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Posted by reptoman on January 24, 2003 at 14:49:13:
In Reply to: Terrible winter so far....... posted by tgreb on January 24, 2003 at 07:23:38:
:Just when you think you have everything figured out these lizards will kick you square in the a$$. As a couple of you know I have had some crappy luck so far this winter. I lost my oldest female San Esteban Island chuckwalla and the female Baja Blue Rock lizard AR sent me at the beginning of December during hybernation. Although both seemed very fat and healthy they seemed to be severely dehydrated if that is possible. My adult male Baja Blue Rock lizard also seems to be on his way out. Attempts to rehydrate him seem to be failing miserably. Then my wife calls me at work yesterday and tells me that my yearling male cyclura lewisii hybrid seems very lethargic. Well by the time I got home he was dead. Also very healthy looking and was eating like a pig just the day before. I figure if this keeps up I will have no lizards by spring and will be free again. Since it's been kinda slow I figured I would just update you all.
Tom, I have moved towards a differnt style of hibernation with my chucks, I keep a 150 watt bulb night time, and 150 watt daytime and put there den under the bulb and put some flat rocks on top of the den (made out of wood.) They come out on warm days and warm up and even munch a little, so they do go through a very slow time but they still are active when it gets warm. Even my desert turtle comes out on warm days snacks and then goes down for the count. With respect to desert animals and the Bajhas isn't it the lower temps that gets them ready for the next year to breed, but how low? I think that a long turn of lower temps and inactivity
will do it. I think it's odd that your female got dehydrated, and sorry to here about that, I know this is not an approved method, but I have in the past having delt with many semi desert and desert species in california have many times during warm winter years observed these lizards basking close to a den or crack, but neverthe less semi active. So I think duplicating this type environment is healthy and worth it. I hope you don't lose the male Baja as he is a dandy. THe other thing is when it does get 32 degrees here in california the light does take off the chill
inspite of the lizards being outside. I've never lost one to the elements yet. I have had desert lizards breed fine including orcutti swifts, and horned lizards, etc. Of course it's easy for me to say this when were having 50 degree nights and 70-75 degree days here in californai.....take it easy..
