Rainbow Uromastyx (U. benti (pseudophilbyi) )
Rainbow benti are one of our favorite Uromastyx species. They originate from the higher elevations of Yemen, and thus sometimes go by the alternative common name of Mountain Benti. Benti are listed as being only species, the nominate one, U. benti. However those of us working with them clearly discern two distinct subspecies. The nominate form is commonly known as the Orange Benti or Bents' Uromastyx and is found at lower elevations in Yemen. This was the originally imported benti type. Please see our information on Orange Benti for a species description. The mountain race showed up in later importations and was erroneously offered to the public as U. philbyi as even the importers realized it was a distinctly different Uromastyx. Those of us intimately familiar with Uromastyx quickly discovered the error (philbyi has femoral pores, benti don't) but we needed some means of distinguishing between the two when offering them for sale. Common names are too ephemeral, changing between different importers, different countries, etc., so only a Latin name is really useful for conveying a reliable written identification. We thus added the unofficial (as indicated by the extra brackets) subspecies designation pseudophilbyi (meaning "false philbyi") to clearly designate the mountain form of benti. It's our hope we can eventually get the subspecies status officially recognized, but that's another project!
Rainbow Uromastyx are a rarely imported and even more rarely captively produced species. A few small groups were imported into North America in the late 1980's of which almost none made it into breeding programs. One clutch of hatchlings was produced by Randal Gray in the late 1980's but the availability of additional specimens dried up until the mid 90's. At that time, several large importations made it into North America. They initially commanded a price of several hundred dollars each, but as the market was quickly flooded by repeatedly large importations, the price quickly dropped to an average of $65 during the short period in which they were heavily imported. Only one exporter was set up to send U. benti to the U.S. and by the summer of 2001, he decided to stop exportations of any of the benti to the U.S. until prices improved. Several breeders have attempted to breed Rainbows, with several of us having modest success. However as this is one of the more difficult species to work with, more and more breeders have given up on them, leaving extremely few Rainbows in breeding programs. To my knowledge, only Lindsay Pike of Urotopia, we at Deer Fern Farms, and one or two Uromastyx listserv members have multiple breeding pairs of Rainbow Uromastyx set up for breeding as of 2002. So far the price hasn't reflected their rarity and though seldom offered for sale, the asking price seems to have hovered between $125 and $250.
Rainbows are a medium sized Uromastyx, most averaging 12", and 200+ grams, with males and females being very similar in size. The colors are reminiscent of their common name. The ground color of mature males is silvery to medium gray on the upper half of the body blending into medium to bright orange on the lower half of the body, extending all the way down the tail. The back of the head and neck are usually a rich shade of orange overlaid with black to bluish black reticulations. The upper sides, and sometimes extending onto the shoulders are various shades of blue to almost violet to occasionally blue green. The back is spotted with sizable white, round to oblong spots, generally lying scattered over the back. Individuals with brighter spots often have them at least partially outlined in black. The females' pigmentation is a greatly reduced, more pastel version of the males and generally lack any trace of blue. In lighter colored individuals, the orange pigments often take on a distinct pinkish hue. In darker individuals, the orange can be reduced to only being noticeable in the hips and tails.
Both sexes have personalities reminiscent of "semi-tame" State Park chipmunks. They
are irrepressibly curious, readily running up to you to see what you've
brought them to eat. However they'll quickly dash away if reach in to pick
them up. They are probably the most active, antsy Uromastyx species,
tending to be somewhat high strung. They are one of the least aggressive Uro's
to people - essentially never offering to bite or even tail-slap.
While friendly and inquisitive, they generally do not like to be picked up and
may hide from you for several days after you've "captured" them for handling.
Many do become quite trusting and readily jump into your hand when the cage door
is first opened. The key to earning this trust is to let them come to you!
While reasonable hardy as captive breds or
acclimated wild-collected, they are not a good beginner species. Both benti species are notoriously difficult to
acclimate as freshly imported adults. It is therefore very important that
you purchase acclimated specimens. Unless purchased by someone experienced in acclimating fresh
wild-collecteds, the potential for disaster with thsse specimens is
relatively high. True acclimating entails more than just passing a
set amount of "time in captivity". It's adjusting the
specimens to accept a diet readily available to the average hobbyist.
For both benti species as well as Sudanese Uromastyx, this MUST includes
peas. Until they readily eat peas, these species can be problematic
pets. As captive born or acclimated WC, they
still can be problematic after shipping or even when moved to a new cage.
Once you get them settled in and happy, try not to move them around to different
cages or rooms. They are very territorial and easily get depressed
if the territory is lost. They are more "sensitive" than other
Uromastyx species but well
worth the effort. A tame Rainbow is an exceptional companion animal.
Unless specifically stated otherwise, all
our specimens are fully acclimated to standard housing, bedding, typical
hide boxes, and a readily reproducible diet which includes peas. We
track data on each specimens' weight (grams) over time as well as length, both SVL (= snout to vent length), and STL (=
snout to tail tip length). Our "Premium" and "Normal"
specimens offered for sale are only those we observe readily eating peas
and steadily gaining weight. Our prices may be more than some of the
on-line dealers, but most our benti offered for sale have been in our care for
months, not days, so we can be sure they have the best chance to do well for you. We’ve posted photos of a few individuals we’ve recently sold so you can
get an idea of what’s generally available. Please also view our
Photo Gallery of Deer Fern Farms In-House Breeders
page to see the parents of our In-house captive produced
hatchlings. Our availability is sporadic, so please e-mail or call us if you're
looking for Moroccans. We keep a "Wanted" list and fill it as specimens become
available. Please see "Deer Fern Farms
Ordering / Policies" for ordering information.
Lavender Phase Adult Male
High Orange Adolescent Male
High Contrast
Adult Female
Male-Mimic Adult Female
Hatchling Ornate, Rainbow, and Sudanese (Lt. to Rt.)
Dark, Medium and Light Phase Adult Rainbow Males
We ship based on the prevailing weather patterns between us and
you. Usually we can ship most weeks, but when large storms/severe heat/cold are forecasted, we prefer to hold off. Please see
"Deer Fern Farms
Ordering / Policies" for ordering information.
Email:
douglasdix@deerfernfarms.com
Copyright © 1992-2005 by Douglas Dix. All rights reserved for all photos and text
