Greenhouses in a Warm Climate?

[Motherlode Chameleon]

That is much colder than I assumed for Florida. I use my sun cages only on sunny days which may be something to consider. If you are looking for something year round with those kind of temperature swings an greenhouse on a thermostat may be best. It can be expensive though. A friend Jeff keeps his panthers outside all summer in a sun cage and during June-August it is normally always over 100F. He has a heavily planted cage and a constant drip and his chameleon are doing quite well.

 

[jannb]

The past couple of years we have has some crazy weather. Both years is was in the low 30's at night for 2 weeks in a row.....warmed up then back down to the 30's for two more weeks. I know Jeff he lives about 30 minutes from me. Allot of FL keepers keep them outside and they survive but I want more than for them just to survive I want to provide them with an excellent life. We have a big 9x8x6 cage for Luie on our back screened porch (can be seen in the link below) with shade, plants misting system and the works but that does not keep him the correct temps.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/some-chameleon-temps-too-high-31021/

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

The past couple of years we have has some crazy weather. Both years is was in the low 30's at night for 2 weeks in a row.....warmed up then back down to the 30's for two more weeks. I know Jeff he lives about 30 minutes from me. Allot of FL keepers keep them outside and they survive but I want more than for them just to survive I want to provide them with an excellent life. We have a big 9x8x6 cage for Luie on our back screened porch (can be seen in the link below) with shade, plants misting system and the works but that does not keep him the correct temps.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/some-chameleon-temps-too-high-31021/

I'm not talking just surviving I mean thriving. The Jeff I'm referring to is out of Sacramento California.

 

[james L]

Jeffs chams are doing more then just surviving.......
I guess all of the wild chams throughout FL are just getting by....

 

[jannb]

I'm not talking just surviving I mean thriving. The Jeff I'm referring to if out of Sacramento California.

Two Jeff's with outside chams. Allot of keepers do it here in FL but I'd be crazy with the temp gun glued to my hand. A couple more pics of Luie's outside cage. It's great for a few hours a day a few months a year and I can never put my female in it because she will eat the wild anoles. Luie never bothers them he's such a sweetheart.

 

[Scott85]

I have been wanting a greenhouse for my plants and animals for a long time. Up north we have just the opposite problem, keeping them warm in the winter. The best method that I could find for such was a "pit style" greenhouse. These are basically greenhouses dug 6-8 feet into the ground, and uses the earth's constant temperature as a heatsink. Its kind of like a basement with a glass roof, but not really, some are built into hills.

I don't know if it would be work in you situation, most of the references are for cold locations, but these are some of the most temperature stable greenhouses. Might be worth looking into.


*There are some pics on this page about half way down. Just to give you a better idea of what I am talking about.
http://begotka.com/HappyTexasFarm/?tag=compost

 

[JackP308]

inline fans and exhaust fans

 

[Dez]

I wish I had a book or such to recommend. I would recommend two on line sources: Hummert International and Growers Supply. Often just browsing the pages of equipment and options will give you an idea of what can be done.

You can cool greeenhouses in warm climates, where outside air is as warm or warmer than you want indside your GH, with the last cooling phase being evaporative cooling via a water wall, and shade cloths to reduce the sun's impact. Prior to those phases, while the outside air is still cooler than the temperature you want inside your greenhouse, pulling in outside air via vent and exhaust fans will do. All can be run on thermostats.

There are many heaters available for GH's. Google those two companies, and start window shopping !

You should write a book, Jim.

 

[Dez]

Two Jeff's with outside chams. Allot of keepers do it here in FL but I'd be crazy with the temp gun glued to my hand. A couple more pics of Luie's outside cage. It's great for a few hours a day a few months a year and I can never put my female in it because she will eat the wild anoles. Luie never bothers them he's such a sweetheart.

I love your outside cage Jann. I'm trying to get Jason to Build one very much like that. Only I want mine on the outside of a sliding glass door we never use so I can open it from inside the house as well as from the outside. (our house has 3 sliding glass doors on one wall..its a little excessive )

 

[Chameleon Company]

The past couple of years we have has some crazy weather. Both years is was in the low 30's at night for 2 weeks in a row.....warmed up then back down to the 30's for two more weeks. I know Jeff he lives about 30 minutes from me. Allot of FL keepers keep them outside and they survive but I want more than for them just to survive I want to provide them with an excellent life. We have a big 9x8x6 cage for Luie on our back screened porch (can be seen in the link below) with shade, plants misting system and the works but that does not keep him the correct temps.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/some-chameleon-temps-too-high-31021/

Just to add a couple of notes here. A few have mentioned that greenhouses do not work well in Florida, specifically with regard to cooling because of humidity.

Folks, Florida has more greenhouses than any state in the Union. And we cool them. That's not to dismiss the issues at hand, but the advice rendered was too much speculation. I have kept chameleons in greenhouses in FL for close to 10 years now.

Jann, as you note above, Florida has its temperature issues of late. A greenhouse can help mitigate some issues, but for every one it solves, it can create a new problem. Once enclosed, your animals are now much more reliant on mechanics and human management. If something fails, and the back-up not adequate, your chameleons die real quick, especially if you lose ventilation and cooling. One advantege of getting our chameleons out of the greenhouse in the warmer months (Apr-Oct) is that, despite our back-ups, we know that a sudden mechanical issue, or pair of issues, will not kill our animals in 15 minutes as can happen in a GH.

With a greenhouse, heat will become your biggest potential disaster, not cold. A mechanical breakdown will allow over-heating far more quickly than it will enable under-heating. But you can easily cool a GH in Florida so long as it is not too long. I think 50' is OK. Longer with shadecloths.

These things I know

 

[Chase]

Don't know if this is exactly what you were talking about. Was thinking about constructing one in the future if I ever work with larger species of chameleons

http://www.chameleonnews.com/07FebMorris.html

Hope it helps though!

 

[primestick]

You got to look at where thiese things come from this is the climate for yemen (not weather)
Extreme humidity combines with high temperatures—as high as 54° C (129° F ) in the shade—to produce a stiflingly hot climate. Winds blowing northwest in summer and southwest in winter bring little rain but cause severe sandstorms. During January and February, however, the temperature averages about 20° C (68° F ). The climate of the highlands is generally considered the best in Arabia. Summers are temperate and winters are cool, with some frost. Temperatures vary from 22° C (72° F ) in June, the hottest month, to 14° C (57° F ) in January. Rainfall in the highlands ranges from 41 cm (16 in) at Sana to 81 cm (32 in) in the monsoon area of the extreme southwest. The average year-round temperature at Sana is 18° C (64° F ).



Read more: Climate - Yemen - average, area, temperature http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/Asia-and-Oceania/Yemen-CLIMATE.html#ixzz1EStf8G7S

I think a misting system would work just fine for keeping the chams cool, the water evaporating off the cham would cool it enogh to lower its body temp to an acceptiable range. If you are still worried put a fan in that sucks air in and one to blow air out. Think about it though humans can keep a 98.6 as long as we have water to sweat out.