Hello.. I've had a long interest in the Chuckwallas.. starting so many years ago that I don't want to say!
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I've kept chucks for many years and bred Sonora, Mojave and mainland Mexico locales to the third generation. These are fascinating and relatively long-lived reptiles deserving of more study and appreciation.. IMO. Three years ago I took the opportunity to acquire an un-sexed group of neonate Sauromalus hispidus the form of chucks from the island in the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. What great critters!
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Here's a pic of some of that group while first settling in here:
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FYI: it's the first winter here in the northern hemisphere that will test your resolve and ability with captive Chuckwallas! .. these kids did very well with 60 foot-candles or more of ambient light for 11 hours, a 110D (F) basking area and daily feedings of fresh greens..
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Here they are during the next years in their outdoor (not winter) digs..
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More.. that partial-shed, 'dinosaur' look is a trademark of the spiny chucks!
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Now, these next photos from today are of two females obviously in pre-ovulation..
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I'm pumped over this for sure! .. I'm told by my Mexico buddies that these Chucks are naturally tame in nature.. I can only say that they are very calm-natured here and regularly take food from my fingers.. Neat critters!
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I've got my fingers crossed for hatchlings this season!
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Thanks!
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Gus
A. Rentfro
RioBravoReptiles.com
www.riobravoreptiles.com
"Perfectly healthy animals are a minimum requirement.. everything else is just salesmanship" gus
