I'm always surprised that most chuckwalla owners induce hibernation/brumation for their chucks. I never have, and have quite a few chucks, and have had decent luck with them. Reading about the fact that they're supposed to have a cool-down interval, while mine don't, always gives me that deer-in-the-headlights feeling, like I'm really messing them up and should keep my schlock habits to myself. But I'm wondering something and hope someone will know the answer to my question.

My chucks live a LONG time, do their push-ups, produce normal hatchlings, are friendly, and SEEM to be content and just fine. The worst problem I've had is occasional egg-binding. Over something like 15 years, I've lost two gravid females plus one had a hysterectomy to remove a stuck egg. She's done great and will probably live to be an old lady, though she won't be having more babies.

The question is, is egg-binding perhaps at least partially due to the lack of brumation? I'd sure love to know if any relationship exists between the two issues. Does anyone know?

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