Uromastyx.org

Hi guys,

As promised here are photos of my new chuckwalla. Unfortunately the shots are not great as i didn’t want to handle her for long. She is now in her quarantine vivarium where she will live for the next six month, that is....if she is indeed a she!
Then she would go into her long term home, a 5ft x 2.5ft x 3ft with one of my males.

I have only ever seen hatchlings and adults so to own a yearling let alone see one is a whole new experience to me.
She is around 11 months old. Her parents are wild caught and she was incubated and hatched by Monkfield Nutrition.

If you guys can confirm that she is female then i will keep her and have a full faecal screen done in a couple of weeks’ time when she’s more settled in.
She has not been handled much previously which is typical of the farm she comes from so little to no handling will be happening for a good while yet.
I will gradually be spending more time beside her vivarium and eventually laying my hand in the viv to get her well accustomed to interaction, obviously this won’t happen until she is well settled.

I'm so eager to find out what it is. I've put a bowl of food out with plenty of nasturtium and squash in to aid the immune system while she's going through the stress of being moved but she only seems to have picked at it.

The head is narrower and comes to much more of a point. The pores are clearly there but they are small. I would imagine a male of that size to have much more prominent and protruding femoral pores.

Its quite a large chuck too. I obviously havnt had a chance to weigh or measure though. She's not got much weight on her so I will definitely be attempting to fatten her up and have been told by the store that she's eaten a lot since she arrived from the supplier last week.

She seems very active, climbing all over the viv but I think this is stress related. She only really stops to bask. Her nails are very long so I'm hoping the sandy rock I have in there and slate will help file them down.

She is very skittish but I'm confident I can gain her trust in time.

I just really hope she's female. The pattern on this chuck is really nice. She doesn't look anything like the parents of my hatchlings.

How long would it take for 5 month old hatchlings to catch up with this one in size? If it is female. I've been informed males grow quicker?

Congrats,

I would say female indeed.

gr. Kamiel

Really? I'm finding it baffling! Hatchlings seem easier to sex because I can either see a line or I can't lol.

Does she look like a common nevada chuck? She just seems to have so many off white specks all over her and such a contrasting black and white marble like tummy.

sounds like she's found somewhere to settle for the night now. I can see the interaction having to go at a snails pace. She has to learn that seeing my hand doesn't mean I'm going to pick her up lol.

Well definately a female and I would bet a dollar to dime she is wild caught. How well do you know the place you are getting these chucks. She is very thin for a cb chuck. She does have nice markings but color is pretty normal. Let us know how she fairs for you.

Tom

why do you think she would be wild caught?

i remember you saying that if a chuck is a wild caught then it would be much smaller? due to having hibernated but she seems pretty large to me, especially in comparison to the other chucks on sale.
that is of course if she is really the age they say she is. i only know it to be well established in the herp world. the store that it was bought by in order for me to buy it express they do not buy wild caughts but if the supplier is fibbing, i dont know. i spoke to the guy and he seemed genuine.
she does seem on the thin side.
i suppose i will never really know

in regards to my other chucks they are def captive bred as it was a private seller that had two wild caughts and managed to incubate a clutch successfully for the first time after having the wild caughts for four years.
i expect they will have more success from now on.

Yep - She is a she and definitely WC. She is a bit more slender than my female and very similar in coloring. I don't own a CB lizard, but from everything I have read - they are much more friendly towards their keepers. You describe her as being "skiddish"... Bottom line - you've got a good looking chuck and a great support mechanism in this forum. Have fun, learn and watch your chucks prosper. They are great animals. I have to go slow and be patient with mine too.

but my baby hatchlings can be skittish too. if i stand close to the viv shes fine but just like my boys if i move suddenly or slam the door or something they will dash into hiding.

are you saying shes WC because of her weight? i dont mind if she is because i will get her in condition but i obviously would much prefer a captive hatched or bred.