Moon light

[DirtyDubbz]

Hi I'v had this dispute for a wile now see I use a moonlight "nightlight" for my guy his cage is 30 tall by 26wide and 16 deep he seems to enjoy the night light even though he does not need to be under it seems he likes it, a lot of you seem to not use one and just wonder why I understand that at night they need cooler temps tires but it's the same consept warmer up top and cool at the bottom so I don't see why people nock the "moon light or purple light " because there is a moon where they live that dose give off light.What are you comments on the debate just wondering

 

[symphonica]

They need complete darkness to sleep, and establishing a consistent sleep cycle is very important for them. The whole, "chams can't see moonlights or red nighttime bulbs" is not true - they can, and they will mess with their sleep cycles. And natural moonlight is totally different from LED moonlights.

 

[FrankTheTank]

Just as symphonica said, this disturbs their sleep. If you leave it on long enough, you will notice your chameleon sleeping during the day. This can have very negative affects on your chams health

 

[grimjob]

but don't they sleep in the wild right out on the very tip of the branches? i know in the pitch of the dark with a full moon it puts out a nice light, just saying

 

[Cami2013]

All I can say is thank goodness I found this fantastic forum! Along with plenty of other incorrect equipment, I was sold a "night" light when I purchased my cham (spontaneous PetsMart purchase - terrible, I know - see this link for my first post ever on this forum describing my experience https://www.chameleonforums.com/why-people-kill-chameleons-57565/index5.html#post1102204). Because of all the recommendations from REPUTABLE posts to turn all lights off at night, I fairly recently started this practice and Cami LOVES it!!! When having a night heat lamp on, I would check on her throughout the night and she would wake every time I walked in the room, definitely easily disrupted sleep pattern. Since I have started turning all lights off at night, within 5 minutes of her lights going off, she is asleep and does not wake until lights on in the morning. I continue to check on her periodically throughout the night and she never wakes up. It seems as if she can almost sense when the lights are about to go out, she positions herself on her favorite branch to sleep, tail curled, and head partially camouflaged by vines and her eyes become "heavy". SO ADORABLE!

 

[jmwhitel]

but don't they sleep in the wild right out on the very tip of the branches? i know in the pitch of the dark with a full moon it puts out a nice light, just saying

I have always thought and wondered this. My chams have always lived in my office, where there are lights on (computer screens) at night. Never seems to disturb their sleep. Just my .02

 

[SoCal Soldier]

They need complete darkness to sleep, and establishing a consistent sleep cycle is very important for them. The whole, "chams can't see moonlights or red nighttime bulbs" is not true - they can, and they will mess with their sleep cycles. And natural moonlight is totally different from LED moonlights.

Mine does not need complete darkeness, of course the light in the room but I still have my tv on and I use a Exo Terra Night heat lamp night vision. She does perfectly fine and goes right to bed once I put that light on and turn the room light off. I had used the infrared light when I first got her but after 3 days of monitoring her I saw it was keeping her up, the infrared is BS but that could just be mine. I try to monitor her daily both day and night. If you use a light I use its half the price of the moonlight, unless you want to go with brand. No matter what I would say whatever you do just monitor your Cham.

 

[qdude46]

They may have there eyes closed but they can still see a little. Also, moonlight is a lot more dim them unatural light bulbs.

 

[SoCal Soldier]

ya but I have monitored her through the night not just an hour. She does fine since I am home a lot more now. She stays asleep through the night, sometimes only waking up to move closer to the light then goes right back to sleep. Her sleep schedule is a 14 up 10asleep and 12 on 12 asleep. From what I have read it can vary just like how mine is

 

[symphonica]

They may have there eyes closed but they can still see a little. Also, moonlight is a lot more dim them unatural light bulbs.

Exactly. Just because their eyes are closed doesn't mean they've entered the deep sleep they require.

Yes, there is moonlight in the wild. But are the chams 6" away from the moon? Chameleons have a photosensitive "3rd eye" or partial eye that enables them to sense where light is coming from. It's at the top of their head (just looks like a light-colored scale). This eye helps them to find good places to bask and let's them know to regulate UV exposure. Therefore, even if their eyes are closed, that third eye still sees that moonlight and it is disturbing their sleep cycle. In the wild, they know the brightness of the moon, it's distance from them, etc. They're also usually not at the tip top of the tree while sleeping. They're hidden in the branches, where the branches and leaves, not to mention the clouds, filter and block out the moonlight. They're usually not 6" away from the moon, either.

 

[CarlC]

Perfectly said Symphonica!

Carl

 

[DirtyDubbz]

I guess it's the chameleons personal preference

 

[FrankTheTank]

There isn't any chameleon that prefers their sleep to be disturbed. Chameleons can't talk and tell you how they slept the night before. Why jeopardize your chameleons health bc you THINK they like it? I don't understand the logic there. Chameleons not only need darkness but they also require lower temperatures at night to go into a deep sleep. Temperatures can easily drop in the 60's at night. If they're bodies are heated at night then they sleep much lighter. The only time you should use a CERAMIC heater is if your cage drops in the low 50's or less. But most peoples homes are heated in the 60's so this shouldn't be necessary for any keeper. If you want your chameleon to live a happy and HEALTHY life, then ditch the night bulbs. They aren't useful at all in the keeping of chameleons

 

[symphonica]

There isn't any chameleon that prefers their sleep to be disturbed. Chameleons can't talk and tell you how they slept the night before. Why jeopardize your chameleons health bc you THINK they like it? I don't understand the logic there. Chameleons not only need darkness but they also require lower temperatures at night to go into a deep sleep. Temperatures can easily drop in the 60's at night. If they're bodies are heated at night then they sleep much lighter. The only time you should use a CERAMIC heater is if your cage drops in the low 50's or less. But most peoples homes are heated in the 60's so this shouldn't be necessary for any keeper. If you want your chameleon to live a happy and HEALTHY life, then ditch the night bulbs. They aren't useful at all in the keeping of chameleons

Wait, you mean the voices I've been hearing aren't really my chameleons'???
Exactly - what signs let you know that they actually like it?
Sleep vs. deep sleep are different. Not much wakes my chams up. I'm sure they have REM cycles, too. You see all those commercials for mattresses and medications, about waking up still tired after enough sleep because you're not getting a deep, restful sleep. Same thing with chams.