Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been researching chucks for awhile now. I had eliminated SE chucks as potential pets since purchasing one of these is more complicated, expensive, etc. than buying one of the mainland varieties (or an AI.) Then, this weekend I literally begged a showing with the SE chuck who lives at the Houston Zoo. Now, I'm just smitten. I love their colors (of course) but most importantly, this particular chuck is so docile and trusting. He is an '87 vintage and interacts with children/other visitors on a regular basis so I know his age and socialization are factors. I know he was CB and this is also a factor. Would most types of CB chucks have the potential to become as tame as this SE? What are your recommendations if temperment is the most important criteria for selection? Thanks so much for all the help.

Yes all cb have that potential, but...... And if that is an important factor go with an Angel Island chuck. I think there are some in the classifieds.

Tom

I would agree with Tom based on what I have heard in general. However, I have two wild caught chucks... an adult male, and a fairly young male that were both very anxoius to bite, but have settled down quite a bit. The adult is still a bit wary, but he will eat from my hand, and does not just hide when I am around.

The young one...Giggles, is very easy going, he has not opened his mouth to bite for a few months now. He looks forward to his hand feedings, and will sleep on my arm, chest, shoulder while I watch tv for hours.

The adult will tolerate being handled after a bit, but will try to bite if I move fast, or approach him at certain angles. This probably sounds worse than it really is.

This might get me into trouble here... sorry guys... but why not look at some of the hybrids! The claims I have heard are that the crosses look like S.Varius the older they get, and have the disposition of S. Hispidus. The cool thing about this to me is that you would not need a permit to have one, and you potentially could have a very close match to what you are looking for.

Personally I would try to catch a young S.Ater/Obesus, and raise one before spending too much money on the larger species. This will give you some good experience with Chucks, and their habits, and you may find this to be much more rewarding than buying one!

Last... Be careful if you live in California if you plan to buy a S.Ater. It is illegal. They are native, and California state laws prohibit buying,selling or trading native chucks. I think that they can be "gifted", but both parties must have a valid permit.

Hope this helps,
-Kory

Hehe, I didn't mention the SE/AI hybrids b/c this is actually a controversy in the blue tongue skink world as well. With blueys, however, nothing can be gained (from a legal perspective) and they may be misidentified and used as breeders down the line. So, I don't know about this yet. I do know that I want a captive bred b/c I want one that will acclimate well. I may just wait and look for a well socialized re-home. Age, colors, etc. are not issues and I'm not in a big hurry. Do any breeders re-home their older animals when they become less productive? Several of my current animals are retired breeders or animals that people got bored with. Thoughts? Thanks again.