Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Chuckwalla has been very active throughout the Spring and Summer, running around non-stop and eating fine. All of a sudden this past weekend he just wants to sleep (he loves to hide behind the couch pillows or climb up into the curtains and sleep in the tight folds) and he has stopped eating.

Any recommendations on what I should do. He sleeps all day now and climbs the walls in his terrarium at night.

Thanks.

Has there been a temp change in your area? Can you post a pic?

Hi,
I live in NY where Fall hit pretty fast the last week or so and i've wondered if that has anything to do with his sudden change in lifestyle.

He might be getting ready to brumate. Hopefully more experienced people will respond, but in the meantime, you might want to check all of your temps. A sharp drop in ambient temps can really through viv temps off. Then there is the change in ambient light.

Its not a good idea to let him brumate unless you know for sure that he is healthy. Is he good and round all over? Can you post a pic?

Hi,
Here's a pic. I had to dig him out of the couch where he loves to settle in.
He doesn't have his normal desire for heat and light and totally avoids his hit rock and heat and UVB lamps.

Can't seem to get the image uploaded!

Do you have a photobucket account? Thats how I do it. I just upload pics into my free photobucket account, then copy and paste into posts.

I would rethink that heat rock. Those things are not good for lizards as diurnal lizards really only sense heat from above. When you heat them from underneath, you risk serious overheating or burns. I have even seen snakes with critical burns from heat rocks. Please consider taking it out. If your daytime basking and ambient temps are in the right ranges from your overhead lighting, then you don't need any other source of heat.

How do you measure your temps? Do you use a temp gun, or some other type of thermometer?

He only likes to sleep under the hot rock, he doesn't lie on it, but i'll remove it and see how he does, thanks.
Hopefully this picture shows up

He looks a bit thin to me. It might be a good idea to have a look at your setup. Do you mind answering a few questions? Then hopefully someone with more chuck experience will come along soon.

How do you have him set up?
What are you measuring your temps with?
Are you using a UVB source?
What kind of substrate are you using?
What are you feeding him?

Yes, please advise on the diet and husbandry (temps,etc..)
You don't want a sick chuck going into the winter.
Looks dehydrated.

I'm guessing that your "he" is a "she". How long have you had this Chuckwalla? I agree with the previous posts that it looks a bit thin and maybe dehydrated. If it is wc, it may be feeling like brumating about now, and light DOES affect them. It will need good heat and light during the day, and very dark at night with a nice "tight" hide. I wouldn't let it free roam, as it will just look for cover and ignore food. Be sure it's getting lots of the "good greens" like turnip, collard, arugula,etc. No bugs. NO HOTROCK!!! Does it have a uvb bulb?

I don't keep Chucks, but I am a reptile rescuer and I'm primarily a horned lizard specialist... you need to provide the background if ANYONE is going to make any reliable diagnosis. Otherwise you are just pissin in the dark here. This could be temps and ambient light related, it could be impaction, egg binding, respiratory illness, stomatitis, gastric infection....you understand where I'm going with this?

Too many things to guess on without knowing where you got it, what setup and environmental conditions are, diet, hydration status and method, UV status, etc, etc.

And trash that heat rock. I can't believe this hasn't permeated the herp community enough yet, and that people are actually still able to find people to buy these...

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Harvester Ants

(he loves to hide behind the couch pillows or climb up into the curtains and sleep in the tight folds)

You let your animal live free in your home?

No doubt, she wants to hibernate.
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