Reptile & Amphibian Forums

ok, i have spring break next week... yeah, kinda weird. but anyways, im thinkIng
the cucks will do fine until then. im gonna try to build a box mabe 5' by 3' with no bottom so it sets right on the grass. then ill try to make a 2 peice screen and wood top, and ill get some bricks to lay out in it. then, when its warm outside, i can let them outside in the box, but if it gets cold i can put them in the 50 gallon, would that work?
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0.0.37-blue lab chichlids
0.1.6-sandiego gopher snakes
0.0.1-cal. kingsnake
0.0.1-anole
0.0.2-f.b.t
2.3-coturnix quail
0.1-cockatiel
0.2-s. black widow
1.1(fixed) cats-eddie/buzz

They will scratch at the sides quite a bit.

guys. First off they will dig out in a heartbeat. If you put a screen on the bottom and you live in the Mojave or even So Cal even with bricks in there for them to hide you will cook them. It sounds as you were not prepaired to keep these guys. Moving them from cage to cage will stress them out so bad they will never settle down and start to thrive. I think you should really consider what you are doing with these animals. The best thing to do would be to release these where you caught them and try to catch one of last years hatchlings and keep it indoors in the 50 gallon tank with proper heat and light. See how you do with these more forgiving hatchlings then maybe plan ahead with the proper caging and try adults then. Call me a pompus bastard if you like but from the sounds of things these guys are not gonna make it. Tom Greb

Ha, ha...

I agree with you completely. I know herperfor life has the best of intentions, but I really think it would be better to release them where they were caught. Then...do some more research on requirements. I think herperforlife would be happier with himself if everything was in place before bringing the lizards home. Adult lizards of any kind will almost always do poorly when brought in...unless your name is Eve Panis (ha, ha). She was able to do wonders with Kong, but he was given a 14 X 15 free roam area of the house.

Give us some more information about yourself and we can make suggestions on how to house the chucks. I know you will be happier if you can get them established outside, but only if you have some adequate heat escape areas...and I don't just mean a rock on two bricks. They will need an escape that does down several inches into the soil to escape the conditions those wooden sides are going to create.

A second suggestion to release them and give more thougth about caging requirements and the age of the lizards you want to acclimate to indoor living. I know how you feel though...I love being able to keep the lizards I catch myself. I have always regretted bringing home more lizards than I can comfortably house...just ask Eve :O) She has really benefitted from my addiction. ha, ha.

Have you ever thought about getting a captive bred pair to keep inside???

JE

i live in a cooler region od so.cal. i meant leave the bottom open to sit on grass. during warmer season, they wouldnt need to be taken inside, only during winter. as for digging out, id like to see you try to dig a hole in the ground of my backyard during summer...with a shovel. the soil is clay, and about a foot under that its red brick because a brick factory used to sit where my house is. im really not on here to get flamed, but to expand my already large knowledge of these creatures, and theres no better way to do that than getting tips from personal experience. you make it sound like im gonna kill these guys... ive rehabilitated many animals, and the only reason an animal has died in my care is because of old age or it couldn't be saved from the damage the previouse owner did... i hope you hold no grudge on me, nick.
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0.0.37-blue lab chichlids
0.1.6-sandiego gopher snakes
0.0.1-cal. kingsnake
0.0.1-anole
0.0.2-f.b.t
2.3-coturnix quail
0.1-cockatiel
0.2-s. black widow
1.1(fixed) cats-eddie/buzz

It's just some of the questions you have been asking after the capture of your chucks sounds like you were very uncertain on what to do. I wish you well on the chucks in your care and hope they do well for you. I'm only passing down information I feel is important, and starting with small chucks for a beginner chuck keeper is pretty important. Maintaining them inside in tanks would not be a good way to rebilitate them. Remember if you put them outside...it only takes about 1/2 inche of scratching in one location to escape.

is that adult chuckwallas that are wild caught are VERY difficult to keep even for experienced keepers. We've seen a lot of people try it on this forum, Tom and a few others more than myself. The wild caught adults are beautiful, but stress out sooooooooooo easily that few make it. I have over 30 critter of various reptilian species, but I would never even think of trying to keep a WC chuckwalla.

On the other hand the CBs have such lovely personalities, and are more like a small dog, that you can't help but fall in love with them.

No one is saying that it can't be done, but it is damn difficult. They will find ways to dig out that you would never have thought possible. THey are deceivingly bright escape artists. It is best to have the setup before you get the animal as you know.

We all love these animals and collectively are thinking of what we believe is in there best interests albeit with minimal knowledge about you. Ultimately we want you to be successful with your chuck and encourage other people to consider them for pets. But we'd rather you learn from our mistakes instead of repeating them.......... It is hard to live with the fact that you've contributed to the early demise of a neat beautiful animal when you know that you have. No one wants anyone else to have to deal with this.

No one is saying that you will, but we're saying that you are playing catch up on a very difficult job, and you need to hear exactly what you've gotten into.

My 2 cents. Hope all goes well. Keep us posted and keep asking specific questions. Be prepared for honest forthright answers.

and i dont like to start arguements over something that we all share an interest in.
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0.0.37-blue lab chichlids
0.1.6-sandiego gopher snakes
0.0.1-cal. kingsnake
0.0.1-anole
0.0.2-f.b.t
2.3-coturnix quail
0.1-cockatiel
0.2-s. black widow
1.1(fixed) cats-eddie/buzz

Go to home depot and buy concrete brick, they are 16" x 6" x 8" tall. (3 high is 24 inches) YOu can do the math and figure it out, they run about $1.12 each, you can make a pretty large cage with these, but first you get a pick-ax and dig deminsions you want 24" deep and fill the hole with 2 ft high 1/2 vinyl wire and fill it in. Then build the brick so it's two feet or so high, maybe more if you want the expense, and cover with 2 x 4 top with 1/2 or 1/4 mesh screen or bird cloth.

Dig and loosen the dirt in the middle and sink down some 1/2 or 3/4" 4 x 4 plywood with big rocks under it so when you cover it in topsoil the chucks can still dig inot it. Build a large dirt mound with tree stumps or havy short branches and rocks on top so they have a place to dig and also sun themselves. Use large flat rocks so they can sun and also dig under them. USe PvC 4" and add 3-m non-slip peal and stick tape on the inside diameters so they can crawl in and out and sink it into the mound as well. Might put two or three of these in the mound.

Be carefull that the edge of the screen for the diameter of the cage in the ground matches up about 4" above the ground level and post 2 x 4 or 2 x 2 around the inside parimeter with large nail spikes. The chucks will never dig out of the cage, oh and believe me they are diggers and in spite of you thinking they can't dig in that hard ground, they can and do. This is just an idea.....but you do need to think this out. Plant nesturgiums and wild flowers all over the mound and clover on one end as thy love clover grass and it is very healthy. Good luck should you consider going through with it.....................
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