# Questions about blue Arabian Uromastyx (Uromastyx philbyi)



## astraldisaster (Apr 1, 2012)

Okay, so I just learned of the existence of one of the coolest lizards I've ever seen, _Uromastyx philbyi_. I have of course heard of Uromastyx before, but have never kept one. And I had no idea any came in such an impressive color as THIS!



















I MUST HAVE IT.

I'm just wondering, though -- is it only the males that have this vibrant blue coloration?

Based on this photo, I would assume so:










If that's a pair, the duller one must be female.

Another picture of a supposed female that Google turned up:










Just double-checking, because I can't seem to find much info on them. If I got one, it would only be worth it to me to get one that attained that amazing blue hue. So far, I have seen only babies for sale.

For those of you that have experience with Uros, how are they to keep in comparison with beardies? All I know is that they need high temps and a mostly vegetarian diet. How is their temperament, usually? Are they hardy? What's their life expectancy? Are they solitary or can they be kept together (at least before maturity)? Any info would be appreciated!


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## astraldisaster (Apr 1, 2012)

Never mind, answered all of my own questions. But these are insanely cool and I really want a couple now.


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## mork (Feb 18, 2010)

so give us the answers then

im interested in a blue


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## astraldisaster (Apr 1, 2012)

From this site:

"Arabian Blue Uromastyx are the most recent species of Uromastyx to make it into North American Herpetology. A small number arrived for the first time in 2007 but very few made it into breeding situations and to date only one person has successfully hatched and successfully reared a clutch (Tom Greb). Since then two more moderately sized groups have made it into the the U.S., the latest one being early winter 2012. CITES has been considering listing these along with the Ornate Uromastyx as CITES I and thus this may be one of the last if not the last importation we will see of this very attractive species. With that in mind it is VERY important that we attempt to get this species established while we have the opportunity.  

They are taxonomically considered closely related to or even a sympatric species with the Ornate Uromastyx (_U. ornata)_, but in reality they look more like a relic progenitor species linking the Rainbow Uromastyx (U, yemenensis) and the Somali Uromastyx (_U. mcfadyeni_) and possibly even the Royal Uromastyx (U. princeps). The overall body design is typical Ornata group being almost identical to the Sudanese and Somali. The coloration and back ocellations however are typical of the Benti group. While in some individuals the tail is distinctly wider with noticeably longer spines looking suspiciously like a cross between the Somali and the Royal Uromastyx. As hatchlings Arabian Blues are nearly identical to hatchling Rainbows with the exception of lacking the flat-topped tail. They differ from Somali's primarily in the layout and shape of the back spots. With the exception of those two species, Arabian Blues are easy to distinguish from all other Uromastyx at any age. Like the Somali and Sudanese Ocellated, they are a dwarf Uromastyx species, topping out at around 10" total length. Unlike the other dwarfs though, it does not appear that the females average larger than or are more aggressive than the males. This opinion may change as we (or should I say "if we") see more individuals over time. Oddly their sexual dimorphism follows the lines of the Rainbow and Ornate rather than the Sudanese or Somali, with most female's colors being much more subdued relative to the males. Mature males have blue to teal colored heads, sides and tails with a moderate sized patch of medium orange covering the back. Overlaid on this are large round to oblong white to dull cream spots often outlined in thin black. Most females and juveniles lack the blue pigments except for traces along the edges of the tail and sides. The orange is also often completely lacking or only subtly present. Like the Rainbow and Sudanese (and unlike the Ornate and Somali) they seem to lack any trace of yellow pigmentation. Of all the Uromastyx species we have worked with, this one is by far the closest to a "platypus" species, exhibiting traits bridging the most number of other Uromastyx species. Their temperament is generally calm, much more so than the Sudanese, being more along the lines of the Somali. Their care seems identical to the other dwarf species with no specific quirks having shown themselves so far. They seem to have fewer mate incompatibility issues relative to the Sudanese but seem to have the same tendency towards egg retention and egg binding as with the Somali." ​


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## astraldisaster (Apr 1, 2012)

Please note that I am in the US and this info is from an American site. I don't know if they're available in Europe or the UK...


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