Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi again everyone, I mentioned in some of my other posts about a time scale for my female chuckwalla laying her eggs after showing, I haven't had any response to that specific question and would really like to know to give me something to go on. As I'm new to forums I'm thinking you need to start a new thread for more specific questions is that right? any how so I picked my female chuckwalla mable up 2 weeks ago today. When I first saw her she looked quite small and wrinkly, but it was fairly late in the evening when I collected her so the lights had been off and the heating wasn't as warm so she may have been smaller looking due to that, but there didn't seem to be any visable lumps at that point. The next day I started to suspect that she could be gravid, and then became more and more convinced as she got bigger and more lumpy every day, at fist I could see one or two lumps and now I can count about three on her left side and about the same on her right hand side, although on her right they arn't always visable but you can often clearly see them on the left. Any how so, she is still eating like a pig every day and still eating a lot today, so should I just look out for her not eating? as on another post it says they stop eating about 24- 48 hours before they lay, is this a sure fire sighn that she's about to lay? is this the most realiable indicator I should be looking for?. She has been digging since the evening I put her in the viv, some days more than others, but I'm thinking this could be to do with the fact she was kept on sand before and couldn't really dig that well or burrow, so she could be just enjoying being able to dig. She is paying slightly more attention to the cool end where I put her a nest box since I put a small heat pad under it, I coexed her in to it a couple of times with the lid off, and then once with the lid on. She stayed in it a couple of minutes and then came out so she knows it's there. The temperature in the nest box reads 86 on the suface of the vermiculite, does that seem ok?. Any advice and time scales to work on would be good, as I need a rought idea at least and then if she goes over the time she should have laid by then she may have become egg bound and I can take her to the vet if need be.
Thanks everyone
Martin

As long as she is eating and not loosing weight in the hips and tail, I wouldn't worry. Just be paitent with her.
I have not really used nesting boxes with chucks. I have always used a nesting area, a large portion of the cage with deep, moist sand to dig in.

I hope this helps.
Nick

Hi again Nick, Thanks for the reply, if you look at my other posts you will see some pictures of my set up (infact I'll add the pics on this post for you), and you will see I did set up a flat stone that was sat on 2 smaller stones, this was before I put the nest box in, but it might have been too small. If you see the pic of the stone I mentioned does it need to be a lot larger? is it along the right lines? I am using sterilised top soil as the substrate, it's quite fine and loamy, do you think she would lay in this or should I replace it with an area of sand? also would 2 -3 inches of soil/sand do, or do they need more? and should I put a small heat mat under the substrate in this area? as without the temp is about 80 - 83 as far as i can remember of the top of my head. Just one more thing (sorry for so many questions lol) someone else on the forum said about taking the male (Trevor) out of the viv, now I can understand why but I'm just wondering do you take the male out at this time or do you just let them be? as it would be better for me if I could leave him but if it's a real must then I'll have to sort something out. Thanks a million for all your advice and reasurance, it really makes me feel better and less stressed about it all lol.
Cheers Nick
Martin

I posted at the bottom of your last thread a few minutes ago, so hopefully Nick or someone else will give you their opinion on Trevor. Like people, Chucks differ in their preganancies and laying times and gestation times, etc. I have a female who nibbles many times a day. She stays in the nest box, but comes out to grab three mouthfuls, gets on top of the box to bask, then goes in and just sits. For days she may do this, kind of digging nonchalantly now and then. The day before she lays, she does not eat and kicks the vermiculite all over and digs constantly. Then she puts her tail at the lower end of her trench and goes into a trance. Some of the females I have had lay about 4AM consistantly, but this one lays mid-morning to mid-afternoon consistantly. Go figure! LOL I have had others who don't eat for days before laying and by the time they drop them, they are boney on their tails and look emaciated. The moment they lay, they're out of that box and eating with gusto. It is amazing how quickly they plump out again. Just a few days and they're "good as new!"

Hi Martin,
I usually use a nesting area similar to what you have setup on the left side of your cage. A good border of rocks and 6 or so inches of moist play sand (makes it easy to dig the eggs out).
As long as the female has a large enough area to dig a tunnel, you should be ok. I'm sure some females would be fine with using a nesting box, but I just haven't tried using them much.

take care.
Nick

Ok, cheers Nick, all this info gives me pleny to go on any way, I was saying to Maureen about putting the nest box on top of the slab so that she has a choice of the two. I'll see any way lol.

Thanks a million
Martin