Can i move the basking light if he's not standing at the basking spot?

[carmacharma]

Hey!

We got our adult 2yr old panther two days ago, and he barely chills on the vine below the basking light we provided. We are replacing the vine with a stick of the same kind as the ones he seems to enjoy the most, but today he ate and I was worried he wouldn't bask so I moved the basking light to a spot where he was chilling (and tends to chill-out on a lot).

He still has plenty of places to hide and cool down, but I want to make sure he digests fine.

Is this ok? Should I not have done this and waited for him to go to the light? I really think it's because he doesn't like the vines we placed for him which are a bit wobbly, so we are replacing them tonight and putting the basking light back where it was.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

It really depends on the temperature of where he likes to bask. If it's warm enough outside the basking lamp's reach, that's fine. If it's not warm enough, he'll likely find the warm spot he seeks eventually.

Do you have a digital thermometer with probe to measure the temp of the basking site?
You can also use it to determine if it's warm enough at the top of his enclosure outside the lamp's reach.

IOW, you kinda need to know what's going on before you can figure out what's going on (and what to do).

 

[Beman]

Hey!

We got our adult 2yr old panther two days ago, and he barely chills on the vine below the basking light we provided. We are replacing the vine with a stick of the same kind as the ones he seems to enjoy the most, but today he ate and I was worried he wouldn't bask so I moved the basking light to a spot where he was chilling (and tends to chill-out on a lot).

He still has plenty of places to hide and cool down, but I want to make sure he digests fine.

Is this ok? Should I not have done this and waited for him to go to the light? I really think it's because he doesn't like the vines we placed for him which are a bit wobbly, so we are replacing them tonight and putting the basking light back where it was.

They feel the difference in the heat. So more then likely he was content where he was. Really this is dependent on your temps ambient and your basking temp. Also he is 2 years old and totally new to this enclosure and to you. So he is going to be more hesitant until he settles in.

What are your basking temps and ambient temps and how are you measuring them. Also can you post a picture of the entire enclosure lights down?

 

[Benclark]

I noticed the same thing with my veiled when he was younger. What I learned is that chameleons are pretty good at finding comfortable places. If he is cold he would seek warmer spots and if he was too hot he would find cooler places. It really comes down to the ambient and basking temperatures, so I would recommend using a thermometer to get an idea of what temperatures you are dealing with. It is easy to tell that chameleons are very careful when they move by the way walk, so maybe replacing the vine with something more solid like a stick would make him feel more comfortable.