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Morgs71   Aliceinwl

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#1652490 Morgs71 View Profile	Info plz hi, i’m thinkin of gettin a chuckwall, do u hav to hav them in pairs or cn i just keep 1 on its own? is a cage that is 4ft(w) by 2ft(h) by 2ft(d) big enough? thnks alot morgs
03/08/08  07:17am
#1654796 Aliceinwl View Profile	Message To: Morgs71   In reference to Message Id: 1652490  Info plz The cage sounds fine for one. You can keep them on their own. Try to get a captive bred animal, they adjust to captivity much better. If you’re planning on catching one, do a lot of reading, they can be difficult to acclimate. Try to get a young animal from the previous year’s hatch. Avoid large adults, they may never tame down, the acclimation process can take 2 years, and some may never adjust. Don’t buy a wild caught chuck from a dealer, these animals are often already starting to go down hill due to improper care, and have often used up their fat reserves leaving no margin for error in the acclimation process. If your tank is glass, you’ll need to cover the back and sides with an opaque material so that the chuck doesn’t feel exposed and vulnerable. You’re going to want UVB lights and a basking spot around 120 degrees F. This is best achieved by positioning an elevated basking site under the heat lamp. Adjust the height until the appropriate surface temperatures are achieved (you’ll need a temp gun or digital thermometer with a probe to check). Incorporate lots of rocks in your set-up. Try to create situations where there are gaps of about an 3/4ths of an inch so that the chuck can wedge itself in. Remember that chucks are very strong so make sure that the rocks can’t shift and potentially crush the lizard. I used construction glue to attach smaller rocks to the underside of the big flat ones mine hide under so that there is not danger of collapse. My chucks’ favorite rock to hide under is the one they bask on top of. It holds the heat from the light for hours after the lights go out. Chucks are also going to need fresh greens every day or so. Make sure you’re up to supplying an appropriate mix of veggies and fixing them a daily salad.
03/09/08  10:26pm

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