One lizard I’ve always been fascinated with is a chuckwalla. My uncle was a life science teacher and he used to tell me that chuckwalla’s make great pet lizards. I’ve always had an interest in them but have never owned one. He is no longer around to talk to about this so I did some research.
So, do chuckwallas make good pets? Here’s what I found.
Chuckwallas make very good pets. They are a medium-sized lizard that is easy to care for, very hardy, and will seldom if ever try to bite. Their docile, friendly temperament makes them a pleasant reptile that is a joy to handle.
Interesting Facts About Chuckwallas
- How did they get their name? – When I first heard the name “chuckwalla” I thought it was some kind of rodent. The name is actually derived from two Native American words. The Shoshoni word tcaxxwal and the Cahuilla word caxwal which was transcribed by Spaniards to chacahuala or chuckwalla.
- Where do they come from? – CommonChuckwallas are found in rocky arid regions of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. There are five other species that are found in Baja California, and the small Islands in the Gulf of California. One of the most popular of these species is the San Esteban Island Chuckwalla (piebald chuckwalla) which has patches of color all over its body.
- How big do they get? – Chuckwallas are long flat, stocky, wide-bodied lizards that get up to about 15 inches long. The San Esteban Island Chuckwalla is the largest species and can reach 30 inches in length.
- What do they eat? – Chuckwallas are primarily herbivores. In the wild they eat various buds, leaves, fruits and flowers. They especially enjoy yellow flowers. Chuckwallas will also occasionally eat various bugs and insects.
- How long to do they live? – Chuckwallas can live more than 20 years.
- Are they Dangerous? – Chuckwallas are nonvenomous lizards that are not dangerous to humans. They are peaceful, docile creatures that scurry away into a rock crevice when feeling threatened.
More About Desert Chuckwallas
So, why do chuckwallas make good pets? I will list many of these reasons below. I will also list some considerations to keep in mind when thinking about adding one to your family.
Chuckwallas
- Are very hardy
- Are easy to take care of
- Are a very manageable size
- Are docile and easy to handle
- Can be housed together
- Can be housed with other lizards
Considerations
- Can be difficult to find
- Can be expensive
- Require special lighting
- Require a medium to large enclosure
Why Chuckwallas Make Great Pets
Are Very Hardy
Chuckwallas live in very arid desert climates and can tolerate extreme conditions. The are hardy robust lizards and can also tolerate owners’ mistakes. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do all you can to research and provide proper care for them. It does mean you don’t have to worry about your pet lizard suddenly dying on you if you don’t get thigs perfect.
Are Easy to Take Care of
Because chuckwallas are so hardy, they are also easy to take care of. Easy of care is always important to keep in mind when consideration a new pet.
You will need:
- An Enclosure
- Heat and Full Spectrum UVB lighting
- A good substrate
- Access to greens, veggies and fruits.
Enclosure
You can start hatchlings out in a 10-gallon sized terrarium and adults need about a 3-foot by 2-foot encloser. Bigger is even better.
Heat and Lighting
Probably the most challenging thing about caring for a chuckwalla is making sure they have a hot enough basking spot, proper full spectrum light and a temperature gradient in their enclosure.
This is not out of the ordinary. These requirements are similar to other lizards such as bearded dragons, desert iguanas and uromastyx. So, the equipment needed is easy to find.
You can achieve the proper temperatures buy using an under the tank heat mat and a heat lamp. It’s important to put your heat lamp and mat on one side of the cage NOT right in the middle. This serves to create a temperature gradient. A hot spot (basking spot) for them to warm up under and a cooler side to move to when desired.
The hot spot should be about 110 degrees and the rest of the cage should be around 80-85 degrees. Having a large cage can help you achieve this gradient.
It’s best to provide full spectrum light running the length of the cage. Chuckwallas are sun loving lizards and they need long periods of bright light and UV rays to digest their food and grow and develop properly. This can be accomplished by using a long florescent style full spectrum UV fixture and bulb.
Substrate
Chuckwallas come from rocky, arid, desert regions. Though they come from deserts they spend little time on the sand.
Many owners have kept chuckwallas on sand without any issues. Others strongly believe that sand is not a very good choice for these lizards and isn’t recommended for any lizard.
They can accidently swallow sand and become impacted (block their digestive tract) which can lead to serious health concerns or even death. This does tend to be rare but it can happen. I had this very thing happen to one of my bearded dragons and she died.
It’s up to you. If you decide to use sand, children’s play sand is a good choice. You can find it relatively inexpensively at the hardware store. You can also find sand that is specifically made for keeping reptiles.
If you want a naturalistic looking environment using gravel and rocks similar to what you might use for landscaping, is a better choice for a substrate. This replicates their natural environment.
Rabbit pellets are also a good option. It’s easy to clean, absorbent, and if your chuckwalla eats it, they won’t have any health issues.
Many keepers also like to provide large flat rocks for their chuckwallas to climb and relax on. You can stack them with a small space in between so your chuckwalla can wedge himself in like he would do in the wild.
Just be sure the rocks are large enough that he can’t move them. You don’t want him getting squished by an accidental rock fall.
Access to greens, veggies and fruits.
Chuckwallas are primarily vegetarian. This is great because you can get their food from the grocery store. This makes caring for them much more convenient than lizards that eat large quantities of insects.
Examples of food items include edible flowers, collard greens, mustard greens, turnip greens, beet greens, carrot tops, as well as romaine occasionally. You can also offer them specially made tortoise foods such as Mazrui tortoise diet.
Chuckwallas get the majority of their moisture from the foods they eat. It’s still a good idea to include a water dish with fresh clean water.
The above is not meant to be a detailed care guide but it should give you a good idea of what to expect and really how easy it is to care for your chuckwalla.
All of this can seem a little complicated but once you understand the basics, their care is pretty strait forward.
Are a Very Manageable Size
Chuckwallas are the second larges lizard in north America. Second only to the Gila monster. This doesn’t mean they are huge. They are just large enough to be impressive but small enough to be very manageable and easy to handle.
They also don’t need a huge enclosure like a water monitor or green iguana. If you want a good-sized lizard, larger than a bearded dragon but smaller than a tegu or other giant lizard, a chuckwalla is a great choice.
Are Docile and Easy to Handle
Chuckwallas can be skittish at first but will usually calm right down with time and consistent interaction.They are docile, even tempered and adjust to handling quite well. Once they become comfortable, they will even seek out your attention. They are active and curious and can be fun to observe. This makes them a great pet lizard.
Can Be Housed Together
Many popular lizards prefer to be solitary and keeping them together is not advisable. One cool thing about chuckwallas is that they can be housed together. You really only want one male in the cage though. You can keep a male with a few females with out issues.
Can Be Housed with Other Lizards
Another really cool thing about chuckwallas is that you can house them with other lizards! This can include, desert iguanas, spiny tailed iguanas, or uromastyx.
This can be really interesting if you like the idea of having a small reptile community! Of course, the more you have in one enclosure the larger that enclosure should be.
What You Need to Know About Chuckwallas
Can be Difficult to Find
Chuckwallas used to be readily available but this has changed over the years. I have seen captive bred chuckwallas in specialty reptile pet stores and occasionally at reptile expos.
You can also find them online. If you buy from a large volume reptile dealer online, they are almost always wild caught.
We always recommend buying captive bred reptiles directly from a breeder when possible. Wild caught animals tend to be more skittish and temperamental than captive bred animals. They can also have health issues.
They can also adjust to captivity well and become very good pets. With chuckwallas this is often the case. We would still recommend doing the best you can to find one that is captive bred. It’s something to be aware of but it’s really up to you.
If a wild caught animal is the only choice, just move forward and enjoy your pet chuckwalla. If you can give a wild caught animal a good home, there is something to be said about that as well.
You can still have a very rewarding experience with a pet lizard that you love.
Can be Expensive
Chuckwallas are not as common in the pet trade as they used to be and the prices have gone up. Prices range from about $150-$200 U.S. Dollars for common chuckwallas and around $800-$1500 for San Esteban chuckwallas.
This doesn’t include the cost of buying the enclosure, heating equipment and lighting. The initial cost can be expensive depending on your budget. This is certainly something to keep in mind.
Require Special Lighting
If you are going to keep a diurnal (active during the day) lizard then you will nearly always need full spectrum UVB lighting in order for them to be healthy and happy.
Chuckwallas are one of those lizards that needs this to an extreme. They need heat and UVB lighting which can be expensive. Putting a light fixture on the top of the cage can also be bulky and take up space.
This is an important consideration when buying a chuckwalla or any other sun loving lizard.
Require a medium to large enclosure
Chuckwallas need a relatively large enclosure. At least 3 feet long for adults. For some people this can be bigger than they are comfortable with or have the space for. So, keep this in mind if you are short on space.
My uncle always used to say chuckwallas make good pets. I never really talked to him about all the reasons why but now I know.
Chuckwallas are easy to care for, hardy, an impressive yet manageable size, and they adapt to handling very well. As I write this article I’m thinking, “Hmm, maybe I should get a chuckwalla or two”.
They make a very good pet!
If you are considering one, I would highly recommend them.
Other lizards that have similar care requirements and are just as interesting include, bearded dragons, uromastyx and desert iguanas. If you are looking for a new pet lizard you may want to consider these as well.