absolutbill
Chameleon Enthusiast
Hi All! With Milton barreling down on those of us in FL, I figured it was a good time to brush off some helpful hints and tricks I've learned in my 20+ years of living down here.
1. Get feeders now. Don't get them shipped, unless you are paying for overnight, because they will be delayed in transit (like I'm sure my silks will be that I ordered yesterday without thinking it through... Apparently I am not immune from bone-headed thinking)
2. Have food to feed those feeders, as well as water. For a few days powdered food and water crystals will suffice - not to be used long term, but in a pinch when you don't have power for a week, it will work.
3. Have a go-box for each of your animals, in easy reach, and with everything you need in them (this is good advice for everyone all of the time, but especially now). For my chams I have shoeboxes with a towel in the bottom, and a bendy vine to grab. Mesh laundry pop-up hampers also work great as temp cages, with a bendy vine zip-tied into it.
4. If you have a lanai, make sure you have a tree for each chameleon, and distance from each other. During Irma we were out of power for a week. I would take my boys to the lanai (thankfully the screens didn't rip) and put them in the tree. We didn't have power so I sat out there monitoring them. I think they could feel the barometric drop and understood they were not to try to fight each other. We had bearded dragons at the time, so I made a little corner for them, with a barracade (we also have cats) so they were safe. And again, I was out there each day.
5. Start filling containers with water for misting, and general cleaning. If you have a spare bathtub they are great to fill so you have potable water, but even gallon containers filled and sitting around would work.
6. Get a box of latex gloves - again, depending on the severity of the storm you could be out of power and water for days (if you are on a well and lose your equipment it cannot legally be turned back on until after your power is restored).
That's all I can think of at the moment. I'm not on here constantly, so if you have a pressing question that you need help with, feel free to email me at: [email protected] (please don't steal that address and spam me, though!) Good luck to those already suffering from Helene and to those of us facing down Milton.
1. Get feeders now. Don't get them shipped, unless you are paying for overnight, because they will be delayed in transit (like I'm sure my silks will be that I ordered yesterday without thinking it through... Apparently I am not immune from bone-headed thinking)
2. Have food to feed those feeders, as well as water. For a few days powdered food and water crystals will suffice - not to be used long term, but in a pinch when you don't have power for a week, it will work.
3. Have a go-box for each of your animals, in easy reach, and with everything you need in them (this is good advice for everyone all of the time, but especially now). For my chams I have shoeboxes with a towel in the bottom, and a bendy vine to grab. Mesh laundry pop-up hampers also work great as temp cages, with a bendy vine zip-tied into it.
4. If you have a lanai, make sure you have a tree for each chameleon, and distance from each other. During Irma we were out of power for a week. I would take my boys to the lanai (thankfully the screens didn't rip) and put them in the tree. We didn't have power so I sat out there monitoring them. I think they could feel the barometric drop and understood they were not to try to fight each other. We had bearded dragons at the time, so I made a little corner for them, with a barracade (we also have cats) so they were safe. And again, I was out there each day.
5. Start filling containers with water for misting, and general cleaning. If you have a spare bathtub they are great to fill so you have potable water, but even gallon containers filled and sitting around would work.
6. Get a box of latex gloves - again, depending on the severity of the storm you could be out of power and water for days (if you are on a well and lose your equipment it cannot legally be turned back on until after your power is restored).
That's all I can think of at the moment. I'm not on here constantly, so if you have a pressing question that you need help with, feel free to email me at: [email protected] (please don't steal that address and spam me, though!) Good luck to those already suffering from Helene and to those of us facing down Milton.
you stay safe down there! I have family in Florida on west coast. Our thoughts are with you all!
