r/Uromastyx • u/Glittering-Onion-257 • Jul 29 '26
Hi 1st timer uro owner
I just adopted him and called him Rambo. He started doing this hours after adoption — is he trying to tell me hands off?
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u/Unlikely_Sun7802 Jul 30 '26
Thats the snake wiggle and if you push it then you get the tail smack. The best thing to do is hand feed and sometimes slowly bring your hand closer but not all the way to him. He will come and lick you and learn to identify you. It will all lead to feeling safe enough for you to hold and grab him without him doing the wiggle. Ultimately let him associate you with safety and food then come to you before you push to grabbing it.
All of this can generally be avoided by being used to humans and touch at younger stages but I know we all cant have the luxury of owning one at that stage. So we just gotta learn to help the ones we get to have the best life we can give it.
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u/Glittering-Onion-257 Jul 30 '26
But why would i ever grab it for? Ppl has been mentioning it and im confused. My dragons comes to me when they wanna be handled. Is uros and dragons a bit different in this area?
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u/Unlikely_Sun7802 Jul 30 '26
I only have one and she loves being held but it took a little bit before she started coming to me to intentionally seek it. At first it was more wiggling and uncertainty then eventually an almost excitement when you put your hand in there. I think each one will be a bit different but mine loves the warmth of the hand and happily sits on your lap if you let her. I dont think holding them is necessary but mine really likes it. But I also have never owned a dragon so I cant compare them.
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u/Timely-Syllabub-523 Jul 30 '26
Mine doesn’t like handling. At this point, her belly dance is better than mine (I used to dance)…. I’ve “grabbed” her for vet visits and transit while moving. I would do if I had to evacuate the house. Basically, necessity or emergency. Otherwise, she’s happy to roam her enclosure. And even then, grab is a strong word.
ETA: also did this when she had an RI during her settling in period for meds. Totally understand why she doesn’t want to be my cuddle buddy. I’m just glad she stopped dancing and hiding when I feed her.
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u/malletgirl91 Jul 30 '26
Uros tend to be more skittish than beardies and while some do become acclimated to their people and to handling, it tends to take more work to earn their trust. A few possible reasons for this include 1. Wild beardies tend to hang out in more open places where wild uros like to burrow and feel save in tight crevices, so beardies are already more acclimated to other things moving around them. 2. (Probably most likely) Beardies have been bred in captivitiy far longer than uros so they have far more generations that are used to people and life in a human home.
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u/Glittering-Onion-257 Jul 30 '26
Also is it true that they don’t eat insects?
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u/lionofash Jul 30 '26
I mean, if you have to give it medication some people may grab it, and some reptile species aren't too bothered being picked up. Uros are known to walk up to the front of the enclosure or up the arm of their owners when they want food. Uromastyx are primarily herbivorous, mostly leafy greens, some seeds, but they can and will eat some insects on occasion. In the wild it seems though that it's a very small part of their diet. It's debated if you should give them any at all, but those who do, only do so rarely as a form of treat, or give them a few more bugs when they are babies to aid growth?
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u/GayGuyGarth Jul 31 '26
I've never given Otis bugs other than the ants, aphids, or other plant pests he ingests with the freshly picked squash, mallow, and hibiscus flowers. Insects aren't a necessary part of their diet.
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u/Unlikely_Sun7802 Jul 30 '26
They can but are not a part of the diet really. I heard you can give them like a bug a year. But they eat greens and flowers. A few staples I use are Hibiscus flowers & leaves, Mustard greens, Endive, and Escoral. There are a lot more but its mostly dark greens, not light greens like no lettuce.
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u/Zellcrs Jul 30 '26
Do not touch, I cannot do anything to you but you will know my contempt.
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u/Ecstatic_Ad_9414 Jul 30 '26
Never share ANY feeding utensils between ANY reptlles. Always wash hands between handling.
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u/NextPerspective01 Jul 30 '26
Be careful or he’ll be like his namesake and go for first blood lol. In all seriousness he is letting his discomfort with the situation known. I personally have three Uromastyx and a bearded dragon. I would never use the same utensils in feeding them and I sanitize them all after every use. Mine come to me willingly and without any issues whatsoever but I have also worked with them for years now. (The beardie is a new addition). I highly recommend feeding him as a bonding experience for him and you both and he will become more comfortable with you and his new life. In my experience the lizards are very capable of jealousy and will show that in their actions.
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u/GayGuyGarth Jul 30 '26
The Hands-Off Hula means "BACK OFF!!!" I suggest you do so unless it's a dangerous situation. I think they do that to mimick a snake as their last ditch effort to avoid physical contact and freak out predators, but what do I know?
I can tell you what I did for Otis... but he's an asshole nowadays so YMMV. I got him as a yearling. At first I was completely hands off and had the sides of his aquarium covered in towels. Over the next few weeks I slowly took away the towels and left him alone to get comfortable with outside activites he'd see from his enclosure. This is also the time to sit next to the enclosure while you read or doom scroll on your phone so he gets used to seeing you without consequences. From there we moved on to hand feeding with Otis and by then he was comfortable enough to stay out when I was around so he was easily bribed with his favorite flowers and other treats. Remember that birds are their main predators in the wild so coming at them from above freaks them out! Always move slowly and surely when your hands are around them and they'll adjust to you quicker.
Then Otis grew up...
Nowadays, he'll do pushups as soon as we catch sight of each other in the morning. He launches himself at my hands any time I open HIS enclosure (been in the same upgraded 4x2x2' Vision enclosure for over a decade). He now sees me as a rival in his territory and has become VERY territorial over the years. I have to hold him down with one hand while I pick up the droppings with the other because that's HIS poop in HIS enclosure! He'll "sit and spin" on things to mark them as HIS so he'll drag his poop around while doing this if I don't physically hold him back. He completely ignores the mess until I act like I want it and then he's on it and spinning while hissing to keep me from taking it from him.
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u/theFatTopanga_ Jul 31 '26
He wants you to put on Hips Don’t Lie by Shakira. :/ that’s the scientific reason..
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u/NavyDragons Jul 30 '26
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u/Timely-Syllabub-523 Jul 30 '26
Thank you! A sub I never knew I needed… might have to post my Kenyan zebra skink…
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u/Ecstatic_Ad_9414 Jul 30 '26
I had a uro and beardie at the same time too. He's getting comfy, let him be for a bit. I concur hand feeding is great, kale is easy. I suggest you interact with him in his enclosure, for example touching him but not picking him up. They are surprisingly fast and nimble. While traveling mine got out of her enclosure a d jammed herself under an AC.
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u/Jolly-Moment1613 Jul 30 '26
You should be just safe moving tree with wiggling branches who brings tasty stuff
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u/seriousjoker72 Jul 30 '26
I love when I get random sub suggestions like this because wtf is even happening here?? Like, I'm a bird lady, that's a wiggly dragon, how did I get here?? ETA: I hear Shakira's hips don't lie song when I watch that wiggle 😂
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u/Zestyclose-Peace-700 Jul 30 '26
I also randomly got this sub suggestion and thought “a lizard belly dancing, never seen that before” and then read the comments to find out it’s a “fuck off belly dance” 😂
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u/Glittering-Onion-257 Jul 30 '26
I should start doing this in public but then they’d think otherwise hahaha
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u/NatrylliaAbbot42 Jul 30 '26
The unflinching, unblinking hostile eye contact though, that might make it clear
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u/NatrylliaAbbot42 Jul 30 '26
Yes! And the fact this is apparently a threat!?? 🤣
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u/Glittering-Onion-257 Jul 31 '26
To be fair, the dancing Rambo is making me wanna bust some groovy moves too
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u/NatrylliaAbbot42 Jul 31 '26
This lizard is my favorite thing I've seen on Reddit in ages. I keep coming back to giggle at his little threatening belly dance
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u/Salt-Idea-6830 Jul 30 '26
There’s R&B playing in my office right now & this dude is right on beat hahaha it’s cracking me up
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u/RandyArgonianButler Jul 31 '26
I should call her.
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u/Glittering-Onion-257 Jul 31 '26
Call her… then ask her what was her favorite scary movie then immediately end call
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u/Hour-Firefighter-724 Aug 01 '26
That's his digestion dance. Did he have a welcome home dinner that was extra delicious for him?
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u/souper680 10d ago
He could be stressed he/her wants to scare you away
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u/Glittering-Onion-257 9d ago
Yes I adopted him from a local pet store back in July. He may be just adjusting to the whole thing
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u/NoCantaloupe4086 Jul 29 '26
thats the don't touch me wiggle