Uromastyx are truly amazing and interesting lizards. They make great pet lizards, but owners often have a lot of questions about their behaviors. In this post, you will find a lot of different uromastyx behavior, their reasons and meanings. Why do uromastyx wiggle, glass dance, hiss, dig, lick things, rub themselves against various objects, eat their own poop and more? Let’s find out.
Uromastyx hissing – reason and meaning
Uromastyx hiss when they are unhappy about something you are doing. You might see your uromastyx hiss when you are trying to handle it. Most uromastyx will not bite, but will hiss instead. When your uromastyx hisses, it shows you that it’s very unhappy and wants you to let it go.
Hissing can be followed by tail arching, body tilting and a ‘crocodile roll’. All of them would mean that your uromastyx is not happy with your actions. If your uromastyx is hissing and displaying other behaviors, it’s a good idea to let it be.
Some new uromastyx, especially babies, will stay hissy and skittish, so handling might be necessary to show that you are not a threat. However, always let your uromastyx settle in first.
Read more on uromastyx taming and bonding in this post.
Why do uromastyx glass dance?
Uromastyx glass dance (surf) due to different reasons, which can include being housed in a tank too small, high temperatures, boredom, mating behaviors.
One of the reasons that a uromastyx glass surfs is because the tank is too small, and it wants to escape. Make sure that the adult is housed in a minimum 4x2x2, and a minimum of 6x3x3 for Egyptian uros.
Uromastyx can also glass dance when the temperatures inside the tank are too high. Another sign that your uromastyx is too hot is avoiding the basking spot and digging a lot.
While uromastyx do need high temperatures, you must create a temperature gradient in the tank. This way, your uromastyx will be able to thermoregulate – go from a hot spot to a cool one when it’s too hot, for example.
Temperatures right under the basking spot must not be higher than 140 F (60 C), ambient temperatures – not higher than 110 F (43.3 C). The cool spot must be cool enough, not hotter than 85 F (29.4 C). You can read about heating and ideal temperatures here.
Few other reasons for glass dancing are boredom, being housed in a new environment and inability to tell that glass is a barrier. Most new uromastyx will glass dance, until they get used to the environment. Then, they start doing it less and less. If you think that your uromastyx could be bored or doesn’t have enough spots to climb, introduce more branches, toys and climbing spots for it.
Why do uromastyx rub themselves against different objects?
Uromastyx rub themselves when they are about to shed. Shedding can be a stressful time for your uromastyx, and it can also be itchy. Uromastyx often rub their head and body against rocks and other rough surfaces to help get the skin off. This is normal behavior.
You can help your uromastyx with shedding by rubbing its head, tail and toes with your fingers. Make sure to check there is no stuck pieces of skin after shedding has finished.
Why do uromastyx lay on top of each other?
If you have two or multiple uromastyx in one tank, you might see them laying on top of each other. Uromastyx are rather competitive and can be territorial – laying on top of each other (stacking) is a dominance display. The dominant uromastyx will lay on top to get most UVB and heat, while the bottom one can get little to none.
If you notice any other aggressive or defensive behavior, you must separate them. But in the meanwhile, you need to make sure that the basking spot is big enough so that everyone can lay to get full heat and UVB.
Ideally, you should house uromastyx displaying stacking separately. Uromastyx can become aggressive towards each other – males should never be housed together. But even females can be aggressive towards each other. Housing them together is a risk, and you must always monitor their behavior.
Why do uromastyx lick?
Uromastyx lick everything that is new to them, or when they want to learn more about their surroundings at specific point in time. This is especially common when you put your uromastyx in a new environment – it will lick everything around. It can also lick your hand when it approaches. This is the way to sense things and even motion and to familiarize itself with its surroundings.
Why does my uromastyx lay on its back?
If your uromastyx are breeding and the female flips upside down and lays on her back, that means that she is not ready to mate or doesn’t want to mate with this male. A female will lay on her back on purpose to show her unwillingness to mate.
Why do uromastyx wiggle?
When wiggling, your uromastyx will move its belly from side to side and move its hips and back legs. Wiggling is another behavior which shows that your uromastyx is unhappy.
You might notice your uromastyx wiggle when you startle it, try to touch it or take it out from the tank. Wiggling is a sign that your uromastyx feels threatened and agitated, and it is not a good sign. If you do not leave your uromastyx alone, it might whip you with its tail (which can hurt).
If you notice your uromastyx wiggling a lot, please try to make it feel safe. Otherwise, it won’t trust you at all. Do you approach it too much (especially if it’s new)? Do you put your hand from the top (predatory behavior)? Are you constantly bothering it? Do you touch its tail or back (most uromastyx hate it)?
Why do uromastyx flatten themselves out?
Uromastyx flatten themselves out when they are basking. This helps them absorb more heat quicker. It’s also a common behavior when uromastyx are cold. There is a bigger chance that you will see a uromastyx flattening out in winter, or after waking up to warm up faster. Dull colors are also an indication that your uromastyx is cold.
Why is uromastyx digging?
Digging is a natural behavior for uromastyx. In the wild, uromastyx dig and burrow to cool down, as temperatures can get very high. Most wild caught uromastyx will eat and then dig and burrow for the rest of the day.
If your uromastyx is trying to dig the sides of the tank, it’s an indication that it wants to dig. Please have some loose substrate at least on one side of the tank, so that your uromastyx can dig and burrow. 5-10 inches (12.7-25cm) of substrate is minimum to allow digging.
The best loose substrate for uromastyx is a mix of washed sand/playsand with topsoil. You can also add some clay, such as this excavator clay (dry) and top up with some gravel that can’t be swallowed.
You can read on best substrates for uromastyx in this post.
Why does my uromastyx eat its own poop?
Believe it or not, hatchling uromastyx start off their lives by eating poop of their parent or older individuals. This helps create a healthy gut flora in their intestines, which is crucial for plant digestion and general growth.
However, if your uromastyx is not a hatchling and you saw it eating its own poop, it could be sick. Eating its own poop could indicate a parasitic infection, or issues with gut flora. Take your uromastyx to the vet if you notice this behavior.
Reptile probiotics also help restore natural gut flora. This is especially after worming/parasite treatment which kills a lot of important flora in the guts.
Why is my uromastyx panting?
If you see a uromastyx panting, that means that it’s trying to release the excess heat when basking. Panting is a normal behavior, and is a form of thermoregulation. When your uromastyx is warmed up, it will move away from the basking spot.
However, if your uromastyx opens its mouth continuously and you notice drooling, swollen gums and redness, it might be an infection. In this case, your uromastyx might spend more time around the basking area. Check the tank temperatures and take your uromastyx to the vet. Increasing temperatures will also help fight off the infection.
Why do uromastyx puff up?
Puffing up is another defense mechanism of uromastyx. If your uromastyx has puffed up, it means that it feels threatened and angry. Your uromastyx might also hiss and try to hide at the same time. In the wild, they sometimes puff up and hide to make it harder for predators to take them out, and to make themselves look bigger.