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Ornate Uromastyx

Ornate Uromastyx

Common Name:
Ornate Uromastyx
Scientific Name:
Uromastyx ornata
Gestation Period:
60 days
Habitats:
  • Desert
  • Rocky Areas
Length:
15 in
Life Span:
20 yrs
Number of Young:
7-17 eggs
Weight:
9 oz
About:

Did you know ornate uromastyxs are capable of getting moisture out of even the driest seeds and plants? Learn more about the ornate urogastyx.

Care & Wellness:

Heat and UV spots in their habitat allow the uromastyx and other reptiles to stay healthy.  The uromastyx will move from UV spots to heat pads on their rocks to maintain their body temperature.  
They may also be preparing to enjoy some vegetation or grab a cricket or two!

Behavior:
  • They live in small groups with a dominant male and several females.
  • Active during the hottest part of the day, they even bask during midday.
  • Females dig a hole to lay eggs.
Endangered Status
  • Extinct in Wild (EW)
  • Critically Endangered (CR)
  • Endangered (EN)
  • Vulnerable (VU)
  • Near Threatened (NT)
  • Least Concern (LC)
  • Not Evaluated (NE)
Fun Facts:
  • Males are brightly colored with a dark underside while females are duller in color with a light belly.
  • Also called the ornate mastigure or ornate spiny-tailed lizard due to rows of spines on its tail.
  • Males will attack and chase away other males, but are not strictly territorial.
  • They are capable of getting moisture out of even the driest seeds and plants.
An ornate uromastyx on a rock.