Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, I have a problem. I have two young chucks that are fighting viciously (they were supposed to be 1.1). Open mouthed biting (no blood), chasing, harrasing, then lying together sunning.

I talked to Eve yesterday via email and she asked for pics of undersides to see if anyone could tell (Hi Eve!). I took only one "bottom" pic - it's of the aggressor in question - my other chuck is just plain male - easy to tell now. In the pic it's almost impossible to see but there are pores there -they're tiny, but they're there. Do females have these pores at all?

I had to seperate them this afternoon. They were being housed in an Oceanic Lizard Lounge (if any of you remember these)plenty large enough for both while they're little. However!, I had to bust out the 55gallon this a.m. and load it all up and move the aggresor out. Now he/she has it's own territory albeit a larger one (not fair, I know).

I want them back together but I'm betting I have two males!

Thanks everyone for the help - great forum - Stephanie

hello there!

from the pic you provided, either your animal is to young to tell, or is a female. I just can't see evidence of pronounced femoral pores. I have heard in Marine iguanas, females can be very vicious sometimes killing other iguanas that make the nasty mistake of coming near their nest site, and since Chucks are also iguanids, perhaps your "aggressor" could just be a mean female. Definately keep them away from each other until you can be sure they won't harm each other any more. As others are learning, stress is a very prominent problem with Chucks. Of course, I hope the others will add their input here, I may be totally off-base. Hope I helped in some way. =)

regards,
-Phil

Thanks Phil - I tend to be totally agreeable with your thinking. You're right, the photo just doesn't show enough. The little one has about another 1/4"'s growth to catch up with the bigger one - at which time I'm probably going to be able to tell whether I have a mean female or two males. Probably the later. The smaller one is in shed as well and could be a little more grumpy than normal but they're still staying apart no matter.

I forgot to mention all the head bobbing and pushups they're both doing before the "fight" ensues!

Thanks again, Stephanie

From the behavior it sounds like boys. Some boys can be later bloomers than others. From the magnification on your pore pic, I can't really tell how developed they are. I've attached a picture I took of my male's pores as they were developing. From the input I received here, even in the first picture they were more developed than those normally seen on females. My female's are so undeveloped that I had a hard time even finding them. Once they develope the little wax plug looking thing in the center, that you can see in the lower pic, you know you have a male.

-Alice

Well, seems everyone thinks like I said, probably will have to seperate if this behavior keeps up. I'll say one thing they sure are cute, great pic, shame they can't be nice to each other

Anyway I personally can not tell yet what sex they are, I thought maybe tgreb may be able to, but he has been hiding lately,

If I see him I will ask him to check your pic out see what he thinks.

Ya have 2 real nice chuckies there Stephanie!
-----
PHEve/ Eve

Contact PHEve

Well, hi there Eve! Glad you recognized me - this sign-in name thing-hard to come with with something - I do have "close to" 100 snakes-so it stuck. I love all my herps but my lizards take my heart, as do my torts.

I thought I'd post a few of my other animals so I'll be considered a "real herper". Been keeping herps all my life and I'm 40 this year (I have until August still!)

I'll not post anymore pics of "non-chucks" here again, like everyone else, I want to see chuck pics on the chuck forum! Just letting everyone know me a little better. And yes, after the threat display, there was a bite to my hand just to zing the point home.

Enjoy, Stephanie

p.s. thanks everyone for the posts - I felt the warm welcome!

1.1 Malis; Rocko and Rosie
1.0.1 Chucks
0.0.0 Redfoots Ruby and Red
1.0 Ornate uro (beautiful juvie just coming into his colors)
0.0.1. baby Egyptian uro (from Lindsay Pike)
0.1 Nigerian uro (red)
1.0 Bearded dragon; Stumpy (had his tail snipped in half during childhood I hear)
1.0.1 3-toed box turtles
2.1 Black Milks
1.1 Blue Beauties
all kinds of corn morphs; pink/green snows, anery, amels, creamcycle, tiger Okeetee morph, hets of all these, Kathy Love blizzards, etc., etc. - favorites are the Okeetees of course
1.2 Rubber boas
1.1 Balls
0.0.2 Rosies
3.0, was sold to me as 1.2 tangerine hondurans (absolutely georgeous)
1.1 Children's pythons
0.1 desert banded Cali king (Renegade Reptiles)
1.0 desert spotted Cali king (Renegade Reptiles)
1.1 Grey banded kings (alterna)
1.0.1 White's tree frogs

there's more but I gotta get ready for work!

Thanks again!