#sammy the uromastyx

[vixen525]

Sammy the uromastyx picture time!

So today when I went to give him good meal, he actually didn’t dive under the big rock in his enclosure! He was nervous, went to a corner, but I’m happy he stayed in the open.

I took a picture of him out basking before I opened because I thought he would hide.

But surprisingly enough, I got two pictures after closing it back up because he stayed out!

Those colors are slowly coming in!

If you are curious about the meal he got this time: escarole lettuce, a dandelion bloom, a little sample of green leaf lettuce, a couple pieces of squash, and an always available bowl of bird seed that is 90% millet and sprinkled with super veggie supplement. With his escarole staple he regularly gets samplings of other types of lettuce and a couple varieties of squash, dandelion blooms or bits of wild plantain, sometimes sprouted lentils, and some veggie treats I got at the pet store. Gotta spoil my boy!

#uromastyx ornata #uromastyx #ornate uromastyx #sammy #sammy the uromastyx #exotic pets #lizard #reptile #pet reptile #pet lizard #pets

[vixen525]

Behold a grumpy lizard

Why is he grumpy? Because I lifted his rock to check on him because he was apparently brumating a month earlier than last time.

#sammy #uromastyx #sammy the uromastyx #ornate uromastyx #uromastyx ornata #exotic pets #exotic #pet lizard #lizard #pets

[vixen525]

So. On to more talk about Starfire and Sammy, and their differences in personality.

Having two reptiles with vastly different personalities has helped me get a feel for what reptile taming requires. Mostly patience.

Even if a reptile is well socialized you must be patient when you first bring them home. A week and a half after bringing her home was the first time she chose to climb onto me.

See, I avoided interacting with Starfire until she wanted to. I would bring food and hold my hand near her, make sure she sees me, and occasionally if she clearly saw me and was not turning away, I might give a light stroke. If she seemed unhappy with contact like moving away, I stopped. The above picture is from her jumping on me when I was fixing a plant she disturbed. Below is her jumping to my wrist and climbing up me after I set food down.

Sammy my uromastyx is not a friendly reptile. But he is a lot better than when I started. When I first got him he constantly hid and avoided me. In time he learned to associate me with the delivery of food, so would watch me bring food to him.

He does not like to be picked up. One of my big mistakes in winning him over was getting a huge top opening aquarium instead of a custom front open enclosure. Things coming from above is scary to many reptiles, especially small ones.

Another thing I needed to consider was their individual needs. Uromastyx need extremely hot basking areas. When I handled him it was cool and he did not like that. The best handling session I ever had with him was when I wanted him to get some natural uv rays and put a leash on him to take him on the deck on the hottest day of the year. Eventually I got him to bask laying on my hand but he was still extremely jumpy and skittish. He may end up needing a home where he has an enclosure in the main room so he can get used to people better. But that’s a thought for when he’s not brumating through winter.

Quick addition: Handling Sammy is rare and almost exclusively for health reasons like checking his weight, checking a shed that may be stuck on toes, or this and one other session in natural light. He doesn't like it, so I avoid it unless necessary for his well being.

#exotic pets #pet lizard #lizard #sammy the uromastyx #uromastyx #uromastyx ornata #ornate uromastyx #crested gecko #starfire the gecko

[vixen525]

My uromastyx Sammy! Unfortunately will have to rehome him soon because care for disabled relatives is taking more of my time and I feel he is not getting the attention he deserves. But I love him.

#pet reptile #lizard #uromastyx #ornate uromastyx #uromastyx ornata #pet lizard #exotic pets

[vixen525]

My grumpy uromastyx Sammy.

#ornate uromastyx #lizard photo #pet reptile #exotic pets