Winter Blues?

[maryanne27]

I got Rorschach last year... actually one year ago this week! He was 8 months old then, and I was very new at this. We had some issues during the winter, but pulled through! He was so active and colorful and healthy all through spring and summer, and most of fall.

But now... winter is coming. Again.

I don't know if it is the lack of exposure to real sunlight and natural humidity that is bumming him out, but he just seems lethargic again. I'm keeping his temps in range (changed a little since he is older, but following the guidelines), the humidifier running constantly, lots of misting, and the same feeding/vitamin regimen he was on all summer. As far as all that is concerned, nothing has changed for the past 7 months! The only change he has had is the environmental stuff that I can't control.... no matter how hard I try, that Mother Nature is just plain stubborn.

Does anyone else experience some behavioral changes with their chameleons during seasonal changes? Especially all of you who are a lot farther north than I am... how do you keep your chams happy in the winter?

 

[nick barta]

Maryanne,

1. When you say lethargic, are his eyes closed/is he sleeping in the day?

2. Is he eating as much as this summer?

3. Did you have him outside in the sunshine this last summer?

Every time I have seen my chams go off food for more than a molt, it has been that the basking temperature is too low. A burned out light, wrong watt light, or if I rearrange the cage not having basking close enough.

I have never noticed a color change, even when I bring them in for the winter.

CHEERS!

Nick

 

[Kath44]

Have you chanted his UVB since getting him?
Kath.

 

[Trace]

Does anyone else experience some behavioral changes with their chameleons during seasonal changes? Especially all of you who are a lot farther north than I am... ?

Absolutely! I find my chameleons slow down a lot once the time changes in the fall. They are very in tune with the rise and set of the sun and they are making their way to their sleeping spots by late afternoon. (Currently in Ottawa it’s dark by about 4:15pm). I also adjust the on-off times for my lights to mimic the sun so right now their ‘days’ are about 8 hours long. While my apartment is fairly warm, the overall ambient temperatures drop in the winter so they spend more time basking. If they are a little colder then they don’t eat as much, if they aren’t eating as much they aren’t pooping as much.

Stick around the forum long enough and you’ll see different themes during certain times of the year. The ‘my panther isn’t eating as much should I be worried’ threads increase in the fall, particularly after the time change. Same goes for the ‘My Veiled wants to go to bed at 5pm but his lights don’t go off until 8’ scenario. Those animals are telling me that the environment has changed and their needs have changed with it. It’s not because they are sick so why fight what is natural to them. Sometimes we need to listen to what our animals are telling us and not what the ‘rules’ should be.

 

[Lathis]

Stick around the forum long enough and you’ll see different themes during certain times of the year. The ‘my panther isn’t eating as much should I be worried’ threads increase in the fall, particularly after the time change.

Yup - We have had a slew of "my cham isn't eating" posts in the last several weeks.

My Jax Ferdinand dramatically slowed his eating and got a bit sluggish about a month ago. He spends all his time basking even when the actual interior temperatures haven't changed more than a degree or two. You can't take the "nature" out of a reptile, I guess. When we get over this hump at the end of January, he'll start getting back to normal. It's Chameleon Seasonal Affective Disorder.

 

[maryanne27]

Everyone, thanks so much! This was really helpful... I kind of figured it was just a seasonal thing, but it really makes me feel better knowing it is common! He definitely isn't sleeping during the day or anything, just chilling on his favorite vine, checking things out.
I do change the UVB every 5 months, but I haven't really changed his lighting timer. Maybe I'll switch it to shut off around 515 like natural nightfall here - I know I don't like to sleep with lights on! haha

 

[PattyCake]

Everybody is speaking the truth-Archimedes has slowed down and isn't as active anymore and won't eat as much since the first snow, but I've had this happen with him last year, so I'm pretty sure it's normal.

 

[Trace]

There are cases where the animal is truly sick and needs veterinary attention so it’s not always safe to say it’s a winter slow down and it will get better come March. This is why we ask to fill out the health clinic form every time but if everything else is the same it could very well be a plausible answer particularly for the people that have marked seasonal changes.

 

[jannb]

Tate, Rorschac's brother has also slowed down and not eating much. I'm going to try a warmer basking light for him.