Posted by:
tgreb
at Tue Jan 8 16:50:36 2008 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by tgreb ]
This has always workd for me. Get a large plastic box at least 6 inches deep. Other dimensions are not critical but I would go no smaller than 11 x 15. Fill it with damp play sand to the top on one end and slope it down to about an inch deep on the opposite end and pack it. Cut a piece of plywood about 2 inches short of the length of the plastic box leaving it short on the end with the 1 inch deep sand. Lay a rock on top to the plywood does not shift around and lean a rock up against it so the chuck has easy access to the top pf the box. Put it in a corner of the cage near the basking light so it stays nice and warm. Make it so the end with the deep sand is against a wal as it offers a little privacy. Some people say to use solid colored plastic boxes so it is dark but I have always used the translucent Sterilte boxes and have never had one refuse to lay. Temp is not critical but you don't want a amp cold area as they will avoid it. When I dampen the sand I usually use hot water to get it warm right off the bat. Once in the cage just slide the female in the open end and she will usually instantly investigate it. If she jusmps right back out do it again. You may even want to do it once the next day. This is enough to let her know it's there and she will do the rest. Sometimes they will keep digging around in the box. If this happens for more than a week repack the sand as mentioned above and add a little more hot water to make it more damp. Just be careful that it is not so much water that it puddles in the bottom of the container. Do not worry at all about humidity as chucks get way more humidity in their hides in the wild than you think, it will not bother them.
Pull the eggs after she has buried them and put them in the incubator with damp vermiculite. I soak it then squeeze out as much as I can. No scientific measuring and I have had almost a 100% hatch rate. Bury them about 2/3 to 3/4 into the vermiculite and keep the temp from 88 to 92. Again not that critical. I have had them fluctuate between 84 and 96 with no problems. Good luck and keep us posted.
Tom
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RE: Really needing advice on chuck breeding - tgreb, Tue Jan 8 16:50:36 2008