Sauromalus hispidus

From a tiny territory, including the Angel of Guarda Island and its satellite islands, and San Lorenzo Norte and San Lorenzo Sur Islands, in California Gulf (Mexico).

Sauromalus hispidus, the common names of which are spiny chuckawalla, black chuckawalla or Angel Island chuckawalla, differs from Sauromalus obesus by its larger size 70 cm maximum (25 in.) of total length for a weight of about 1400 g, its spiny scales on its neck, tail and rear members, and by its brown-grey or black pattern. As Sauromalus obesus and Uromastyx genius lizards, it lives in a desert ecosystem and it is vegetarian. In its natural habitat, it hides in burrows or holes between rocks. About its behaviour, Sauromalus hispidus is more arboreal than the obesus species. It can be found on small trees or cactus on which it climbs to eat flowers and fruit.
In captivity, this lizard is very curious and not shy; it does not hide and can be friendly
This species is very rare in captivity. We are lucky to own a group of captive bred juveniles, hatched in 2005. We are waiting for sexual maturity to try to breed them.