Reptile & Amphibian Forums

This is my male chuckwalla. I just build him an outdoor cage an he seems to really like it and I will get better photos of him soon.

This is the 7' x 8' cage. I will be adding a few more plants soon.

Hey there,

Nice Chuck! He's got a massive tail, looks healthy.
How big is he? I like your pen, too, and I wanted to ask some questions about it. What kind of plants are you planting in the pen? and how tall is it? about 4 feet? and is that just plain gravel as a substrate? and lastly, how many animals are you planning on putting in there? Thanks for your insight.

Thanks a lot, man!
-Phil Clevinger

It's about 3 1/2 feet tall and I will get a female for the male.
I have a Texas sage bush in there now. Not sure what other types of plants I will put in there. Maybe a creosote bush but I'll have to keep the plants trimed so they don't over grow the cage. I used the same gravel I put in the yard for substrate.
I didn't want to put a top on it so I could stand up in it but the chucks can climb out without a top.

Hes really something, Super nice color on this boy!

Sure looks healthy ! Sure looks as if you did a Good Job, on the pen also. DANG GOOD my friend !

I also see you decided to close up the top, I think thats better, with birds and cats and whatever roaming!

Now you have to get a Pretty Lady Chuck for , hey whats his name?

-----
___

Eve

He has to crawl in all his cages also. The cage looks great though. How hard would it be to add another 3 feet to the top so you could walk in it?
The chuck is awesome. I love the deep red they are from that locale. Do you remember exactly where you caught it? The one I caught last time out could have been its twin brother. I caught mine exactly 3.25 miles north of the interstate on the east side of the road. He was easy, there was only a couple basketball sized boulders and he went under one instead of the massive rock pile 20 feet away. I said, "you dummy your mine now"! HEHE.
Last time out I did notice alot of the rock piles have been taken apart so I know there have been others collecting there. DId you happen to get the guys name? Maybe I know him. ALso what species of collared did you see there? The dipsos I think are very nice there. Their netted pattern is orange.
Tom

I didn't record the exact location when I caught him but it's very very close to where you got yours. I saw several out but the females went in the large rock piles. The colored lizard I saw was c. bicinctores. very interesting that they have jumped the river and are making their way south towards the nearest C. nebrius populations. His color is so awesome. I'll try and get better pictures as he gets use to me. When I built the cage I wasn't going to have a top but once I saw him climb up and out, I decided it had to have a top. I like the fact that I can see him basking on the rocks from inside our house. The cage isn't perfect but it is strong. It will have to be moved or redesigned when we get a pool. Here's another picture of him. He was alittle hot so I cooled him down by taking the hose and creating a light rain on his rock pile. He came out on top and started liking the water off the rocks. I got a yellow hibiscus plant and he eats the flowers along the native desert marigolds I have planted in the yard.

but you will never see him again, Hhehehehe !

AWESOME
-----
___

Eve

I caught him right at the beginning of the lava field on the right side. Yes I know of several people that keep chucks outdoors in Pheonix and heat is the problem. You really need to offer a subterranian retreat when you move the cage and get it in its permanent location. One easy idea is to make a 30" square out of 2'x 12" wood and sink it so the top is even with ground level, fill it about 3/4 of the way full of a soft diggable sand/dirt then cover it with 3/4" plywood with several access holes in it then pile the lava rock on top of it. At least this will allow you access to the chucks if needed. DVL's cage is ideal but if you ever need to get ahold of the lizards you may have a problem.

I caught mine on the right side just past the beginning of the lava field. Thanks for the advice on keeping him cool in the summer. I'll make a place for him to go under.