Chuckwalla Care
The common chuckwalla (Sauromalus ater) is native to Nevada, California, Arizona, Utah, and Mexico. They are found in rocky desert habitats, such as rocky hillsides, canyons, and washes. They usually sleep under or between large rocks, coming out each morning to bask and forage for food. They mainly eat vegetation and have been observed climbing trees and shrubs to eat flowers or seed pods. Flowers are especially relished. When threatened, a chuckwalla will quickly retreat to a rock crevice, and inflate its’ body. This makes removal nearly impossible. They are usually quite alert lizards, even seemingly inquisitive. Although wild caught chuckwallas can be difficult to acclimate to captivity, captive bred animals are quite easy to keep, as long as their basic needs are consistently met. In this care sheet, we will go over basic husbandry of common chuckwallas. These are the practices that we follow and recommend as they have worked well for us.
Caging
Since chuckwallas are active lizards, they require spacious cages. For 1 adult chuckwalla, we recommend a cage with at least 4.5 square feet of floor space. If using a glass aquarium, the minimum size for 1 adult is a 40 gallon breeder (36" x 18"). A pair of adults can be housed in a 75gallon aquarium (48" x 18") Adult males are territorial, so only one per cage is recommended. Some babies may be raised in a small group, but close attention should be paid to ensure that all are eating well and growing at close to the same rate. Animals should be removed from the group if they are overly aggressive or overly passive. An overly aggressive baby may pick on others in its cage, and quickly become the biggest animal in the cage. An overly passive animal may be intimidated by every other animal in the cage, and will not thrive in a group. The minimum size we would recommend for 1 or 2 babies is a 20 gallon long (12" x 30"). If such an aquarium is selected, keep in mind that the babies will likely outgrow this small cage in less than 6 months. We use 50 gallon plastic storage tubs made of opaque plastic. These tubs can be acquired at the hardware store. The center is cut out of the lid and replaced with metal mesh. We can house a small group of babies in each tub, or 1 sub-adult to adult size chuckwalla. These active lizards thrive in large cages. The more space you can give them, the better. We do not recommend letting them roam free in the house or yard, as they can easily escape or find a way to get into other trouble. Some of our breeders are kept in livestock watering troughs. Our biggest trough is about 300 gallons and is about 5 feet by 6 feet. One pair of adult Chuckwallas is housed in this cage.
We have always used play sand as a substrate, and have had no problems with it. We apply about an inch deep layer evenly along the bottom of the cage. We do not recommend calcium and / or vitamin sand. We like to keep it simple, and use only play sand, which can also be found at the hardware store. This substrate should be spot cleaned every day if possible, removing any feces, urates, and uneaten food.
Rocks make the best basking sites and hiding spots. We use and recommend real rocks for chuckwalla cages. Minimally, we will use one rock for basking and a few rocks for hide spots. The basking rock(s) can just be a large chunk of rock, or a stack of flat rocks, as long as it is an elevated spot. We use flat sandstone/ flagstone for hiding spots. We use aquarium silicone to adhere "legs" to each of the pieces of flagstone, so that each piece is like a little table. These "tables" are then stacked one on top of another. This will give the chuckwallas their preferred hide spots; rock cracks. The "legs" do not need to be more than a couple inches long, at the longest. Using silicone will reduce the risk of a lizard being crushed by a rock which has shifted off of its legs. Also, any rock placed in the tank should be placed directly on the cage bottom, so that lizards will not be able to dig under them. Chuckwallas can be crushed this way also.
As chuckwallas are diurnal (active during the day), lighting is extremely important. We put our lights on electric timers, and give the lizards about 10 to 12 hours of light each day. We use halogen spot bulbs for heat lights on our cages. These should be placed above the basking rock and aimed at the highest point of the rock, if possible. Basking temperatures in our cages range from 110 degrees (F) to about 130 degrees (F). Babies should have a basking site on the cooler end of this range. We have observed wild chuckwallas basking when the rock temperatures are in excess of 120 degrees (F). The cooler end of the cage can be anywhere in the 80s (F). Over this end of the cage, we place a UVB light. We usually use a "daylight" or "cool white" compact fluorescent bulb. These can be screwed into a normal clamp type brooder lamp. Without adequate heat, the lizards will not be able to properly digest their food. If basking temperatures are too high, the lizards can get thermal burns. UVB lights help the lizards absorb calcium from their food. It is important to monitor cage temperatures frequently to ensure that your chuckwalla cage will remain a good environment for your lizards. It is also a good idea to set the cage up several weeks before you obtain your lizard(s). This way any problems can be identified and fixed, before becoming a danger to the lizard(s).
Diet
Chuckwallas are mainly herbivores, though they may eat some insects occasionally. In the wild they eat every day, so in captivity fresh food should be available every day as well. Our chuckwalla diet is composed mainly of Spring mix salad (w/o spinach) and dark leafy greens like kale, collared greens, Chard, mustard greens, and dandelion greens. We chop or shred the greens into pieces small enough for the lizards to swallow without having to tear the leaves too much themselves. The greens are then placed onto the food dish. We then add some (thawed) frozen vegetables on top of the greens. We use the mix of frozen vegetables containing peas, green beans, carrots, lima beans, and corn. This diet has worked well for us, and it has kept our lizards fat and happy. Good calcium powder with vitamin D3 is a must for indoor chuckwallas. Without direct contact to unfiltered natural sunlight for most of the day, chuckwallas do not absorb enough calcium from their food. This can lead to one of the most common ailments for captive lizards; Metabolic Bone Disease. When lizards don’t get enough calcium, their bones start to degrade, this can cause loss of appetite, lethargy, debilitation, and death. Usually by the time symptoms appear, the condition has advanced to a point where the lizard will suffer permanent damage, if it even survives. As the saying goes’ "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure". This is why it is important to add calcium with D3 to their food every day. We use and strongly recommend Sticky Tongue Farms brand Miner-All (make sure that you use the indoor formula). A calcium supplement without D3 should only be used on animals housed outdoors. Babies get the same leafy greens as the adults, but they are chopped up into fine pieces. To reduce the risk of impaction, babies don’t get the frozen/thawed veggies until they are at least 6 months old. Most of the water needed is received from eating fresh vegetables. A small water dish can also be used. Babies have a higher need for additional water, and should get a dish or have water dripped onto a flat rock in their cage once a day. It is important to ensure that the cage substrate does not become wet or damp for extended periods of time. This can lead to a buildup of fungus or harmful bacteria in the cage. So don’t drip excessive amounts of water into the cage.
Captive bred chuckwallas make excellent pets. With handling, they can become very tame. They are quite hardy lizard, as long as their basic requirements are met. As with all reptiles, it is best for beginners to start out with captive bred animals. Baby chuckwallas grow quickly, and with some time and patience, you could be rewarded with eggs and babies of your own.
