Thunder and Lightning!

[MATT2504]

Thunder and Lightning, and all thing frightening!

I am sat here watching what could be the starts of a decent thunder storm, and was wondering if we try so hard to mimic a chameleons habitat in respect to water, temp and humidity! would it be unrealistic to mimic the thunder and lightining? i ask this question not because i love sitting outside in the middle of a storm but because it is also part of a chameleons life in the wild!
Some fish keepers in the marine world do also mimic the storm simulations in there tanks, so i was wondering if it could be tried in the reptile world also.

 

[Jammonlee]

The ecozone vivarium controller has an input option for a strobe light to simulate lightning. Not sure its meant for the chameleons but maybe other reptiles. I always wondered the same though...just didnt want to see a flashing strobe light in the middle of the night in my living room lol

 

[millerman6401]

as long as its not too cold or lightninh doesnt strike your cage if its made of metal im sure its fine, if he gets stressed id take em in.

 

[Thezillaman21]

I am sat here watching what could be the starts of a decent thunder storm, and was wondering if we try so hard to mimic a chameleons habitat in respect to water, temp and humidity! would it be unrealistic to mimic the thunder and lightining? i ask this question not because i love sitting outside in the middle of a storm but because it is also part of a chameleons life in the wild!
Some fish keepers in the marine world do also mimic the storm simulations in there tanks, so i was wondering if it could be tried in the reptile world also.

haha thats a REALLY GOOD QUESTION i have no idea but i would think it would stress them but who knows? lol thier is SO SO SO MUCH stuff to learn about chameleons lol i have not discovered anything new but i still feel like a pioneer.

 

[bigben2057]

how would it help them?

 

[MATT2504]

how would it help them?

It's not about how it would help them mate! it's all about simulating there natural enviournment, as everyone keeps going on about. Why not introduce something a little different into there lifes (not really any different than introducing a different feeder, just because your bored of giving him the same food all the time!) JMO

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Well A new feeder is a nutritional item that can be used as part of a varied dietary plan.

Thunder cant be heard by chams because they dont have traditional hearing the way we do or dogs and cats do. So that wouldnt really benefit or harm them in any way. Just disturb you more than anything. The lightning aspect is really not feasible in a caged enviroment. How are you going to simulate lightning? A strobe light isnt going to be even remotely close to a traditional lightning strike. Prob do nothing more than stress the cham out and may affect his/her vision over time.

 

[MATT2504]

Well A new feeder is a nutritional item that can be used as part of a varied dietary plan.

Thunder cant be heard by chams because they dont have traditional hearing the way we do or dogs and cats do. So that wouldnt really benefit or harm them in any way. Just disturb you more than anything. The lightning aspect is really not feasible in a caged enviroment. How are you going to simulate lightning? A strobe light isnt going to be even remotely close to a traditional lightning strike. Prob do nothing more than stress the cham out and may affect his/her vision over time.

To start, you don't need to hear thunder to actually feel it! i am in the planning stage at the moment like i said. I was thinking of having a seperate light apart from the UV and basking one's (maybe the plant grow light, and have it plummed into a pc simulation programme to simulate the lightning, like the one i have seen on Marine fish tanks. This will happen Day or night throught the thundry seasons in Madagascar, as this will not be a problem for me (with the noise) nearly being half deaf through noise endused hearing loss!!

 

[Olimpia]

Well, I assume it rains where you live every once in a while? Just keep the window blinds up during a storm and voila! He'll feel the thunder and see the lightning. Or if it's a summer storm you might even be able to keep him outside in a cage thorugh it. I've kept mine out during rainstorms this summer and they've done well with the sun and water.

I don't think it's necesary to replicate it inside. It's not something they really need at all. Not like the water aspect of storms and rain.

Edit- I hope this doesn't sound as negative as I think it might come out, but I'm just chatting matter of factly I really don't think it's necessary at all, or in any way sort of beneficial. I think experiencing it from near a window or outside in a cage is more than enough, but it doesn't need to be replicated. If you're going to put effort into replicating the minutia of their environment you might as well throw in some small lizards, some poisonous insects, some rotting vegetation.... you know? lol I think if you really want to keep your chameleon psychologically and emotionally healthy, put him outside in a cage for a few hours/days at a time. You can't replicate birds flying overhead, or the wind in the trees, but this is stuff he'll see outside and it'll provide plenty of visual stimuli.

If you have the means, I think building him a great, sturdy outside cage for the nice months of the year will be SOOO beneficial. Think of all the natural UVB! Spend your money on something like that over specialty bulbs and sound machines!

 

[MATT2504]

Well, I assume it rains where you live every once in a while? Just keep the window blinds up during a storm and voila! He'll feel the thunder and see the lightning. Or if it's a summer storm you might even be able to keep him outside in a cage thorugh it. I've kept mine out during rainstorms this summer and they've done well with the sun and water.

I don't think it's necesary to replicate it inside. It's not something they really need at all. Not like the water aspect of storms and rain.

I get were your coming from! however, do the rain forests in Madagascar not have a few stormy showers through the night? it's just i am a little bit different in the respect of the normal, and i like to be original in my ideas! i just want to simulate the natural enviourment for my buddy for when iam away! (we don't have the tropical thunder storms as much as in Madascar ) so i am just trying to think of way to keep him happy for when i am away!

 

[Jammonlee]

I'll be following and keeping an eye for updates.

Keep us informed!

 

[Carlton]

i ask this question not because i love sitting outside in the middle of a storm but because it is also part of a chameleons life in the wild!
Some fish keepers in the marine world do also mimic the storm simulations in there tanks, so i was wondering if it could be tried in the reptile world also.

Well, most of our chams are cbb and haven't experienced storms so they probably wouldn't care or notice. A cham in the wild would most likely be in a more sheltered forest area during a big storm (to avoid wind and pelting rain) so whether they pay much attention to thunder or lightening is doubtful. The flash of lightning might be annoying or stressful if you insisted on creating it every day.

I've lived in CO and NJ while having chams and experienced lots of storms. Didn't see any sign they cared one way or another. The one thing I wonder about is the big buildup of static charge or barometric pressure shifts from an approaching storm and whether they might be sensitive to that.

 

[MATT2504]

Well, most of our chams are cbb and haven't experienced storms so they probably wouldn't care or notice. A cham in the wild would most likely be in a more sheltered forest area during a big storm (to avoid wind and pelting rain) so whether they pay much attention to thunder or lightening is doubtful. The flash of lightning might be annoying or stressful if you insisted on creating it every day.

I've lived in CO and NJ while having chams and experienced lots of storms. Didn't see any sign they cared one way or another. The one thing I wonder about is the big buildup of static charge or barometric pressure shifts from an approaching storm and whether they might be sensitive to that.

Most of us have never fallen out of a tree before! however we all have the same natural instint to wake our self from a deep sleep if we think were falling to our deaths!! (any chance someone is getting where i come from???)

 

[Carlton]

Most of us have never fallen out of a tree before! however we all have the same natural instint to wake our self from a deep sleep if we think were falling to our deaths!! (any chance someone is getting where i come from???)

You can do whatever you want...my point was I don't think your chams will care or notice much at all.

 

[MATT2504]

You can do whatever you want...my point was I don't think your chams will care or notice much at all.

Carlton, it's so hard to get what you want to say across in the form of a "text message" so please don't take these comminucaions as hostile! I just really wated to know what the experts (thats all chameleon keepers) thought of my idea of trying to be 100% ish natural

 

[bigben2057]

There is absolutely no benefit at all it may actually harm them in the wild if they cant sleep.

 

[Olimpia]

I wrote this as an add-on to my previous comment but I don't think you've seen it so I'll just repost and add to it:

I hope this doesn't sound as negative as I think it might come out, but I'm just chatting matter of factly I really don't think it's necessary at all, or in any way sort of beneficial. I think experiencing it from near a window or outside in a cage is more than enough, but it doesn't need to be replicated. If you're going to put effort into replicating the minutia of their environment you might as well throw in some small lizards, some poisonous insects, some rotting vegetation.... you know? lol I think if you really want to keep your chameleon psychologically and emotionally healthy, put him outside in a cage for a few hours/days at a time. You can't replicate birds flying overhead, or the wind in the trees, but this is stuff he'll see outside and it'll provide plenty of visual stimuli.

If you have the means, I think building him a great, sturdy outside cage for the nice months of the year will be SOOO beneficial. Think of all the natural UVB! Spend your money on something like that over specialty bulbs and sound machines!

I applaud you for trying to replicate things in captivity to enrich the life of your guy, but I think there are more... what's the word, more measurable benefits to be had by doing other things. A cage outside would provide a 1000 different things you can't replicate indoors without buying birds, setting up wind fans, grassy smells, little lizards running around, insects flying around.... etc. etc.