If you are getting a new uromastyx, you must be very excited and probably can’t wait to get it home! But with all the joy, comes a lot of responsibility. In this complete guide, you will find detailed instructions on how to choose a terrarium for your uromastyx and required size, how to setup a tank, including lighting, heating and more.
Please setup the tank before your uromastyx arrives, and make sure temperatures are optimal. This might require some experimenting, so do it before you bring your uromastyx home. Setup steps will include:
- Getting a terrarium
- Lighting and heating setup
- Setting up controlling and automation devices for heating and lighting
- Adding substrate
- Accessories – rocks, hides, branches, platforms, food bowls
Step 1: Getting a tank for your uromastyx
First of all, you will need to get a tank for your uromastyx. You are probably wondering, which tank to choose, which size is ideal and more.
Adult small and medium uromastyx species will need a tank sized at least 4x2x2 LxWXH (122x61x61cm). In gallons, it is around 100-120 gallons. A minimum terrarium size for an adult Egyptian uromastyx is 6x3x3 feet (LxWxH), which is around 400 gallons.
Regarding the terrarium material, a wooden terrarium is the best choice for uromastyx. That is because they need high temperatures, and wood is best for insulation. An example of a wooden tank that can be suitable for uromastyx is this 48x24x24 wooden tank. A glass tank might also work, but will be harder to retain heat in. It might also crack due to very high temperatures.
If you wish to start off with a smaller tank, you can house your baby uromastyx in a wooden or glass tank that is 24x18x18 inches (33 gallons), and move to a bigger one after a 1-1.5 years, depending on growth.
Or, you can also get a 36x18x18 inches (50.5 gallons) like this, that could make a bare minimum for a single smaller species uromastyx when it reaches adulthood. If you have few hatchlings/babies, you could house them there for a year or two, before getting new tanks for them.
Another good material cage for a uromastyx would be a good quality PVC cage, like this 3 foot long custom made cage. Cages made from PVC are sturdy, long-lasting and look great.
While housing two uromastyx is not the best idea, it can be done. Don’t house males, or a male + female if you don’t want them to breed. Uromastyx geyri is one of the few species that can successfully cohabit. Larger species such as Moroccans and Malis might not tolerate it too well, but it will depend on each individual.
If you wish to house two uromastyx together, you will need enough space for each uromastyx to bask, roam and hide. A pair of uromastyx will need a tank that is at least 5x2x2 feet (LxWxH), but preferably bigger.
Step 2: Lighting, heating and humidity
After you get the tank, it’s time to setup lighting and heating. The main aspects that you need to take care of are: heat bulbs, UVB bulb/tube and devices to control temperatures and lights.
#1: Ideal temperatures
Ideal temperatures for uromastyx are 95-110 F (35-43.3 C) on the hot side, 131-140 F (55-60 C) in a basking spot, 80-85 F (26.6-29.4 C) in a cool spot. At night, temperatures should drop to 70-75 F (21-24 C). Humidity levels of 20-35% are ideal. Occasional spikes of 40% are fine.
#2: UVB source
First of all, your uromastyx need a strong source of UVB to mimic natural conditions and to produce vitamin D3 in the skin. Choose a 10-14% UVB source for your uromastyx.
If you are going to house it inside the tank (such as in a wooden tank), choose a 10-12% UVB. With a glass tank, you will need to get a hood with a reflector, to maximize its efficiency, as mesh blocks around 30% of the UVB.
One of the best UVB tubes that you can get for your uromastyx is a high output (HO) ReptiSun 10.0 UVB like this. Arcadia (mainly in the UK) also produces high quality UVB tubes and bulbs. Make sure a tube covers 60-70% of the tank, so that there is also a shade.
Tubes are better for providing UVB as they cover the larger area, but you can also use a mercury vapor bulb like this. If you choose a mercury vapor bulb, a 100watt might be enough to heat an 80-100 gallon tank. Plus, include a low wattage light bulb for extra light in the tank. However, some uromastyx tend not to like mercury vapor lamps, and hide more.
Uromastyx need high UVB, and an index 6.0-7.0 is sufficient. If you wish to check the index, you can invest in a solarmeter like this, especially if you have more than 1 pet reptile. You will need to replace UVB tubes every 10-12 months, and a bulb – every 6 months. Never mix two sources of UVB.
#3: Heat/basking bulbs
For heat bulbs, you can use intense basking lights like this, incandescent bulbs, household bulbs, flood lights etc. with a daylight rating of 5000-6500 K. To begin with, I would recommend getting few different wattage bulbs for testing, to see which ones create ideal temperatures. Avoid red/blue bulbs.
If you are going to use a mercury vapor bulb, 1 lower wattage light bulb will be enough, as MVP bulbs emit both heat and light. And if you decide to use a UVB tube, you can have 1 higher wattage heat bulb for light and heat.
However, it might be a better idea to get 2 lower wattage bulbs instead of 1 higher wattage bulb (for example two 50 watt spotlights instead of one 100watt bulb). This will create a larger basking area with stable temperatures. One high wattage bulb can create a small spot that gets too high and burns your pet.
However, both variants might be optimal, so it’s good to get few various wattage bulbs and test it out.
Step 3: Heating and lighting mounting, automation and controlling devices
To mount UVB and heat bulbs, you will need:
- UVB tube hood like this, to house a UVB tube
- Light bulb dome like this (single or double if you have 2 bulbs) – that’s if you have a glass tank – to house bulbs. An adjustable light stand like this is also an option. If you have a wooden tank, you will need a fixture bracket with a ceramic base like this that you will mount inside a tank with screws.
- To make sure your uromastyx can’t touch the light bulbs inside the tank, you need to use a light guard over the bulbs.
To measure temperatures in the tank, you will need:
- 2-3 digital thermometers like this – to monitor temperatures on a hot, cool and middle sides
- An infrared handheld thermometer like this to accurately measure temperatures in specific spots
To control and automate lights and heat in the tank, you will need:
- A thermostat like this, that will help you control temperatures – to alert you and turn heating bulbs on/off when temperatures get too low or high. Important for safety of your pet.
- Timer for an each device, to automatically turn lights on/off – you can use a reptile power center like this, or get a simple manual/digital timer.
Setting up lights and heating should not be too complex, but will include some trial and error, to reach ideal temperatures in your tank. For a full guide on setting up heating and lighting, please read this post.
Step 4: Choosing the substrate
After you setup lighting and heating and clean the tank, it’s time to add substrate. There are different substrate options that you can use. As you probably know, uromastyx burrow a lot in the wild and have this urge to dig in captivity too.
So, having a mix of non-loose and some loose substrate is the best choice for uromastyx. You can have 50/50 of loose and non-loose substrate, or only non-loose and add a corner or a dig box filled with loose substrate to allow some digging. Please do not add any loose substrate until your uromastyx turns at least 4 months old, as ingestion is more likely.
The best types of non-loose substrate is non-coated slate or ceramic tile, as well as paper towels. Non-coated tiles will hold heat well, which is important for uromastyx. Paper towels are also safe, and are good for monitoring poop.
For loose substrate, please don’t use pure sand. Instead, you can use a mix of washed playsand and topsoil (50/50). Also, you can use sand, topsoil and dry clay, such as this Excavator clay (equal amounts mixed together). You can also top the loose substrate with granite rocks (large enough not to be swallowed). Add at least 4-5 inches (10-13cm) to allow digging.
Make sure to add heavy rocks, slabs etc. first, before adding substrate, to avoid them falling and crushing your uro.
If you would like to learn more about best and worst substrates for uromastyx, please read this post.
Step 5: Basking rocks for uromastyx and other tank accessories
So that your uromastyx can bask, climb and hide, you will need to include various accessories in the tank. Uromastyx are quite active, and often like both digging and climbing.
Uromastyx don’t need a lot of plants and decorations – hiding spots plus basking rocks are the most important.
Please include a large basking rock or a platform that is heightened closer to the basking bulb. 6-9 inches (15-23 cm) from the bulb to uromastyx is often optimal. Your uromastyx will climb on it to bask.
Then, please include a lot of hiding spots. Uromastyx love jamming themselves into tight spots to hide. For this, you can include lots of slate rocks, roofing tiles, slabs, cave like this or similar, flipped upside down terracotta planters, egg crates and more. Stack them to create entrances and exits. Make sure they are stable and can’t fall down.
Depending on the size of your uromastyx, it should be able to fully get in there to hide and feel safe. Include at least 1 hide on each side of the tank.
If you have any extra space, you can include a hammock that your uromastyx can climb on. You can also include a fake plant to create shade or for decoration. Include a branch (such as grapewood, Mopani) or few to encourage climbing.
Then, you would need to get a food bowl. Some uromastyx have preferences on food bowls and even positioning, so you can experiment with that. A large shallow dish like this for salads is perfect, and possibly another small one for occasional seeds and lentils.
Uromastyx generally don’t need a water bowl, but you can place a very shallow dish once a week. Don’t place a soaking dish, and it can cause tail rot, respiratory infection and more. Uromastyx don’t need soaking/bathing (unless very dehydrated).
Thank you for reading this uromastyx tank setup guide. If you would like to learn more detailed information on specific topics, please press on links below (opens in a new tab).