Posted by:
negatronix
at Mon Dec 3 19:58:46 2007 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by negatronix ]
Welcome!
A few things that I would like to point out...
First, the mainland chucks, S. Ater(Obesus) actually come from a much drier climate than that of their larger island dwelling cousins! You will be fine with any of the chucks!
If you find that any moisture builds up in the cage, you can easily set up a small fan to circulate the air. Wild chucks probably encounter quite a bit of humidity in their burrows, however the surface air is extremely dry. The most important thing to avoid is moist stagnant air. I use a small fan which seems to really stimulate feeding with my duo!
I stongly suggest using 1 UVA 5.0 & 1 UVB 10.0 flourescent light bulb for your new "puffy" friend! I would also stay far away from the screw in type UV lightbulbs. I did a couple of tests and found that the screw in type of UV lightbulbs will quickly cause damage and pain if used at all.
Be wary of wild caught adult chucks S. Ater(Obesus), they can be incredibly hard to establish in captivity. Always try to aquire a captive born specimen, and I would even say go with a yearling, before a baby. Don't be hasty, aquire one from someone here if possible, or a breeder that specializes in them. Chucks have been on the Earth longer than humans! They will be here tomorrow, and the perfect chuck will show up no matter when you are looking for one. Knowledge of their natural habit, and history will make the rewards of owning one as a pet that much better.
I have two chucks S. Ater(Obesus) that are doing well at the moment. One is about 8 inches long tip to tip, and the other is about 17 inches long. The adult male is still quite wary of me. He will eat from my hand, but is not tolerant of me. The younger male had a stubborn eating streak for the first week or so, but now behaves like a store bought green iguana. He will eat anything I hold in front of his face! The adult will only eat weeds, hibiscus, and occasionally will nibble at endive. This is
a pain in the butt!
Whatever type you choose, you'll get any help and support you could possibly need from the great bunch of people here on this forum. I found these "chuckers"  LOL back in April or May after getting back into reptiles after taking about 5 years off from the hobby. I've learned a ton here!
Of course, take all of this with a grain of salt if you like, it's just a few pointers that have seemed to work out well for me.
-Kory
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RE: thanks for the rapid reply! - negatronix, Mon Dec 3 19:58:46 2007
