Jakedn
New Member
I was recently reading a book and it stated that in areas the veiled chameleons are frequently found, the night time temperatures in the peak of winter some times are as low as the mid 30's.
This has got me wondering, how low of temperatures veiled chameleons can withstand before it being detrimental to their health. Over here in SoCal, I don't believe it ever gets that low, even at night. This made me wonder if a healthy adult veiled chameleon would be able to live, or even thrive, in an outside enclosure all year round.
I understand that when in an enclosure, they do not have as good of an ability to thermoregulate due to the small amount of space they have to work with. Could someone simply provide a small ceramic heater to provide a heating source at night if needed, or even a heat mat underneath substrate or soil to provide warmth that they can seek out if in need (I have read that in cold temperatures they will crawl down and into crevices to protect themselves from the cold) to solve the problem? Would the chameleon benefit from the more natural seasonal changes, the year round sun light, and the natural temperature variations?
Just something I was thinking about, not something I will be trying any time soon as the veiled chameleon I have now is neither an adult nor in optimal health. Though if no answer is provided saying that it is indeed detrimental, it is something I would like to test when I feel my chameleon is in perfect health and is an adult, under close observation of course.
This has got me wondering, how low of temperatures veiled chameleons can withstand before it being detrimental to their health. Over here in SoCal, I don't believe it ever gets that low, even at night. This made me wonder if a healthy adult veiled chameleon would be able to live, or even thrive, in an outside enclosure all year round.
I understand that when in an enclosure, they do not have as good of an ability to thermoregulate due to the small amount of space they have to work with. Could someone simply provide a small ceramic heater to provide a heating source at night if needed, or even a heat mat underneath substrate or soil to provide warmth that they can seek out if in need (I have read that in cold temperatures they will crawl down and into crevices to protect themselves from the cold) to solve the problem? Would the chameleon benefit from the more natural seasonal changes, the year round sun light, and the natural temperature variations?
Just something I was thinking about, not something I will be trying any time soon as the veiled chameleon I have now is neither an adult nor in optimal health. Though if no answer is provided saying that it is indeed detrimental, it is something I would like to test when I feel my chameleon is in perfect health and is an adult, under close observation of course.