Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone had a different species of lizard that lives in the same enclosure with thier chucks?

Thanks,

Casey

Over the years I have kept other lizards such as Orcutti Swifts that are common to Chuckwalla ranges in the desert, usually smaller lizards and no more than two, what really is most important is how big is the cage? If you have a large spacious cage, then it is probably o.k. As a general rule I don't mix lizards but chucks are herbivirous and very forgiving, I have never seen a chuck make an agry display at a cage mate unless it's another male chuck. They will profile each other but you should be o.k. The cage size is most important though. One chuck say in a 40 gallon Aquarium with a hide and a rock or two is goping to be cramped in my opinion with anything else included........I usually use 2 x 2 x 4ft cage as a minimum for two chucks. Hope this helps!
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Phrynosoma.com

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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

Hi,

I have a really large enclosure with a lot of places to hide. I know that the chucks have the same food and heating requirements as the Egyptian Uro, but because they come from different regions would this cause a problem?

Thanks.

When people here are talking about housing some lizards with their chucks they are specifically talking about other smaller desert species.

Here is the answer I gave on the uro forum
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Hi, you actually should have stayed on the chuck forum Casey, WE all would have told ya no way!

I don't know where you saw that info that these 2 different lizards have the same heating requirements, but it is not right.

Chucks need to be about 90 -100 degrees uromastyx can go as high as 120 some use more heat.

That is a BIG heating difference. Chucks come from US deserts and Uromastyx from Africa/ Middle East.

Also Eygptians, grow very, very large and can be very friendly with another uro for periods of time, and just out of no where can get extremely aggressive, and violent towards a cage mate, I wittnessed this with my female.

I watched her take her male smaller companion, and pick him up like a paper doll in her mouth and toss him from side to side through the air. The whole time keeping a good biting grip on him.

So don't even think about it. Can end SAD !

Everyone on the Chuck forum is very knowledgable on many types of lizards, and we would not steer ya wrong, believe me.

Just keep chucks with chucks, especially your new baby!
I think your Joy of having this cute little one has made you want MORE, it happens to us all. But be very careful as it can all turn very bad from mixing!

Take Care Casey, see ya on the chuck forum!
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PHEve/ Eve

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In terms of temps, I've seen 120 up to 130 recommended for chucks, I've got my the surface temps at my hot basking site at 120 and my chucks use it regularly. My wc Gracie is up there "cooking" first thing every morning.

I, however, totally agree about not mixing chucks and uros. Not only could you possibly encounter behavior problems, but both species have a lot of intestinal flora and fauna. Because they come from such different places, you could be setting yourself up for health problems. I've read about lots of cases where baby uros and chucks will eat the feces of older individuals to acquire their intestinal flora and fauna. A uro might not be able to handle chuck "cooties" and vice versa.

For cagemates, you'd be safer trying to mix species that share the same range as chucks (desert iguanas, some of the large Sceloporus sp. collards etc). I read on another forum about someone that had a chuck that liked to eat green anoles (not sure how good this was for the chuck), so I'd be careful here too. I agree with size recommendation for multiple species enclosures. I've got my two chucks in a 100 gallon with 60" by 18" of floor space. My chucks aren't even close to grown up yet, and the tank seems full enough that I wouldn't consider adding anyone else, unless I moved them to a bigger enclosure.

-Alice

It's usually recommended about 90 - 100 and 80's on the cool side.

I have never seen it in care sheets at 120 - 130 degrees, for chucks. I was given a care sheet by Tom Greb a long while ago and never saw HIGH temps like that.

Other than in late after noon I'm sure on a hot day you may get a temp of 120 degrees somewhere.

I keep mine about 95 - 100
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PHEve/ Eve

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No question Tom is an athority on chucks but 120°-130° does sound right. I've been chuck hunting in the middle of the day when my infra red temp gun pegged 126°. That day there were chucks everywhere! We caught 3 in an hour(kept 1) because that's all the sun WE could take. They were very easy to spot, too, standing tippy-toed on the tops of rock piles. I always read about chucks hiding in the heat of the day but that hasn't been my experience.

We kept the chuck at Cal Poly at 95 - 100 too, so I think that they can do fine at these lower temperatures. The breeder who produced Rigel had told the wholesaler he sold the clutch to, to have a high of 130. I wasn't comfortable going that high and I forget where I'd read 120 but that's the temp I went with (I know it must have been from a reputable source because I spent quite a bit of time playing with distances to get it right). Rigel doesn't use the hottest spot much, but Gracie uses it all the time, but usually only for short stretches. I think the temp increase played a role in stimulating her appetite too.

Out in the desert, where I've found chucks it gets really hot so the high temperature didn't strike me as being out of line. During the hottest part of the day, I think that the ground temperatures are way above 130, but the chucks are usually in hiding by then. I may be re-visiting the Mojave next weekend, if I do, I'll bring my temp gun and report back .

-Alice

A rock temp in the desert at 130 is not going to have an air surface above it hotter than that. In a terrarium, if a lizard is sitting on 130, you better believe his back is going to sitting at 150 plus with a concentrated area of heat intensity. alway check the spot light temps a couple inches above your lizard too.

John E.

That's the primary reason, I didn't feel comfortable with a 130 surface temp. I also went with the flood rather than the spot type light.

-Alice

Eve-ddin't know what specie he was talking about, thats why I tried to be specific, your right. Uro's are unpredictable. Small lizards like swifts one or two in a large cage I have done with no problems, but this is exactly correct.....Thanks!!
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Phrynosoma.com

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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

I have a yarrow spiny lizard, and I also keep Collareds. Keep in mind, I only do this in my outdoor 9X9' pen. They all interact very well..the collareds will back on the chucks backs and the chucks will try to get on the collareds from time to time, but the collareds decide to move on when that happens...too heavy Inside, I keep them separate. I just don't like trying to feed them all in one tank like that. The chuck droppings are large enough, that I don't need to add the collaerds in there too. See the collared lizard forum for a few pics. Or go to the photo gallery and look up photos for username johne.

Have a good day!

JE