Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Greetings.

I have recently aquired a Nevada WC Chuck.
I believe it is a male due to its coloration,
which consists of a darker head and shoulders.
He is about a foot long and seems to be in a
good healty condition. I am currently keeping
him indoors in a 3x3x3 glass aquarium with UV
lights, red sand substrate, and plenty of rocks
for him to bask upon and shelter beneath. The
tank temperature is around 90 to 95 degrees.

My questions are these:

How can I coax him to eat?
What are the white spots all over
the interior of the aquarium? and
Will he eventually hibernate?

The only way I can get him to eat is by rolling
up a bit of turnip green or kale, and placing it
on the tip of a toothpick. I then gently tap him
on the nose so that he will open up his mouth and
insert the rolled up greens. This actually works
well but I do not see it as a long term solution
and I also have no way of knowing how much food
is too much food to allow him to eat. He hates
calcium dusted lizard salad. Will he ever become
acustomed to it? He also will not eat the EXO-
TERRA juvenile iguana food I bought for him at
the pet store where I found the UV lights.

I read somewhere that iguanas excrete salt
through their nostrils. Could this explain the
white spots on the interior of the aqarium. I have
watched him sneeze this substance onto the glass
and would like to believe that it is salt rather
than pnemonia or some sort of respiritory problem.
I also read that male chucks somtimes shoot stuff
to mark their territory. Is this true and if so
could this be what it is?

Lastly will he hibernate?
If so how should I prepare for this?

Thanks in advance for any answers
that you might be able to provide.

One other thing....

I hesitate to admit this but yesterday I
broke down and actually tasted one of the
dried white spots of mysterious reptile
residue. It did taste a bit "salty."

White spots are a combination of salt and, in my tank, calcium. I have many plant in my tank so the dried water droplets that I most often see are residual calcium. Sneezing occassionally is normal, as long as other no other indicators of illness are present. My chucks refuse to eat while being watched. : ( They like a variety of food as well. I try to offer at least 4 things in their salad mix.

Hibernation: Some chucks insist on it others could care less. Mine never have and since I am not breeding it I don't force the issue.

Questions for you:
How long have you had your chuck?
What are you offering him to eat?
How much are you offering him?

---------------------------------
Questions for you:
How long have you had your chuck?
What are you offering him to eat?
How much are you offering him?
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The only real reading I have done was the
Melissa Kaplan Chuck DI page.

I have hsd my chuck for a month and a half.
Greens now. He's sitting on my shoulder telling
me Three Musketeers but Im not buying it. =)
I read spinach was bad so no more spinach.
Cabbage is bad too so no more cabbage.
Lucky for me he likes jalapenos.

I get tail whipped everyday. Bitten on occaision.
He does not like me even though I am Captain Kale.
Im just thankfull earlobes are not on the menue.
He just tail whipped me again.

I dont know how much to forcefeed him.
His tail is still fat. He is eating
but not on his own. I belive he gets
enough moisture from his greens.

PS> This guy is a jumper. He has lost
a toenail but isnt slowed in the slightest.
He loves the light of the computer and seems
drawn toward it. My destop wallpaper is of a
Hot Mama Mutt Chuck I found here. He headbobs
and does pushups toward it.

His name is Chester.
"Chester the digester."
Its about all he does.

No more bananas.
No more blue berries.
No more tomatos.

Just how common are roundworm nematodes?
I read they are common but how common is too common?

Sounds like he is active and that is good. He may be trying to bruminate or just trying to worry you. I'd try upping his temp at his basking spots to 100-105 degrees F. That may make him more hungery by increasing his appetite. You can try the following to interest him in other food items. Mine get finicky and go on stike when they are bored of certain things:
chopped green beans, chopped fresh peas, chopped snow pea pods, grated sweet potato, grated carrot, different types of dark green lettuce, dandiliion greens and flower heads that are pestacide free, honeysuckle flowers pestacide free also, cactus pear.

You might try pear and some other mild fruit to see if it interests him. Give him a variety of things to try in the mid afternoon and check to see how much is gone at dinner time. They usually forage in the late afternoon. Mine tend to eat more every other day. Don't try and powder his stuff. If you've got a good UV light he really won't much calcium. You might try using a pinch of calcium once a week and mix gingerly in his chucksalad.

I haven't heard of any chuck eating the dry iggy food. They really like fresh greens.

From the sounds of things you handle him a lot. Stop! it does nothing but stress him out. Adult male chucks have a tendency to be difficult to acclimate. The less you bother him the better. The second thing is all glass aquariums are terrible for chucks. It is best to at least cover the back and sides with something. They make them feel out in the open and very insecure. I like 3 sides wood and only the front glass. The enclosed feeling gives them a sort of secure feeling. It can take from a few weeks to up to a year to acclimate completely depending on the animal. If he is still robust looking just leave him alone and offer fresh food daily as recommended by Angela. The force feeding is also stressing him. The less you mess with him the faster he will come around. Also keep him very warm so he does not get the hint it is hibernation time. I would even get the basking spots up to 125F and the viv ambient temp 85F Try not to let it drop below 70F at night. Good luck. Tom

I forgot all about covering the other sides of the tank. I did that when I first got mine and don't even think about it now.