Uromastyx are moderately active lizards, but due to different reasons, might start sleeping a lot and not being active. In this post, we will discuss possible reasons why your uromastyx might be sleeping a lot and not being very active. If you suspect any serious issue, please take your uromastyx to the vet immediately.
Reason number 1: Brumation
If your uromastyx has been moderately active, but has recently slowed down, it could be due to brumation. Brumation is a period of winter slowdown. If it’s currently winter and your uromastyx mostly sleeps, it’s most probably due to brumation. During brumation, uromastyx come out for few hours a day to roam and bask, and eat on some days.
Please make sure to weigh your uromastyx every 2 weeks to monitor its weight. During brumation, your uromastyx should not lose any weight. Brumation often lasts 1-3 and even 4 months during winter time.
Please do not induce brumation by lowering temperatures if you are not an advanced keeper and do not plan on breeding your uromastyx. If you are lowering temperatures and daylight hours, you also don’t need to feed your uromastyx. But hydration is crucial.
Reason number 2: Your uromastyx is scared
If your uromastyx is new or stressed for some reason, it will hide more. Not necessarily sleeping, your uromastyx might spend a lot of time hiding, laying and being inactive. If your uromastyx is still new, give it around 2 weeks to a month to acclimatize. Make sure temperatures are right, tank is bright enough and that you provide enough fresh vegetables and greens daily.
Also, make sure that there are no stress factors that could make your uromastyx hide a lot. If you see your uromastyx hiding a lot but not necessarily sleeping, it could be due to stress. Stress can be caused by a small tank, other pets, too much handling and more.
Please check this post to see various possible reasons of why your uromastyx hides a lot.
Reason number 3: Your uromastyx is a wild caught
As you probably know, uromastyx come from the hottest areas of the wold. In the wild, uromastyx jam themselves into narrow places and burrow to stay cool during hot days. And the thing is, they mainly come out to find food and eat, and then go back to hiding and sleeping again.
If your uromastyx is a wild caught and is out of the hide for around 3-6 hours a day, then it’s normal. This might change with time if you encourage your uro to come out more. However, most wild caughts do live like this.
New wild caught uromastyx also tend to be dehydrated, which disturbs the appetite and can have a serious impact on kidneys and liver. Don’t give any high protein foods (legumes, beans) to a new wild caught until it’s hydrated.
Leave a small water dish in the tank and spray the greens with lots of water to help hydrate your uromastyx. You can even rub some water drops on its back and mouth to help with hydration (but make sure it basks after to dry up).
Reason number 4: It’s sick
If a uromastyx is sick or in pain, it will hide, sleep a lot and be mainly inactive. There might be a lot of various issues, but always look out for symptoms.
Vitamin deficiencies, injuries, infection, parasitism etc. can all cause lethargy and inactivity. If you suspect that your uromastyx is sick, please take it to the vet immediately.
Reason number 5: Low tank temperatures = low energy
Uromastyx are cold blooded lizards, and cannot sustain their own body temperature without external heat. If your tank is cold, your uromastyx won’t have any energy to get up and move.
As uromastyx can only utilize the energy that is available to them, please review the temperatures in the tank. Please use digital thermometers and an infrared handheld thermometer like this to measure temperatures in various spots of the tank.
Basking temperatures should be 131-140 Fahrenheit (55-60 Celsius). Background temperatures should reach 95-110 F (35-43.3 C), and cool side – 80-85 Fahrenheit (26.6-29.4 Celsius).
Most owners don’t need to heat the tank at night, but if temperatures do drop under 70 F (21.1 C), please use a low wattage ceramic heat emitter like this. However, make sure that night time temperatures are not higher than 75 F (24 Celsius).
Please note that very high temperatures might also cause your uromastyx to hide and burrow, in attempts to cool down. Make sure temperatures are not too high either. Insufficient lighting can also cause low activity – uromastyx need a well-lit tank to stay active. When choosing a basking bulb, only go for a white light that has a temperature of around 6500 Kelvin.
You can read a full lighting and heating guide here.
What to do if your uromastyx sleeps a lot or all the time?
- Has your uromastyx always been healthy and is it winter time? It could be brumation. During brumation, uromastyx are often active only for 4-5 hours a day, and can sleep for 2-4 days without eating or basking.
- Is your uromastyx new and possibly wild caught? Have you checked its poop for parasites? Please do, parasitic and blood-borne infections stunt growth and can kill your uro. Take a fresh sample and take to the vet within few hours. Blood testing might be also necessary.
And some more tips…
- Does your uro look sick? Is it breathing with mouth open, can it poop, can it walk properly? Are there any other warning signs? Take it to the vet if you suspect a sickness.
- Review the setup and make sure that temperatures and lighting is optimal. Humidity must not be higher than 30-35%.
- If it’s summer – take your uro out to get some natural unfiltered sunlight.
Please note that all uromastyx have different sleeping patterns. Some species are more active than others, such as yemenensis and ocellata.
Ornate uromastyx tend to be less active than other species. However, even different uromastyx of the same species can have various sleeping patterns. Some might be much more active than others.
If you would like to learn more about uromastyx care, please see this resource page.