Be brutally honest... Alaska?

[donatella]

It looks like my husband and I might be moving to Alaska later this year. We are talking to the Army right now, but it's a very real possibility at this point. I got Donatella with Texas in mind, and it's much easier to take care of her here than in a cold environment.

We would be in the south of Alaska, like Anchorage or Ketchikan. I've been told the weather is a lot like Seattle.

Do any of you live up north or in an area that isn't warm for the majority of the year? Is it possible/feasible to keep a chameleon in Alaska, or would it be better for her to stay in Texas? My husband says the heating cost would be astronomical, but I thought maybe a ceramic heat lamp or space heater might work, instead of keeping the whole house warm for her... What do y'all think?

 

[AngieL]

Hi! I live on Shetland in the middle of the North Sea. Not quite Alaska but its always cold apart from summer (my favourite day of the year )

Your house should be warm enough for your chameleon, otherwise you and your family would be too cold as well! You may need a ceramic heat emitter for additional night time heat though. You don't have to warm the whole house up to 80-90f, just her house

 

[donatella]

Angie, my husband says that we likely wouldn't have the heater on all the time, just when we are home. This coming from Houston, where I have seen snow once in 12 years, and that melted in a few hours... He thinks the cost of keeping the house heated wouldn't be worth it.

 

[laurie]

I live in Montana, 30 miles south of Canada, but north of a good number of Canadians. Some times we hit -30. Our only claim to fame is we are often the coldest place in the US. I have lived here over 5 years and had chams every day of those years. You will need to change your care alot, but it can be done. I keep saying I am give up owning chams, but I would be so totally lost without a cham. We also have a member who lives in Alaska and is pretty remote. She can give you lots of pointers. Send a pm to Carlton.

 

[sandrachameleon]

It looks like my husband and I might be moving to Alaska later this year. We are talking to the Army right now, but it's a very real possibility at this point. I got Donatella with Texas in mind, and it's much easier to take care of her here than in a cold environment.

We would be in the south of Alaska, like Anchorage or Ketchikan. I've been told the weather is a lot like Seattle.

Do any of you live up north or in an area that isn't warm for the majority of the year? Is it possible/feasible to keep a chameleon in Alaska, or would it be better for her to stay in Texas? My husband says the heating cost would be astronomical, but I thought maybe a ceramic heat lamp or space heater might work, instead of keeping the whole house warm for her... What do y'all think?

Of course you can. Lots of Canadian's also have cold weather and keep chameleons just fine. Its not like the cold weather is inside your house You wont be letting your house get too cold, because it ends up costing more to bring it back up to comfortable temperature twhen you work a furnice that hard with big temp swings, and because its not good for the floors walls etc to have big temp swings. Yes, You'll probably let the temp go down when your not home and at night. That's fine; I do that too. Mostly chameleons are fine with the low temp at night, and have basking lamps in the day. If the temp in the house is going to be below 65F regularily, consider a ceramic heat bulb or just heating the one room a little bit higher. I prefer the space heater method (I use an oil filled radiator, which is both very safe and very efficient). So the home heating costs should not be astronimical just because of a chameleon, especially if you use a more solid-walled cage (like I do) rather than a screen cage. That way the heat stays in the cage longer.
check this out: http://www.chameleonnews.com/02JulCaettaKruger.html

You'll want to be breeding at least one type of feeder prey, just in case weather causes difficulty with ordering in (for you directly, or for whatever petstore/bait shop is closest to where you will live).

 

[Carlton]

It looks like my husband and I might be moving to Alaska later this year. We are talking to the Army right now, but it's a very real possibility at this point. I got Donatella with Texas in mind, and it's much easier to take care of her here than in a cold environment.

We would be in the south of Alaska, like Anchorage or Ketchikan. I've been told the weather is a lot like Seattle.

Do any of you live up north or in an area that isn't warm for the majority of the year? Is it possible/feasible to keep a chameleon in Alaska, or would it be better for her to stay in Texas? My husband says the heating cost would be astronomical, but I thought maybe a ceramic heat lamp or space heater might work, instead of keeping the whole house warm for her... What do y'all think?

Well, the weather in Ketchikan may be a lot like Seattle but Anchorage will be colder, longer winters, and very long days in summer. It isn't as extreme as the "Interior" like Fairbanks as its near the coast. Either way you won't be able to get a cham outdoors for full sun basking nearly as often so correct lighting will be important.

I have kept chams in SE Alaska (tiny little bush town near Juneau) and it can sure be done! I also have a bird aviary so my house is heated moderately (65 F) year round and the birds have full spectrum lighting and a small radiant heat panel if they want to use it...they don't very often. The whole heating thing won't be nearly as bad as you think. All you need to heat is the basking area of the cage just as you do now. A room that is comfortable for humans is fine for a cham even in winter as long as it can reach the correct basking temp during the days. At night you won't need extra heat unless you like sleeping in a house that drops down below 55. Actually, what you will notice most is having to plan on mail ordering specific supplies (correct lighting, gutloads and supplements), paying more for everything you order (vendors love to charge extra to AK as if it is on Mars...it will open your eyes believe me), live feeders, and finding experienced vet care. Now the town you end up in will make a big difference. If you end up in Anchorage you'll be pretty well off. Big city with lots of air shipping from "south 48" vendors available. Fed Ex and UPS hub, etc. I don't know the vets in that big city but you may have a better chance for exotics experience. If you end up in Ketchikan be sure to check out what shipping services you'll have as I doubt there's a pet supply there that will carry insects. And, if there isn't a Fed Ex or other express shipper with a hub in Ketchikan you may not be able to get some feeders. Plan on breeding more types. ALL air freight will come in via Alaska Airlines...they tend to be the contract carrier for the other shippers and no other airline serves Ketchikan that I know of.

Once you know where you are headed, go online and find out what pet supplies you'll have, what they can order, normally carry, and what vets there are. Then make your decision. The climate won't be that drastically different because your cham will be indoors. If all the humans are gone all day every day and you would normally turn down the house thermostat, you may have to keep one room heated to the low or mid 60s for the cage. I agree with other comments about drastic temp swings in your house...not really sure it saves all that much energy. But a lot depends on the house and how well it's built/insulated rather than the weather outside. The cost of electricity may not be all that much different...Ketchikan is probably on hydro power which tends to be cheaper. Not sure about Anchorage.

 

[Kate]

Hi there. I live a little south of Angie in the north east of Scotland . We don't get much of a summer I'm afraid so outside time is usually a nono. I have a ceramic heating bulb on a thermostat just in case the temps drop too low, which they don't seem to do. We as a family do not have any heating on overnight. Hope that helps. I'm sure there is another member here in Alaska.

 

[babyjoe]

As,everyone has been saying.don't worry bring the cham with you.url mean slight changes your care and most likely shelling out on a glass viv but all easily done.I'm living in Ireland and half way up a mountain at that is pretty chilly here I heard we had a summer back in the nineties and I have no problems keeping my veiled.the basking bulbs looks after most of it