Cold southern california

spottea

Member
This is unusual but it's going to be 41 degrees tonight and all this week!
My little female Jackson lives outside, and I did get her a ceramic heat bulb for the night time recently. But, I don't think that's going to be enough this week.
I can put her in the bathroom for the night, but don't have another cage, and moving the one she is in now is a pain.
Shall i look for an artificial tree for her to sit in, or maybe a mesh laundry hamper? Suggestions welcome.
It's colder than a witches tit out there!
I did put her in the bathroom during the summer for one day, when it was really hot, and she was not happy. Dark colours and generally grumpy, but it was daytime. She should just go to sleep, right?
 
Yes I would take her inside. Just a plant sitting in the bathtub should be safe.

Cold is where I live, it is -11 right now.
 
So, she's back in the bathroom on a branch in a bucket, fast asleep. I hope she's going to do OK this week. It was sunny today, but not very warm, so I put the basking light on and a heat lamp, which I had initially bought as a spare.
She did eat, spent most of the day turning this way and that under the light.
But she did go to bed early, about an hour earlier than normal so I brought her inside.
I've decided that I will bring the cage in every night from now on, as I have tomwork this weekend, and leave at 6 in the morning, getting home at 8 p.m. I can't see myself disturbing a sleeping cham twice a day. Too stressful don't you think?
She was so cute this morning, as she was just waking up when I put her back in her cage. I'm sure she was thinking 'thank God for that!'
The schefflera was looking a bit raggedy anyway, so I'll just take that out for now. Imhave some abutilon that's coming along nicely, which I will use instead if the cold doesn't kill them!
Anyway, any further advice appreciated thank you. I will get one of those laundry zip up containers, as it will be handy for vet visits etc.
I did think about leaving her inside all week, but I don't think she'd be very happy, and I have cats, so that's not really an option.
Sorry about rambling on. I'm just worried and wasn't expecting this cold snap. Yes, I know it's much, much colder elsewhere, but for Socal 40 is bloody cold!
 
I got a great mesh hamper from ikea for about $8. I put in a few branches and some fake plants and use it as a temporary cage/carrier for Egon. He seems very comfortable when he's in it and I know he can't go wandering off. I think it's a great investment for situations such as these.

http://http://m.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/art/80099224/

sweet!great idea! the exo terra version of that thing ( I think it's called explorarium or something) costs like loads! :cool:;)
 
It would be a good idea to keep your jackson inside when the weather is dipping below the mid 50's at night. I would figure out a way to have an indoor and an outdoor cage.

Also, ceramic heat emitters do not work for "us". Your chameleon will not have the thought process to locate it or the ability. It will be dumb luck if she happens to find it. If you need to keep her outside it's best to insulate the cage with plastic and then use the heat emitter to heat the enclosure. You can't treat ceramic emitters like heat lamps that a chameleon will locate, they are merely heat sources to warm an enclosure. Mostly they are used to heat enclosures that are not made of screen. They do not direct heat, but emit it in all directions. The desert lizard community uses them to heat enclosures when the ambient temp is low. These enclosures are enclosed and will retain the heat, unlike chameleon screen cages.
 
You're right. The ceramic bulb didn't heat the outside as well as the basking bulb, so i changed the bulb out so there were two of them. Seemed to work well. Today, however, as it is cold and raining, Piko is shut in the bathroom with the light on and her dripper. I hope she's not too unhappy as I'm at work until 8 p.m.
I will try to put her out again in the morning before work, with the two basking lights. The mister will have to be off for one day, so that one of the lights is on. Don't have enough outlets unfortunately!
Gave her a good 'misting' this morning using the warm shower, so I'm hoping that will be OK until I'm off again. Poor thing. I feel bad for her as I know she prefers to be out in the sun, watching bugs flying around!
 
What up guys, I live in the San Fernando valley. I've been doing a lot of research lately and planning to get a chameleon or 2 real soon. Now I went from wanting one in my room to wanting a cage set up right outside instead. It will be under a covered area but still open, and I plan to build my own cage set-up. So I plant to have maybe 3 walls solid wood and the top and front door aluminum screen. I understand it might get cold so I do plan to insulate the cage with some plastic covers, and of course try to figure out the temperature readings. If anyone has any suggestions or advice please feel free. I'm going for jacksons, veiled, or hopefully panthers
 
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