Conflicting info

[sisco]

It seems no matter what I read about chameleons there is always other info saying the exact oppisite. One question. Some say you dont need a night bulb
but I live in Canada. In the winter its - 40 outside at night and I think my cham would get way too cold without it. Thoughts?

Sisco

 

[Mike]

What are the temperatures inside your house at night?

 

[Zerah Morris]

Cisco,
the question would become if you are going to keep the cham outside at night when it is 40! If so you will need to find someway to heat the cage. I assume you heat your home, right? Most species really need a night time temperature drop. Certain montane species live in areas with very cold night time temps, and thrive as long as given the opportunity to warm themselves during the day. If the room you keep them in gets cold enough to dictate the use of a nighttime heat source I would say you are much better served to get an electric oil filled portable radiator and heat the room, you could sleep in there as well!

Please link source material recommending the use of night time bulbs with chameleons. I would be surprised if it was not extremely outdated information.

 

[Will Hayward]

For everyone posting in the thread, Sisco stated the temperature was -40 degrees. In Canada we use Celsius which would equal to -40 fahrenheit. Odd how that works out isnt it.


Sisco, Fellow Canuck.
Unless you have a Professional built Year-round greenhouse with climate control, there is no way you are going to be able to keep chameleons outdoors during the winter.

I live in southern Ontario and I don't have too much of a problem with temperatures indoors during the night because of the central Air/furnace heating. I personally keep mine in the basement where it won;t drop below 15C on the coldest night.

You'll need to plan out which rooms stay at what temperatures, you may need to adjust the thermostat to suit thae chameleons need, and not yours. Or, you may need to move the cage into a different room for a few months of the year.

-Friendly Forum Canucklehead

 

[Jordan]

If it is a veiled it can take it all the way down to freezing. I would not really suggest doing this to the animal but it could do it. The slow and sometimes even stop the blood flow in their outer layer of skin when they sleep. This gives them a barrier between the cold and their blood it helps them to lose heat slower over the night. Humans do this to when they are cold. Only they slow blood in their limbs to retain their core temperature. This is why frost bite is common on the toes and fingers. With out the blood moving as much to the core to heat up it can freeze. If your chameleon was outside in that weather it would most definately happen to her. Inside the house this should not really be an issue. As long as it heats up during the day. A sleeping veiled could take longer exposure to freezing temperature then you could without dying.

Remind me to stay out of Canada I hate cold weather.

 

[sisco]

LOL
I'm not trying to keep her outside. But when its gets that cold outside the temp in the house is about mid 60's. With the night bulb her enclosure stays around 80 at night. During the day I keep it right around 90.

 

[ChameleonsTree]

What kind of chameleon is this. If i missed where you said ...im sorry.

 

[sisco]

Veiled. Thats her in the pic.

 

[LunaC]

LOL
I'm not trying to keep her outside. But when its gets that cold outside the temp in the house is about mid 60's. With the night bulb her enclosure stays around 80 at night. During the day I keep it right around 90.

Mid-60's (Fahrenheit) at night is fine! Veileds do better with a temp drop at night, so lose the night bulb

 

[Will Hayward]

Mid sixties are fine for a night temperature.

80s is too hot at night. Quite a bit too hot. The heat during the day is important for almost all reptiles to digest food and for energy, but at night, chameleons benefit from the drop in temperature to absorb their nutrient intake.

 

[Jordan]

When reptiles sleep it is almost like they go into a short hibernation. The cool temperatures let them slow their metabolism substaintionally. In all animals doctors say that they have a given number of heart beats in their life time. Letting them slow it down with cooler temperatures is very good for their longevity. This is how they come up with those stastistics like smoking a cigeratte takes off so many years of your life. They know how many beats a heart can produce and how much a cigeratte can speed it up.

The sixties seems like a good temperature for a veiled.

 

[sisco]

So I keep the enclosure around 90 degrees F (is this ok) in the day and in the mid 60's at night. thats a temp drop of 25 dergrees is that too much.

Sisco

 

[Jordan]

There is no actual temperature you are shooting for at night. With other species it could be an actual concern but with veileds it is not. When people say they are hardy and beginner type chameleons this is exactly what they are talking about. You should not really be concerned with this. Veileds are not effected badly by what you are talking about.

The only spot in my cage that is 90's is the basking spot. THe rest is 80's.

 

[Brad]

You need to create a temperature gradient within the cage. This allows the chameleon to move around and regulate its own temperature. Basking temps should be at the top of the cage; try to get closer to 100F.

 

[Jordan]

Cisco are you stil caging your veiled in that aycrilic cage. This will make it hard for the heat to excape. Like brad said a gradient.

When you have a mesh cage it will also create a convection air flow. The air at the top is heated to the point where it goes out of the top. The rest of the air is slowly pulled up as it is heated. This will draw air into the cage also giving them fresh air. The lower end of the cage will stay cooler and if it is big enough there maybe some spots out around the sides that will be cooler. This gives them a chance to thermoregulate the way they want to. If you have to save up for awhile to get on of these the cages then the one you have will be adaquite for a little while longer. Since it is colder where you are if you could build one it might be better at holding humidity and stabilizing the heat more properly. A back and two solid sides would help out a lot as cold weather pulls moister out of everything. Make the bottom, top and front door out of mesh. With the basking bulb up front it would still be able to offer a good convection flow and gradient within the cage. Will lives up in Canada and I believe he uses similiar set-ups. I guess it would cut down on the veiwing some for you but she would probably like it. I have never used one of these set-ups but I have seen alot of people opt for them that live further north.

 

[sisco]

Cisco are you stil caging your veiled in that aycrilic cage. This will make it hard for the heat to excape. Like brad said a gradient.

Ya shes still in the tank as the new enclosure is not finished. (went plant shopping today) I covered the 3 sides with a mesh so she only has glass on the front. shes still pretty young so I dont think the refelction bothers her for now.

 

[sisco]

You need to create a temperature gradient within the cage. This allows the chameleon to move around and regulate its own temperature. Basking temps should be at the top of the cage; try to get closer to 100F.

I have a heat lamp on one side and the night bulb on the other side. The hot side stays in the mid 90's and the cool side is in the low 80's during the day.

 

[Jordan]

She looks like she is going to be a colorful girl. She looks very healthy. I do not really know I guess I would be more concerned with a male then a females seeing their reflection.

My girl sits in front of the window and she can see her reflection sometimes. It is funny because after the sun goes down moths will come flying up to the window because of the light and I can tell she is still trying to figure out how to get to them. There is about a five foot drop out the window and a tree next to it. I will catch her during the day just looking outside.