Cold outdoor temperature

[Thompson]

Ok so this may be a dumb question but for the year or so I've been keeping chameleons I never understood the reason temperatures under 60 degrees would be to cold ( by the way these are night temperatures) for maybe a panther or veiled. I certainly wouldn't leave a chameleon outside in temps under 60 but I was wondering why it would be risky to leave a panther or veiled outdoors at night with temps in the 40's or 50's?? Do they die overnight? Do they freeze to death?

 

[fluxlizard]

I leave all my lizards, panthers and veileds included, outdoors as long as night temps are above 50 all summer. Sometimes in mid-winter the lizard building at night is just above 50 also, for many weeks night temps are in the low to mid 50s.

They do fine.

Supposedly veileds can go down near freezing for short periods. I haven't ever done that, but I have kept jacksons down to around 40 with no problems.

 

[fluxlizard]

OH- and I don't mean to imply that any level of cold is fine- I just know from experience that down to 50 at night is safe for panthers and veileds.
As far as how long it takes them to die at lower temps- I imagine it would depend on how cold things get. Down near freezing probably would kill a panther by morning. Lower 40s may not kill it outright but would cause it's immune system to crash and it would probably die within a few days.

 

[Ace]

OH- and I don't mean to imply that any level of cold is fine- I just know from experience that down to 50 at night is safe for panthers and veileds.
As far as how long it takes them to die at lower temps- I imagine it would depend on how cold things get. Down near freezing probably would kill a panther by morning. Lower 40s may not kill it outright but would cause it's immune system to crash and it would probably die within a few days.

interesting...

how about mellers chameleons??? i know montane species can handle as low as 40's but did not know panther and veiled are okay 50 and above

 

[fluxlizard]

Mellers are best kept above 50 also.

One time I bought a pair of if imported Mellers from a dealer who claimed he kept his outdoors in the low 40s at night to cycle them. So I tried the same- it was a disaster. The guy was full of it.

50 is safe and fine for mellers though. Even when my babies were brand new hatchlings they went down very close to that and were fine.

Veileds I don't have experience below 50- supposedly it can freeze sometimes slightly at night where they come from, but they shelter - can dig burrows, probably find shelter under rocks and deep in plant growth and such.

edit- oh yeah nearly forgot I kept hatchling veileds that cold at night this fall and winter, and the pair of baby panthers I got last spring were out when still very small when temps were near 50 at night and they were fine as well. This wasn't the first year I've done that with either species though- Since the mid 90s when I started hauling stuff outside for the summer I bring things out when night temps remain above 50 in the forecast and they remain out until fall when night temps again are forecast to drop below 50. And "things" includes not only a number of chameleon species over the years but other tropical lizards as well (plumed basilisks, green iguanas, etc.)

 

[Cainschams]

My montanes are out right now. Its 57 and raining. Low tonight is 48 and rain all night. Usually bring them in under 45 but I am debating tonight because it might storm. Need to build something to prevent the cages from blowing over.

I left panthers and ousties outside over nights around 50s. If the can warm up the next day they should be fine.

 

[pssh]

Never had a problem with panthers down in the 50s. They dont usually experience it in the wild, but they can take it. Veileds are even more tolerant. I've read that they will sometimes hide in cracks in the ground and other similar places when it get really cold.

 

[Thompson]

Thanks for your input everyone I was confused. The only answer to this was that it was just to risky so I had to ask.