# Which of these is the most rewarding pet lizard?



## colby4898 (Mar 29, 2015)

Hi,

I currently have a spare 5x2x2 vivarium as my Bearded Dragon, Ozzy, died about a year ago after 15 long, happy years, he was my first ever reptile and it was very sad.  

However, I am now looking to put something in that vivarium. I love to handle and enjoy the animals I have. Ozzy would be taken out for at least 30 minutes everyday and seem to love exploring and chilling out with me. I would like another lizard like this, one who seems to enjoy being handled.

I have narrowed down to the following lizards: Blue Tongue Skink, Uromastyx, Chuckwalla.

There is quite a lot of information online about blue tongue skinks about handling and they seem to be similar to Bearded Dragons in that regard.Although there is not so much information about Uromastyx' and Chuckwallas and I am not sure what there temperament is like when it comes to handling. 

Can anybody who has owned all or any of these lizards please provide an insight as to what animal is the most rewarding and enjoyable to take care with. Thank you in advance.


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

colby4898 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I currently have a spare 5x2x2 vivarium as my Bearded Dragon, Ozzy, died about a year ago after 15 long, happy years, he was my first ever reptile and it was very sad.
> 
> ...


of the 3, BTS are the best. chucks are quite easily tamed from what i've heard, & a table at kempton '13 had one, their own pet, in a shallow, open tank with a heat lamp over it- it could easily have jumped out & escaped, but it chose not to. uro's i don't know much about, but i've seen tame ones that didn't mind being handled.


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## markg6 (Apr 11, 2014)

I've never heard of anyone actually owning a chuck. ...i know plenty of ppl do. But ive actually never seen someone asking / talking about them. I'm very curious as to their temperament as well. 

That being said, i think either the Uro or BTS are excellent choices. Keeping in mind there are always those ones that go completely against the "normal" temperament.


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## DeadLee (Apr 7, 2010)

You have the exact same list I did (minus Ackies) before I decided on a blue tongue skink. Just as tame if not more so than my bearded dragon. I can sit in the garden with him and he seems to enjoy exploring. I let him roam my house and he never seems to stop exploring.

My bearded dragon on the other hand will just sit on my lap and not move. So for me the blue tongue is much more inquisitive and interactive.

The behavior and look of a blue tongue skink is very different to agamids like bearded dragons and uromastyx etc. My blue tongue skink sneezes and yawns for a start! It's hard to explain but they are almost more mamal like than an agamid and they just seem much more intelligent. Plus the little noises they make are adorable :flrt:


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## Gekkota (Aug 30, 2013)

Ackies and chuckwallas are awesome... you could have two or three of either species in a viv the size you have. Both get ridiculously tame (Chucks require a little more work). Both are very entertaining and intelligent

Uromastyx are lovely, but I have found them to be a little more 'attention on their own terms' but very rewarding to keep

Blue Tongues can get very tame... but some don't and remain a bit huffy. In terms of interaction, I would say a tame BTS is probably most like a bearded dragon.


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## DeadLee (Apr 7, 2010)

Gekkota said:


> Ackies and chuckwallas are awesome... you could have two or three of either species in a viv the size you have. Both get ridiculously tame (Chucks require a little more work). Both are very entertaining and intelligent


I disagree with that. Ackies require a tall vivarium for climbing plus a very deep substrate he would need his viv to be twice as high with 1ft of substrate for a couple of Ackies. 

Chuckwallas I can't comment on as I thought the were very solitary similar to bearded dragons.


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## mitsi (Feb 1, 2012)

Chuckwallas are great lizards. Id go for them


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## colby4898 (Mar 29, 2015)

Thanks for all your contribution. 

I had considered an ackie, some care sheets said that this size enclosure was ok, but as DeadLee said they do require some height. I have a rule where even if only one caresheet says that it's a too small, then it is. I want to provide the best possible home I can with the money and space I have. 

I think i'll probably rule out chuck's. There is much less information on them and I imagine it would be very hard to even find one. Although I'm sure they would make great pets, I don't think I would feel as confident with such little information.

I do prefer the look of Uromastyx than BTS, but BTS seem to be more tame from what;s been said by you guys. I'l have to think and research much more, but right now I'm leaning towards a BTS.


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## salanky (Oct 28, 2009)

uros can be hit and miss when it comes to handling. iv got 9 and one of them is totally wild and goes nuts if i handle him for anything more than moving for cleaning. the others gradually improve in tolerance with my big egyptian being the most tolerant of handling though he can be a bit skittish in the viv once he wanders out hes fine. the great thing about uros is they come in all sorts of colours and sizes and a 5x2x2 viv is a great size for all but if you were to get an egyptian it would eventually need an upgrade.

another suggestion from me would be desert iguanas, my 4 are such fun to keep and are silly tame. that size viv would be perfect for a trio, you could do a huge display viv with a nice rock wall and they would use every inch of it.


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## NickBenger (Nov 18, 2010)

It maybe worth looking into Timon lizards (Eyed Lizards). I haven't personally kept them but have been told they can be very tame.


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## Central Scotland Reptiles (Nov 23, 2008)

Just to confuse you even further - what about a Desert Iguana? Fantastic species and if you can get captive bred individuals are usually pretty tame.


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## DeadLee (Apr 7, 2010)

Do desert iguanas actually do well together and benefit from it or are they solitary by nature and just tolerate? If a communal tank is your thing then about 6 steppe runner lizards could live in that and I know they are a communal lizard.

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## Central Scotland Reptiles (Nov 23, 2008)

Provided the enclosure is large enough with sufficent areas for individuals to bask and retreat too I can't see a problem in keeping multiple animals together - indeed I have kept 1.2 animals together in the past without any issues. 

One should not keep 2 males together as they will fight and the dynamics of a group should be closely monitored (as with any species) to ensure that there is no bullying.


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