Was he just cold?

[ShaneXD45]

This morning around 5am I came out to turn Spike's lights on and he was on a vine down in the bottom of his cage. That seemed strange by itself. He has a favorite place to sleep. I misted him like normal but he didn't move. He just sat there. Frozen. There were crickets crawling around on him which he hates! I picked him up and he was lifeless. thought for sure he had died. I sat him back down and went to work and came home and he seems fine! Was he just cold? Or what would cause him to freeze up like that? It was cold last night but the thermometer in his enclosure was at 61/62.

 

[BobS346]

That sounds to me like he was chilled.

 

[johnnyev]

This morning around 5am I came out to turn Spike's lights on and he was on a vine down in the bottom of his cage. That seemed strange by itself. He has a favorite place to sleep. I misted him like normal but he didn't move. He just sat there. Frozen. There were crickets crawling around on him which he hates! I picked him up and he was lifeless. thought for sure he had died. I sat him back down and went to work and came home and he seems fine! Was he just cold? Or what would cause him to freeze up like that? It was cold last night but the thermometer in his enclosure was at 61/62.

What species are we talking about? I'd be surprised if it was cold, unless your thermometer is well out.
A panther would be fine at those night time temps & i have kept them a little lower, with no problems. And kept Yemens into the low 40'sf at night, with no problems.

 

[ShaneXD45]

He is a Jacksons

 

[Forestdellic]

It sounds like the chameleon was just chilled and just needed some time to "wake up". However leaving crickets inside the enclosure over night is playing with fire. They could nibble on your chameleon's feet and tail and cause unnecessary stress. I would suggest taking them or the majority at least, if it's a big cage, out before the lights go off. If the food bothers the chameleon he might associate that food item with annoyances and start to refuse it's food.

61-62F is fine. Panthers can tolerate night temps down to the low 50sF

 

[Chance Leon G]

cold behavior

I have noted the same behavior when it gets down to 60 degrees.
His appetite goes way down and he hangs out in the lowest vines in the habitat. I have added a 60 watt heater to help compensate.
I still have to encourage him sometimes to go up to the basking spot that is about 85 degrees during the winter. After warming up he becomes active for most of the day and then returns to the lower branch at the end of the day.
He still is not interested in the silk worms and one of them I left in the habitat has turned into a cocoon. (Maybe I will make a silk scarf, LOL)
I found the thought that the crickets might have harassed him during the night interesting because he did loose interest in them as a feeder. I had originally thought that this was because he got addicted to super worms.
My cham is a Ambilobe Panther over 2 years and about 12".

 

[Devokid]

He is a Jacksons

Really strange. There are days where the high temps are 62 or lower in Jackson territory and they are still out hunting. I would keep an eye on him, but one weird day is not that strange to have.

How long have you had him and where did he come from?

Also, you should not leave crickets in his cage. They will attack and eat the chameleon.

 

[ShaneXD45]

Really strange. There are days where the high temps are 62 or lower in Jackson territory and they are still out hunting. I would keep an eye on him, but one weird day is not that strange to have.

How long have you had him and where did he come from?

Also, you should not leave crickets in his cage. They will attack and eat the chameleon.

I bought him from Rango3d here on the forums. He arrived last Halloween. It was really strange. It was a fairly cold Sunday morning but the two days before were much colder. In the upper 30's lower 40's outside. (That's really cold for central Florida) I didn't look at the thermometer in his cage. His cage is by a window but at night I pull the blackout curtains shut. To keep it dark so he can sleep.