Uromastyx, explained simply

Small dinosaurs. Big personalities.

Uromastyx are desert lizards that eat plants, bask in serious heat and can live 25 years or more. Here’s what they are, the kinds I keep, and a care guide you can read in ten minutes.

Read the care guide →Meet the kinds →

What they are

Spiny-tailed lizards from the desert

Uromastyx (say “yoo-ro-MAS-tix”) are a group of roughly 15 to 20 lizard species (experts still argue about the exact count) from North Africa and the Middle East. The name means “whip tail”: they swing their thick, spiky tail at anything that bothers them.

In the wild they live on hot, rocky or sandy ground. They bask for most of the day, then sleep in deep burrows. Unlike most pet lizards, adults eat almost entirely plants.

Diet: Mostly leafy greens and flowers
Adult size: About 9 to 30 inches, depending on species
Lifespan: 25+ years with good care
Basking spot: 120–130°F on the surface
Temperament: Calm and curious once settled; shy at first

Many kinds, one genus

The three kinds I keep

Species differ in size, color and where they come from. Mali, Saharan and Moroccan uros are common in the hobby, and Egyptian uros get huge. These are the three you’ll see in my videos.