It depends on what you are looking for. Do you want a pet you can hold and will sit on your shoulder or a reptile that is more just for looking at?
Because uros need such high temps you can only hold them for a few minutes. Out of all the uros in the pet trade I would say less than 1% will sit on your shoulder. Depends on what you want.

Second, they both require similar environments, although the Uro’s is more specific and requires a higher temperature. Maintaining a proper gradient for both animals is equally important. With the info available, a proper set-up can be made for <$200 for either animal.

Third, because uros are less hands on it is a huge benefit as it prevents us from infecting them or injuring them. (Although some try to handle their uros a little too much, I would say handling a Uro requires an intermediate or higher level of herp experience compared to the novice BD handling.)

Quote: "those that feel uromastyx are easy to care for are the ones that are probably not getting the husbandry correct."

I try very hard to keep in mind that you are a child but at the same time I have come to the end of my patience with the drama you tend to create when misunderstanding or misstating things you read on this forum. You want some honesty? The two main problems I have with you rcb is that #1 you misinterpret my statements and present them incorrectly to others and #2 although you had no idea what a uromastyx was six months ago, it does not prevent you from making a lot of statements to others about something you know very little or nothing about. Often times these statements are misleading and sometimes-just plain incorrect. I would like to mention that I do not point out or correct a large percentage of your misleading or incorrect statements. That would be too time consuming.

This post is a prime example of one of my major complaints- You agree with me on my statement that uromastyx might be more difficult than bearded dragons and then continue with this bit of logic:

“A uro might be harder to care for than a beardie but that does not mean it should be offlimits to beginners.”

Here is my exact quote -
“I 100% agree with boababe on the fact that beardeds are much easier to care for than uromastyx. There are specific posts out here that go into detail on the reason so many of us feel that uromastyx are not beginner reptiles.”

You do this so often rcb …... No one said uromastyx were ‘off limits’ and yet you are clearly representing this as my meaning or belief and provoking an argument. My statement is that I and others (including some well-known authors of uromastyx books and articles) ‘feel’ that uromastyx do not make a good beginner reptile. PERIOD. Why do you feel the need to twist this statement around to uromastyx being ’off limits’ for beginners?

You of all people should have a clear understanding of what is meant by my comment. In your thread ‘getting a uro” I made a post when others were repeatedly telling you that as a beginner you should not get a uromastyx and that you should start with something easier. Here are a few of my comments from that post on 9/20/04:

“I agree that uromastyx are not the ‘best’ beginner reptile and would be inclined to steer potential buyers away unless they are completely aware of the expense and involvement and are entirely willing to meet (prefer the term exceed ) those challenges.” (I later listed some of those challenges in the thread) Do I really think that owning other reptiles will prepare someone to successfully keep uromastyx- not necessarily. Prior reptile experience will hopefully give a little insight into common husbandry issues such as UVB and general reptile diseases ‘if’ the person had done even basic research with their other reptiles. Previously owning a reptile might also give someone limited knowledge on substrate and lighting/heating equipment and issues. With that said- owning ten other types of reptiles does not guarantee that someone will have success with uromastyx.”

Hmmmm certainly doesn’t sound like they are ‘off limits’ now does it rcb? Once again, you took one of the statements I made and twisted it into your own thoughts and presented it on the forum to others as ‘my’ belief or opinion when it is clearly not.

Here is another quote from your post:
“You do tend to "attack" whoever disagrees with you in subtle ways. I can understand you doing this when someone says a uro does not need a big cage if it is held a lot, but when its something that even breeders disagree on such as subtrate or use of a water bowl I think it is wrong to stike down on other people.”

Here we go again…. When did I attack someone for disagreeing with me on what substrate to use or whether or not to use a water dish?

My belief is that if you use sand- fine seed- fine, paper -fine….There are specific items that I feel strongly against such as calci-sand, corn cob, and walnut shells but for the most part I could care less what people use for substrate. My belief on water in the enclosure is similar- there are times when water can be appropriate and times when it is not. I clearly state that there are specific things to consider when using water and extra steps to take and not all uromastyx will benefit from it. I have enough of an open mind to say there are situations where water can be used (never have mandated it or even recommended it for anything other than hatchlings, gravid females, or dehydrated animals) but there are also times when it should not be used.

Yet with my open views on substrate and water all over this forum you decide to once again misstate something I have typed into a personal attack against you for your opinion on whether to use water or what substrate to use? Go back and read that post (Big enough cage) again rcb. My complaint is that you are making incorrect and misleading statements and typing about things that you clearly lack knowledge of.
In fact, it wasn’t until this post on water and substrate directly led to someone new thinking they had a respiratory condition (thread “Respitory disease?”)JUST because they had a water dish in their enclosure that I even responded to your post.

Here are a few of your past statements on water and humidity that I believe are misleading and/or untrue:

“Uros come from the hottest deserts in the world where moisture does not exist.”

“Even low amounts of humidity can cause all kinds of respitory disease.”

“Also being that they come from the saharan desert means there is no water.”

“In fact haveing a water bowl in the cage will raise the humidity to dangerous levels.”

Now even with these statements I was rather nice when disagreeing with you in that thread ( thread: New to uros and have some ??) on a water bowl being dangerous. Yet a week or so later you turn around with another post making such strong statements about water dishes that you had someone believing their animal had a respiratory condition just from using a water dish. Evidently the nice approach does not work in getting a point across to you rcb so I definitely was less subtle in my last post the (second time around) on the same subject.

You see rcb, my problem is not whether someone is or isn’t using a water dish, my problem is with you misrepresenting the use of a water dish and misrepresenting humidity and moisture ‘facts’ of the environment that these animals come from. Why do you continue to make statements that you know nothing about? I can pull up a large majority of your post and find incorrect statements. Do you just take a guess at these things? I asked you in your last post where you got your information from regarding certain greens being ok for one species of uromastyx but not for another. I have not heard back on that one but I am curious.

For some reason (probably age) you have a hard time understanding the meaning of the posts that I make when disagreeing with you on something you have said. Take for example the substrate issue you brought up. Do you really think I had a problem with birdseed as a substrate when I have continually recommended it to others and used it myself for over 3 years without problem? No rcb, my problem was you telling someone new that their substrate SHOULD BE birdseed. I think the substrate issue should be up to them and you can certainly share your opinion that it makes for a good substrate but telling someone new that this is what their substrate ‘should be’ is wrong.

As I have said before, do not type about things you know little or nothing about, state opinions as opinions and back up your facts. You keep ignoring this advice and it has festered to the point of aggravation. In your post you indicated that this forum is ALL opinions and not facts. You are once again wrong. There are facts given here all of the time including resources and sites. The nice thing is – most people will differentiate between fact and opinion so others can weigh accordingly. If someone ever has a question on something that I say which I haven’t already explained or given a resource for, I have always encouraged them to ask why if they have a question. Unfortunately with you, you tend to state your opinions as facts and most of the people out here do not realize that you are a 14-year-old kid who purchased his first uromastyx three months ago.

Did you notice that mbioman disagreed with me in this post? I do not have a problem with this as most of the items he/she listed were opinions. I do not agree with all of them and now have the opportunity to turn around and post my opinions on the statements/issues he/she brought up. At the same time, I did not see any misleading or harmful statements nor did I feel that he/she was pulling statements out of thin air just to type. I can respect that type of difference of opinion.

Getting back to the issue at hand Uros v. BD.. both require mature supervision at the very least. Previous experience ie tree frogs, geckos, etc are a major plus and will help in the safety of your Uro or BD. And like anything in life knowing the options available and having experience (either your own or someone else’s) will help in the care of the animal. Taking care of a uro or BD takes time, patience, proper know-how, discernment, and love!!! Whichever you choose, you are choosing years of commitment and enjoyment.

Uro forum- this post.:
"I have also had a bearded dragon, saltwater land hermit crabs (equadorian hermit crabs), turtles, frogs, toads, etc etc etc."

BD forum, after you were confronted with what was found on the frilled forum:

"if I said I had had a bearded dragon - I misspoke and I apologize."

you also believe that sand is an appropriate substrate for bearded dragons, because you have ’been to australia and seen them in their natural habitat’.

I wasn’t lying about anything, except maybe when I said I didn’t own a bearded dragon. I post as the voice of my bf on the cham forum, he’s the one whose had the 2 carpets/2 panthers/current veiled chameleon. you’ll notice I’ve never listed the chameleon I had, I admit I didn’t know exactly how to take care of it when I got it and we gave it to some herpetologists that my mom knew at the time.

you’ll also notice that the only forums I had been giving out advice on were the chameleon and the hognose forums. on every other forum I have been asking for advice. (except when someone asked a question about ball pythons / boas on the monitor forum, and even then I stated I was using outside resources and not my own experience to answer)

by the way, I have been to Australia, and I have seen them in their natural habitat, and I know its not sand. which doesn’t really matter because after thinking about it for 2 seconds I decided to put him on millet. I was being foolish, and misdirecting anger by arguing about anything I could think of.

I would like to clear a few things up though(not sure if that was the best way to say it but I don’t know how else to put it).

Uro_fan wrote that I said uros come from an envirorment that has no moisture. Uro_fan corrected me on this to which I replied:

"Uro-fan, I did not now that burrows in the sahara desert have humidity. I kinda figured eggs needed humidity. As always your knowledge is appriciated."

Then when the next post came along asking about waterbowls I replied saying this:

"The water bowl in my opinion is asking for trouble. Uromastyx come from very arid climates and adding any humidity to an enclousure like that from a water bowl can cause respitory disease. Now there are some that have in recent years have started putting water bowls in their uro’s cages. Their argument is simple: Uromastyx are burrowing lizards and burrows most likely had moisture in them. In fact the site expert, uro_fan has started putting water and including a moist hide in some of her uro’s cages. To me it is too early to tell if this will in the long term have negative effects. I would ditch the water bowl. Tell your mom that uro’s get all their water from eating their food much like they do in the wild, not much water in the sahara desert. "

So I did change what I was saying once I knew it was wrong. About me not stating things as my opinion I apolagize. As much as I try I sometimes forget.

Frocto made a comment saying I do not recamend people to check out doug dix’s website as much. While this is true I still do as this next qoute demonstrates:

"You should be feeding a variety of foods. I recamend going to www.deerfern farms.com and reading the care sheet".

Also I realize I have not had my uro very long (I’ve had him for 5 months now and started reserching them 7 months ago,one month before I found this forum) and this is why I do not answer questions on health issues other than saying that feeding crickets and having a water bowl in the long run will have negative effects. I now know that water bowls are fine thanks to uro_fan.

Ornate Friend, I am sorry my post led you to believe that your uro may have a respitory disease. When I posted that I accidently left out two very important factors. The first, it was my opinion and the second, it would take a long time to develope.

Now for the age thing. If a 14 year old kid and a 36 year old person buy a uro at the same time what makes the 36 year old more knowlegeable? I think it comes down to who does the most reserch. A 14 year old is responiable enough to take care of a pet. So I don’t think responeability is an issue. I think its just a 36 year old has more credibility in what he says because of his age. That is my opinion.

I would also like to apolagize to anyone who thought I am older than I really am. Writing is something I’ve always been good at so I can see how anyone could make the mistake (hope that didn’t sound like bragging).

Uro_fan made the statement that I said this whole forum is opinion. This is not true. I said this thread (uro vs. BD) is opinion. I gues thats what upset me. I interpeted uro_fans statement as meaning only her opinion is right. It was stupid of me And I sincerly apolagize.