She was bred in this country but her parents were wild caught uros. Her species lives only in one small area of the Sahara where southern Algeria, Mali and Niger come together.
She’s a happy girl, as best we can know that our captive reptiles are happy. A huge FB group devoted to uros has experts who have studied all aspects of uro life and they share their info so we can all learn. She lives in a big enclosure with things to do and places to go, so she doesn’t get bored. Sometimes some dead trees in the oasis in the cool end of her little desert get moved around, so she has something new to check out. She has the right heat, and light, and UV rays, and she likes her food. I grow some foods for her, we get some things from the store, and in the summer, there are flowers, oh yea, dandelions and blue chicory flowers.
She was so tiny when she came here. She was packed well for travel from Colorado, arrived in 24 hours, and was hungry.
She settled in very quickly and was curious and healthy and tame from the start.
Such a gentle little soul she is. It’s a pleasure to be able to provide her with her best life. Happy Hatch Day to Geyri on June 28.
Sarasin's thoughts....... 
I’m curious. Have you ever grown dandelions indoors in a pot for a wintertime treat for your fourleg kids?
No, they won’t grow in a pot or inside. There’s a big taproot to a healthy dandelion plant, and they also require full sun. We lizard keepers wish we could!
I’m sorry. Its just that I’ve read so many gardening websites telling how to grow them indoors that I believed it was true. Especially this website.
https://www.seedneeds.com/blogs/herbs/everything-you-need-to-know-about-growing-dandelions
Hmmm, that’s interesting. So many lizard keepers say we shouldn’t waste our time trying. 🤔
I also forgot to mention that I believe all the construction going on around here has scared off the ground hogs and the blue tail lizard living under my house.
Oh you liked that little lizard. ☹️
HAPPY HATCH DAY GEYRI! (a week early and from a VERY long distance away!)
Aww, that’s nice; thank you. It’s not really so far………….
It is far enough. Did I already ask if I should send some prickly pear pads? I doubt that they are the sort that would survive winter there.
Aww, bless your heart. We did talk about it. They probably aren’t the kind that would survive outside, and if they have spines, that’s a big problem. But I grow what’s called spineless ones in my kitchen. With a little sun and a plant light, they do great! There are still a few tiny spines, but I rub over each piece with leather gloves to make sure none get in their little mouths. So thank you, that’s so nice!
Mine is a spineless cultivar as well, but if such a cultivar is already growing in your kitchen, no more is necessary. It is interesting that someone who ate Tokyo is discriminating about prickly pear though.
Ha, no you still have her mixed up with some other lizard. Spines, well the removal of them, is critical. If a small lizard gets one spine stuck in their throat, they can choke to death trying to get it out.
OH! I did not need to read that. I would just peel off the outside of the pads, leaving only the soft interior. But at least we know how to protect Tokyo, by merely planting an impenetrable hedge of prickly pear around it.
That sounds like a hard thing to do. We have to be sure to get every little spine.
Those who cook with it regularly know how to do it. It looks like a bit of work, but is probably not much more work than peeling fruit with a knife. It is flimsier than fruit I suppose.
Yea, and the spines are biting you while you peel a difficult thing. I’m glad to have the “spineless” ones and a nice pair of leather gloves.
Congrats for the Happy Hatch Day to Geyri on June 28! Thanks for this heartwarming post filled with joy and happiness… and a beautiful little lizard friend!
Thanks! Chuckie is 4 years old around this same time too but, since he was a rescue, I don’t have history on him like I do with her. But it makes it easy to remember his age too. I hope you’re happy and healthy and enjoying your garden with Jimi. Happy Weekend!
Thank you so much! Wishing you a wonderful weekend too, my dear friend!
Happy belated hatch day Geyri, you beautiful angel. I’m sorry your parents were trapped and stolen and that you had a rough start being alone and mailed. But, you have a wonderful human mommy now. Hugs to you both
You know, the wild caught/transportation trade is a soap box I can stay on alllll day. There will never be any solution as long as there are uros left in the wild and men with greed. She actually had a good start, in the hands of a great breeder who cares about every animal. The mailing was only 24 hours, at a good temperature, and they just go to sleep. Then she came out of the bag in the box and found some foods she likes and some new stuff she likes too.
I know it! Our soap boxes look quite similar. I’m assuming the bag had air holes? I know nothing about mailing animals and am not a fan of it, but if angels like Geyri survive a mailing from someone who cares to someone who’ll give her a wonderful life, I’ll make an exception to be okay with it. 🙂
Oh yes the shipping bag is soft cotton. Inside a box inside another box, both sturdy and with air holes. Since uro breeders are few and far between, they have made a science of how to ship safely or nobody would be getting any. They also don’t ship during winter, and it’s convenient that babies are normally born in the spring and are ready to go to new homes mid summer or early fall. They mostly use a delivery system who used to guarantee 24 hours, but that changed a little during Covid. Now some people have the uro shipped to a hub and pick it up, rather than having it out there in a truck……somewhere. Breeders often assist with the directions about all that. Breeders do care after the sale. Their reputation rides on healthy animals delivered healthy, and that has gotten harder to do post-Covid, but dedicated breeders do everything they can. So, it would be ideal if no uro ever needed to go in a bag in a box, but if done correctly, it’s all ok.
I got her out, this teeny little critter, and held her in my hand for a few minutes and then sat her down in her food dish. And she said, ohhh, good food and some of it is purple! What manner of wonderfulness is this? 😊
Of Sarasin, thank you. I’ve received a great education. I had no idea.
Across the country, many breeders ship a lot every summer. They normally keep them a couple months after they hatch to be sure everything’s just right with them, then off they go. This is routine. You’re welcome!