Winter is coming! Do I need night heat?

[cigdoll]

My house temperature really drops during the winter time. Should I be using a heat emitter, infrared heat lamp or natural moonlight(Exo-Terra Night-Glo)?

 

[Eltortu]

My house temperature really drops during the winter time. Should I be using a heat emitter, infrared heat lamp or natural moonlight(Exo-Terra Night-Glo)?

How low does it get?

 

[cigdoll]

I don't really remember from last winter, but I'm guessing from high 50s to low 60s('f).

 

[Fearaffect]

What do you have cham wise?? When I had montanes, Id let them stay outside when it got down to around 55degs......few nights a little lower

Ive used ceramic and infrared bulbs in the past.

 

[TheLivingLegend]

What do you have cham wise?? When I had montanes, Id let them stay outside when it got down to around 55degs......few nights a little lower

Ive used ceramic and infrared bulbs in the past.

I tried ceramic bulbs before, the chams seem to need visible heat to know where it is. She never hung out under her basking spot, until I switched to a visible uva. You need a 10 degree drop at night. So if the temperature under your night time bulb falls below 75-78, you will need to get a night time bulb. Plus with dimmers you can turn it down so its not a bright light, kinda give it a night light.

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

I tried ceramic bulbs before, the chams seem to need visible heat to know where it is. She never hung out under her basking spot, until I switched to a visible uva. You need a 10 degree drop at night. So if the temperature under your night time bulb falls below 75-78, you will need to get a night time bulb. Plus with dimmers you can turn it down so its not a bright light, kinda give it a night light.

No. That is not correct. Please stop telling people to use night heat at less than 78 degrees because that is bad advice. If they need ambient temps during the day around 75-78 then how will they get a 10 degree drop if you provide heat at less than 75-78?? The drop is not from the basking zone. Temperatures can drop into the low 60s for panthers and veileds, and even a little lower for montanes and jacksons safely before needing any supplemental heat at night. Look up their native habitat in Madagascar and regions of Africa and see how cold it gets at night. 50s is not unheard of. If you do need to provide supplemental heat at night then ceramic bulbs are preferable. Chams need visible heat during the day for basking behavior, but not at night. They will be drawn to the warmth and move to it. My chameleons always moved under their ceramic bulbs at night when they had them. Another option is a space heater. The black or red 'night bulbs' can disrupt sleep patterns due to the parietal cell on the top of cham's heads so should be avoided. But you only need heat at night when you temps are dropping below 60. This is unusual in most houses with decent insulation.

 

[cigdoll]

No. That is not correct. Please stop telling people to use night heat at less than 78 degrees because that is bad advice. If they need ambient temps during the day around 75-78 then how will they get a 10 degree drop if you provide heat at less than 75-78?? The drop is not from the basking zone. Temperatures can drop into the low 60s for panthers and veileds, and even a little lower for montanes and jacksons safely before needing any supplemental heat at night. Look up their native habitat in Madagascar and regions of Africa and see how cold it gets at night. 50s is not unheard of. If you do need to provide supplemental heat at night then ceramic bulbs are preferable. Chams need visible heat during the day for basking behavior, but not at night. They will be drawn to the warmth and move to it. My chameleons always moved under their ceramic bulbs at night when they had them. Another option is a space heater. The black or red 'night bulbs' can disrupt sleep patterns due to the parietal cell on the top of cham's heads so should be avoided. But you only need heat at night when you temps are dropping below 60. This is unusual in most houses with decent insulation.

Thank you ferretinmyshoes for the corrections and thanks for the really helpful information you've provided!

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Thank you ferretinmyshoes for the corrections and thanks for the really helpful information you've provided!

No problem.

 

[VanessaS]

No. That is not correct. Please stop telling people to use night heat at less than 78 degrees because that is bad advice. If they need ambient temps during the day around 75-78 then how will they get a 10 degree drop if you provide heat at less than 75-78?? The drop is not from the basking zone. Temperatures can drop into the low 60s for panthers and veileds, and even a little lower for montanes and jacksons safely before needing any supplemental heat at night. Look up their native habitat in Madagascar and regions of Africa and see how cold it gets at night. 50s is not unheard of. If you do need to provide supplemental heat at night then ceramic bulbs are preferable. Chams need visible heat during the day for basking behavior, but not at night. They will be drawn to the warmth and move to it. My chameleons always moved under their ceramic bulbs at night when they had them. Another option is a space heater. The black or red 'night bulbs' can disrupt sleep patterns due to the parietal cell on the top of cham's heads so should be avoided. But you only need heat at night when you temps are dropping below 60. This is unusual in most houses with decent insulation.

Ok, I was wondering about this as well. We get to about 50 degrees in December and January. So, don't buy the black or red bulbs?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

Ok, I was wondering about this as well. We get to about 50 degrees in December and January. So, don't buy the black or red bulbs?

A ceramic heat emitter or little space heater to raise the temp of the whole room (beware the fire hazard) is much preferrable to a bulb that emits light at night, even minimal light.

Chameleons have a parietal (third) eye, which exists as a photoreceptive scale on the top of their head. This senses light in the environment and helps regulate basking and activity even when your chameleon’s eyes are closed. Light at night can still disturb them while their eyes are closed because of this. So the blue or red night lights available are not recommended for this reason.

 

[thephotoprincess]

I live in Southern California as well. It can get down into the 40's outside at night and probably into the high 50's inside on a few occasions. I never turn on the heat and the chameleons have no special night time heaters. They have nice warm basking lights that come on bright and early but that is it. We have gone through several "winters" like this with no problems.

 

[JonRich]

I live in NYC were we get winters in the single digits outside. I have never used any form of heat for my Chams at night. Granted my house temps at night never drop below 58*

Chams should experience a decent drop in temp at night and you should not use a heat source unless your temps drop below 60*. Even then you just want to heat the room just enough to get it back up above 60* at night.

 

[ChamHoudini]

I live in texas where it can get semi cold at night and i just cuddle up with my chams to make sure they stay warm at night

 

[rico01]

A ceramic heat emitter or little space heater to raise the temp of the whole room (beware the fire hazard) is much preferrable to a bulb that emits light at night, even minimal light.

Chameleons have a parietal (third) eye, which exists as a photoreceptive scale on the top of their head. This senses light in the environment and helps regulate basking and activity even when your chameleon’s eyes are closed. Light at night can still disturb them while their eyes are closed because of this. So the blue or red night lights available are not recommended for this reason.

i didnt know that,i'll be taking my night light out then and get a ceramic one instead,thanks