Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have been reading messages from this forum for the past year off and on, and I have learned lots from everyone. I finally decided to sign up to post messages. I live in Arizona and have four chuckwallas. I have noticed most books have limited info on chuckwallas. Most of what I have learned about chuckwallas is from friends or colleagues. I was wondering if there is an ideal substrate for chuckwallas in captivity. Is sand recommended and is it safe?
Thanks,
Cale

I like the washed play sand because of its cleanliness. I believe it is pretty safe. Never had any impaction incidents caused from it. It does not look the best but I keep all my stuff inside and I can't stand the dust from more natual looking substrates. I have also used corrugated cardboard and liked it. It can be purchased in rolls of 250 feet at just about any width up to 60 inches. When buying the sand make sure it is the more expensive stuff from toys-r-us. The stuff from the builder stores is very dusty. Tom

I have raised chucks on high grade short nap astroturf and like it because it is not expensive can be cleaned and hosed off an egg box is put in for gravid females or the corner is packed with rocks and sand damp during laying time. Since I have seen chucks on the ground as well as in rocks, most on the ground are in the presencce of what is called hard pan and soft dirt is ussally not where I have observed them. In the Old Woman Mountians they frequent the ground in wahses etc, and I have always found them on the hard pan or side of a wash facing. So anything like what Tom described will work. I would throw in that if your feeding a chuck on sand I would recommend using a small plate of something like that or a small paper plate for your veggies, this should eliminate any issues that could possibly be a problem. In nature no matter what the substrate, these lizards are known to climb for food and flowers and often are not eating off the ground but feed off the soft shoots and flowers. Hope this helps...Cheers!
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signature file edited. [phw 11/14/04]

I second what has been said. I too use washed sand for the same reason as Tom. My enclosures are built on the floor is my basement so I want something easy to clean. My chucks spend 90% of their time on the rocks even though the ground temp is warm in the summer. Most of the cleaning in getting stuff off the rocks and not the ground. Wild chucks dig more than captive bred so that makes a difference also.