You should aim to keep humidity levels under 40%. If you live in humid environment, you may need to use a dehumidifier in the room to keep humidity this low.
Light and Heat
An Ornate Uromastyx needs a lot of heat as they live in a very hot climate and are active during the day, when the heat is at its strongest.
You should aim for a basking spot of around 120F. This should come from a overhead heat source such as a basking bulb or ceramic emitter. These lizards bask in the sun so overhead heat replicates their natural behaviour.
You can supplement this with under-tank heating if you like. In the wild, the sun will heat up the rocks that the lizard lies on so this will also mimic their natural behaviour.
Whatever sources of heat you choose to use, it is important that they are connected to a high-quality thermostat. This will ensure that your lizards’ environment is kept at the optimal temperatures at all times.
The ambient temperature in the enclosure should drop to around 85F on the cool side. This can drop a couple of degrees more during the night, to around 75F. This will allow your Ornate Uromastyx to regulate their body temperature.
Unlike many reptiles, these Uromastyx like bright lights. In fact, if their enclosure is kept too dark, these lizards are known to go off food. A UVB bulb is also required as these lizards bask in the sun.
Any light source you use, including the UVB should be turned off during the night. The best way to do this is to have the lights on a timer. They can be turned on for 12 hours a day to replicate a natural day/night cycle.
Ornate Uromastyx Diet
In the wild the Ornate Uromastyx has a diet that consists primarily of desert plants such as grasses, flowers and cacti. While this can’t be replicated completely in captivity, they still thrive on a more conventional vegetable-based diet.
This lizard is a great option for a keeper who doesn’t want to feed their lizard an insect-based diet as their diet consists is made up of only vegetables and seeds.
Unlike many other species, the Ornate Uromastyx needs to be fed every day. You should offer them leafy greens, 7 days a week. Don’t feed them iceberg lettuce as there is very little nutrients in this form of lettuce.
Along with leafy greens, seeds should be offered at most feedings. You can leave out the seeds one or two days a week if you wish while other veg and supplements can be offered during every second feed.
Some good sources of vegetables to offer your Ornate Uromastyx include butternut squash, hibiscus flowers and bell peppers.
Fruit and insects are not required as part of your Uromastyx diet. However, you can offer these as an occasional treat but they shouldn’t make up more than 5% of your lizards diet.
Fruits you can offer include berries, figs and kiwis while you can offer insects such as crickets or roaches.