Care Sheet: Uromastyx Maliensis- the Mali Uromastyx

This be the second care sheet in my blog, this time for the Mali Uromastyx, a hardy and simple reptile that is a member of the Uromastyx family- also known as Mastigures or Spiny-Tailed Agamids. These desert-dwelling lizards are found throughout Africa's northern desert regions, and in captivity are long-lived and very interesting.

Genus: Uromastyx

Species: Maliensis

Subspecies: None Recognized

Range: Mali, North Western Africa

Maximum Size: 11-16 inches, males are larger. My personal specimen, "Scute," is around 10 inches and just over a year old.

Life Span: Records of wild specimens indicate a life span of over 60 years

Behaviour: An avid burrower and daytime basker, the Mali Uromastyx can be shy and timid at first, oftentimes hiding for hours on end, and returning to its hiding spot when approached. They may flail their spiked, armour-plated tail in defense if picked up (especially wild-caught specimens), and tend to sleep in a defensible position, with their tail facing the entrance of a cave or rock burrow. The animal tends to tame down considerably in captivity, tolerating handling and frequent interaction remarkably well. Though considered "burrowers," they can more accurately be described as "hermits." They don't dig, except to excavate the sand substrate inside their chosen hiding space. They seem to adopt that hiding space (in my own experience, a ceramic hiding cave from my local pet store) as a sort of permanent home, spending much time hiding or sleeping there. One important note is that these lizards do not, I repeat do not like water. Many reptile owners like to give their lizard a "bath" or let them soak for a little bit, but Uromastyx, at least Maliensis, are phobic of water and will do almost anything to climb out of their bath. One rumour circulating also states that, if left to soak, their bodies swell up like a balloon. Though I can provide no solid evidence of this, this dry-loving animal does indeed hate water, and gets most of its moisture from the green vegetables and plants it eats. Interestingly as well, though not aggressive by nature, Uromastyx may be quite territorial, especially around smaller lizards that encroach upon it's chosen home-space in a tank. Keep this in mind as the reptile's spike-laden tail is a potent weapon.

Husbandry: A desert-dwelling and dry-loving reptile, Uromastyx Maliensis is a hermit among the lizard masses. They prefer to keep to themselves and hide out of sight. If kept communally, these lizards can be aggressive towards others of their kind- particularly males kept with other males. A local reptile shop in Bend, Oregon that I know has several Uromastyx Maliensis males kept together with multiple hide boxes in a 20-long tank, and one of them is missing a large portion of his tail, presumably due to fighting. Though these small-ish lizards don't take up much room, rarely moving about and spending much of their time hiding, they do appreciate a large enough set up to allow for roaming. A hide box of some sort is an absolutely essential element of a healthy set up, as is several inches of smooth sand (see my article about schneider's skinks, as the requirements are similiar). The Uromastyx may come up out of its hide box from time to time to explore and bask, but will often retreat into its burrow when approached, at least until it gets used to your presence. Frequent handling and calm interaction with your Uro will result in a tamer animal, and they will get used to your presence much quicker if you do so.

Diet: A consumate herbivour, the Mali Uromastyx readily eats most greens and vegetables. Younger specimens however are much more omnivorous, excitedly pouncing upon crickets, mealworms, roaches, and, in one extreme instance that I myself witnessed, several other lizards. Spring mix, collard, and mustard greens are all good choices, as are vegetables like carrots, and birdseed. I would not recommend feeding spinach to your animal, as it binds calcium, and never, ever feed your Uromastyx "iceberg" lettuce. This is for two reasons: 1) Iceberg lettuce is almost entirely water, having no nutritional value. And 2), a certain chemical in Iceberg lettuce is addictive to reptiles, and in time they will only eat Iceberg lettuce, getting no nutrients from it and eventually starving themselves to death. I personally use spring mix, fed every two or three days and dusted with D3 calcium powder once weekly. This is a good source of nutrients that my "Scute" readily accepts. I occassionally supplement this diet with roaches, meal worms, or crickets, all appropriately "gut loaded" and dusted in calcium. This varied diet keeps my Uro healthy and active.

Note- earlier I mentioned an incident with other lizards. Well, I had wild-caught a fair amount of Western Fence Lizards (Sceleporus Occidentalis) in my home town of Bend, Oregon over the summer. I had them in their own cage, but put them in the Uro's tank to clean theirs. Knowing that Uromastyx are primarily herbivores, I didn't expect anything to happen. However, I was wrong. The Uromastyx lunged at two of the fence lizards, biting their heads with its powerful, beak-like jaws, and crushing their skulls before devouring them. I had never seen this behaviour before, and couldn't find any source online referencing instances like this. That said, i'd recommend keeping your Maliensis away from smaller reptiles.

Caging: Though they don't take up much room on the whole, a 20-long tank is recommended for your Mastigure. They will spend much time curled up hiding, but when out of their cave, they will actively explore and forage for food. A water dish can be provided, but is not really necessary as the animal gets all the moisture it needs from its diet. Temperatures are exceptionally high for this species, higher than most reptiles require. A daytime temperature of 90-100 degrees F should be provided, with a basking site of 120 degrees+. This lizard likes it hot! Provide a layer of 4-6 inches of sand (or more, there's a good "burrowing substrate" out there that Uros enjoy), and make sure it's soft-edged and not sharp-edged silicate sand. Always provide a hide box or outcrop for the lizard to hide in/under, and make sure any cage furniture rocks are place in the bottom of the cage before adding substrate. Heavy rocks can shift and crush your lizard! When feeding your lizard, present the food greens or mealworms in a seperate dish, to prevent impaction. This also helps to get the lizard acclimated, to learn where its food comes from, and therefore can learn to interact with its owner better.

Keep to the standard 12 hours light/heat- 12 hours dark/night cycle for this reptile, even in Winter, as it really benefits from extra hours of heat and light. It can tolerate temperatures as low as 70 degrees F at night, though a bit higher would be better. Make sure it gets plenty of UVB and Heat all together, using a powersun bulb (which run roughly $80) can give you an ample heat gradient. Aside from this, it's largely a trouble free and hardy lizard.

Maintanence: A fairly hardy and easy to keep reptile, the Mali Uromastyx can be an interesting and exciting captive to care for. As long as its heat requirements are met, and it is fed regularly, it can live for quite some time with little effort on the part of its owner. Scoop the cage's sand every day or so to spot-clean, making sure to clean up feces and urates. Every 2-3 months, empty the sand, scrub the tank thoroughly with an approved reptile-safe sanitary agent, and then refill with fresh sandy substrate when dry.

Conclusion: Particularly beautifully coloured when full grown, especially in male specimens, Uromastyx Maliensis can be a quizzicle and interesting subject to study and observe in captivity. As long as you can meet its caging and temperature requirements, the animal can be left alone with relatively little risk, as it is hardy and tough, and can manage itself quite well.