Humidity and heat loss

Thoughtsand opinions please. I've had to wrap my cage with plastic to prevent heat and humidity loss. What about using a few emergency mylar blankets? I've been thinking about it about it but would appreciate some input.
 
Thoughtsand opinions please. I've had to wrap my cage with plastic to prevent heat and humidity loss. What about using a few emergency mylar blankets? I've been thinking about it about it but would appreciate some input.
Chameleon Info: if all your looking for is help on your setup fill out the cage info portion.





  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.




Cage Info:





  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?




Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.





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Please Note:





  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 
Agreed please fill out the form. We don’t want to give you incorrect advice and the only way we know is having detailed info on your Cham and the enclosure with specifics on your heat and humidity levels currently.
 
Chameleon Info: if all your looking for is help on your setup fill out the cage info portion.





  • Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
  • Female jackson, supposedly 9 months old, 3 months
  • Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
  • Once a month to clean her cage.
  • Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
  • Crickets, horned worms, and super worms
  • Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
  • Daily dust with bee pollen, every other reptical (no d3) , d3 every 2 weeks. Average about 8 crickets a day. Feed after her morning spraying.
  • Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
  • Misting 3 to 4 times daily for 4-5 minutes and dripper. She drinks daily.
  • Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
  • Nice big dark poo. I'll try to attach photo. No hasn't been tested. Still trying to find a exotic vet.
  • History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.
  • Bought at a local pet shop.




Cage Info:





  • Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
  • Reptibreeze 36"
  • Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
  • T5 uvb, basking bulb is 80 watt I think, and a ceramic heat bulb
  • Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
  • Basking 85, ambient 80, floor 70, night 75
  • Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
  • 50-80% misting and live plants. Digital guage
  • Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
  • Mass cane, croton and pothos
  • Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
  • On a table in my bedroom
  • Location - Where are you geographically located?
  • Indian Mound Tennessee




Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.





--------------





Please Note:





  1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
  2. Photos can be very helpful.
 

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Thoughtsand opinions please. I've had to wrap my cage with plastic to prevent heat and humidity loss. What about using a few emergency mylar blankets? I've been thinking about it about it but would appreciate some input.

Your chams won't appreciate being surrounded by fabric that can reflect a distorted image of themselves every time they move. There are much easier ways to wrap a cage...clear vinyl shower curtains or curtain liners are readily available and work great. BTW, why are you needing to prevent heat LOSS? No cham will want a cage that has no temperature fluctuation either by day or night or top to bottom. They thermoregulate themselves pretty will with the correct lighting.
 
Your husbandry looks pretty good. I'd aim for around 50ish% humidity during the day with closer to 80-90 at night. Some heavy early morning and after lights out at night mist sessions help with that. Some use foggers at night, depending on your situation that may or may not be necessary. Like mentioned, not sure why you're worried about heat, it's actually a bit warm for night, jacksons like it cool. I'd let it get down to at least the low 60s if possible. On a side note, a little bit of preformed vitamin A(retinol) would be good to add each month.
 
Your chams won't appreciate being surrounded by fabric that can reflect a distorted image of themselves every time they move. There are much easier ways to wrap a cage...clear vinyl shower curtains or curtain liners are readily available and work great. BTW, why are you needing to prevent heat LOSS? No cham will want a cage that has no temperature fluctuation either by day or night or top to bottom. They thermoregulate themselves pretty will with the correct lighting.
Worried about heat loss and drafts due to my air conditioning is now running. I currently have the cage wrapped in a medium weight plastic on 3 sides. Since I have definitely notice that the humidity and temperature has dropped a few degrees. But yes, that makes perfect sense about the reflection... that's what I was wondering about. I'm currently looking at fogger systems to increase the humidity at night.
 
Your husbandry looks pretty good. I'd aim for around 50ish% humidity during the day with closer to 80-90 at night. Some heavy early morning and after lights out at night mist sessions help with that. Some use foggers at night, depending on your situation that may or may not be necessary. Like mentioned, not sure why you're worried about heat, it's actually a bit warm for night, jacksons like it cool. I'd let it get down to at least the low 60s if possible. On a side note, a little bit of preformed vitamin A(retinol) would be good to add each month.
I'm sure it does get a little cooler at night now that my air conditioning is running. I've been noticing that I have been loosing a couple degrees since I've been running a/c. Just trying to keep Dinah Shore as comfortable as possible. I just generally like to ask folks that know more than myself before changing something that'sgoing to have a big impact.... bouncing ideas and such.
 
Overall you seem to have done your research and have a good grasp on everything (y). I'd let it get as cool as you can at night. Montanes like big night drops. Unless it's going to the low 40s regularly in your house I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep the humidity high at night and you'll be good. I don't have a jacksons(though I plan to one day), but I have a Parsons which is a montane chameleon. He has handled temperatures down into the 40s before just fine.
 
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