Ambient temps too high

Daesie11

Chameleon Enthusiast
How do you guys cool down your enclosures during the summer?
The past few weeks since it started getting warmer I've had ambient temps at the top half of my enclosure at about 80F. I end up turning off the basking bulb around 12-1pm and its just the quad putting off this heat. Even in my quad I only have my UVB, a plant light, and one 6500. I have an oscillating fan across the room, didnt want to put it too close.
I have heard of some people using small PC fans to keep the air moving to help cool it down? Is that recommended?? What sort of fan??
Pls help! I'm really struggling to keep the heat down.

Oh and yes I have my AC on lol my apartment sits at about 75, but that's only when I'm home. My apartment makes me manually override the thermostat every few hours to get it to go lower than 79 so obviously I cant do that when I'm not home.
 
What species of Chamaeleon do you have. If you have a veiled male 80F is not bad. I keep Carl’s cage at 77F other then the basking. He hates the ac so watch the vents make sure they don’t blow on the cage.
 
Mid 80 should be okay correct, as long as they can get a bit cooler at night. My condo never really get cooler then 75 in the summer time. 80 is a good ambient temp with basking in the high 90s
Keep your humidity up with misting and a plant in the cage so he can have some moist air pockets and he should make it though
 
How do you guys cool down your enclosures during the summer?
The past few weeks since it started getting warmer I've had ambient temps at the top half of my enclosure at about 80F. I end up turning off the basking bulb around 12-1pm and its just the quad putting off this heat. Even in my quad I only have my UVB, a plant light, and one 6500. I have an oscillating fan across the room, didnt want to put it too close.
I have heard of some people using small PC fans to keep the air moving to help cool it down? Is that recommended?? What sort of fan??
Pls help! I'm really struggling to keep the heat down.

Oh and yes I have my AC on lol my apartment sits at about 75, but that's only when I'm home. My apartment makes me manually override the thermostat every few hours to get it to go lower than 79 so obviously I cant do that when I'm not home.
Get a pc fan it would help a lot or do the way I do get a rotating fan and place near the cage to blow air. If that still doesn’t help your going to have to turn off a light. Around 1 I turn off my basking light and leave only uvb on
 
Get a pc fan it would help a lot or do the way I do get a rotating fan and place near the cage to blow air. If that still doesn’t help your going to have to turn off a light. Around 1 I turn off my basking light and leave only uvb on
I totally forgot I can program my timer to turn off one of the lights in the quad. Maybe around 1 I'll turn off my 6500k because I pretty much already turn off my basking light around then too lol.
I was trying not to worry about it too much because he seems to be doing fine, but I just caught him gaping before I posted this which obviously got me worried :LOL:
 
Get a pc fan it would help a lot or do the way I do get a rotating fan and place near the cage to blow air. If that still doesn’t help your going to have to turn off a light. Around 1 I turn off my basking light and leave only uvb on
With PC fan, where do you position it, and should it blow air into enclosure or out? I'm guessing out, just want to make sure.
 
Mid 80 should be okay correct, as long as they can get a bit cooler at night. My condo never really get cooler then 75 in the summer time. 80 is a good ambient temp with basking in the high 90s
Keep your humidity up with misting and a plant in the cage so he can have some moist air pockets and he should make it though
Actually this is not correct. Mid 80's is not the right ambient temp. Ambient temp means everything lower then the basking spot. Which should be between 75-80 at most. Mid 80's is a basking temp for her Panther so if her whole cage is that ambient temp it gives him no place to move down out of the heat should he need to.
Also saying to keep the humidity up with misting when you are dealing with temps that high is incorrect as well. Hot wet air is how you get an RI.
 
I totally forgot I can program my timer to turn off one of the lights in the quad. Maybe around 1 I'll turn off my 6500k because I pretty much already turn off my basking light around then too lol.
I was trying not to worry about it too much because he seems to be doing fine, but I just caught him gaping before I posted this which obviously got me worried :LOL:
I totally get it. I’m struggling to find a balance with my lights still. One second it to hot them to cold. It’s not easy having these guys lol
 
With PC fan, where do you position it, and should it blow air into enclosure or out? I'm guessing out, just want to make sure.
I have two pc fans. They are not a hard blowing fan. But I have one on the top pulling air up and out of the back top clearside corner then I have attached one to the bottom left about 7 inches above the drip pan to blow air into the cage. It creates a nice circulation of air flow without putting an intense fan blowing directly in. I am working with the larger 30 inch wide clearside. For a smaller enclosure I would imagine one on the top to pull air through would work perfectly. On the opposite side from the basking fixture.
 
I totally get it. I’m struggling to find a balance with my lights still. One second it to hot them to cold. It’s not easy having these guys lol
I’m in the same situation. I have a window unit ac in the room where my chameleon is going and I still have to adjust the thermostat on it when the temperatures fluctuate outside. I have it pretty dialed in where I know what temperature to set it for a good ambient average of 75 in the cage. I need to get a herpstat though for the basking area. The flukers dimmer works but you have to always be watching it throughout the day.
 
I’m in the same situation. I have a window unit ac in the room where my chameleon is going and I still have to adjust the thermostat on it when the temperatures fluctuate outside. I have it pretty dialed in where I know what temperature to set it for a good ambient average of 75 in the cage. I need to get a herpstat though for the basking area. The flukers dimmer works but you have to always be watching it throughout the day.
I can vouch for the Herpstat!!! It is awesome I basically set it and forget it. I started with the flukers adjustable fixture. I was constantly tweaking it. Get the herpstat you won’t regret it!!!! :)
 
Thanks everyone!
The highest I've seen my meter get is 83 and I immediately just gave him a quick spritz to cool him down, not enough to raise humidity. That is near the top of my enclosure, but it's not a probe meter so it's a bit more of an ambient reading than an exact. He does have a lot of cover to go down and get out of the direct light but I still worry its too hot.
I put a probe at the bottom half of the enclosure and its reading 77-78 down there. Definitely too high, yeah???
Also I seem to have honed in my humidity, it's usually right around 30-40 and only in the 50s right as the nights turn on and at my last misting after the lights go off.
 
I can vouch for the Herpstat!!! It is awesome I basically set it and forget it. I started with the flukers adjustable fixture. I was constantly tweaking it. Get the herpstat you won’t regret it!!!! :)
Your thread you made awhile back about the herpstat I’ve read it haha. Definitely seems like it’s worth it! It’s on my list for sure to get :)
 
Thanfully I have automatic central air in my old house. I set it to 74 and forget it. I would think pc fans pointing out on the top of the enclosure would help some. Or just a fan on low at the very opposite side of the room from your chameleon. Man the stuggle is real for you there in Denver.
 
Your thread you made awhile back about the herpstat I’ve read it haha. Definitely seems like it’s worth it! It’s on my list for sure to get :)
No like honestly it has taken all the stress out of keeping my temps right. Winter or summer it is proving to be worth every dollar for me to have the piece of mind.
 
Thanfully I have automatic central air in my old house. I set it to 74 and forget it. I would think pc fans pointing out on the top of the enclosure would help some. Or just a fan on low at the very opposite side of the room from your chameleon. Man the stuggle is real for you there in Denver.
It really is! Yesterday it was raining and in the 60s and this weekend it's going to be mid 90s. I feel like I'm going to have to break out the ice packs this weekend lol
 
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