Lighting
From UroWiki
When considering how to light your enclosure, there are two main aspects to consider: sources of UVB, and how to heat your basking spot. There is no real standard for lighting a Uromastyx enclosure, as every particular enclosure will have different lighting needs to achieve proper basking and ambient temperatures. Depending on the overall room temperature of the room the enclosure is kept in, the temperature of the climate you live in, the size of the enclosure and the substrate of the enclosure will all affect your lighting setup. You may buy a few bulbs, set it up and realize your wattage is too high as temps go beyond what you need, you may also see you may need additional bulbs if temps are too low. The best thing to do, is buy all your lighting supplies prior to getting your Uromastyx and setup the enclosure. This will give you some time to monitor temperatures and ensure everything is working properly. It also gives you some time to decide how many and what kind of bulbs you actually need.
However, when setting up your enclosure you must take into account that you MUST have a UVB bulb, as well as other bulbs to produce heat or visible light. Make sure any type of UVB source you choose, to replace it at a regular interval to ensure your Uromastyx is getting enough UVB, especially during the summer months.
Sources of UVB
There are many discussions about sources of UVB; you can either use a standard fluorescent UVB light (although this must still be a special light desinged for lizards, as the UV lighting sold in DIY stores filters out most of the beneficial UV rays), or a special MVB such as the Mega Ray. When using a MVB bulb make sure to follow the manufacturer specifications for mounting and distance to the basking spot.
Heating the basking spot
It is extremely important that the basking spot recieve both the right amount of heat, as well as the right levels of lighting, for the psychological benefit of your uromastyx. Please refer to the basking spot article for more details.
Natural lighting
Natural light from the sun will provide Uromastyx with a full light spectrum, which we try to reproduce in captivity. Although it may not be possible to provide natural sunlight on a regular basis to our Uromastyx, if space is available, and an outdoor terraria is setup properly (such as those used by the late Bert Langerwerf of Agama International) you can give your Uromastyx the natural sunlight experience it would be getting in the wild. BE AWARE: If you attempt to take your Uromastyx outside without having it in a proper outdoor enclosure, it will attempt to flee. DO NOT under any circumstance put your Uromastyx on a leash or collar or any other contraption that could cause harm to your Uromastyx.
