Early Bedtime?

[mandaxx3x]

Today is the second day in a row that Calvin has gone to sleep before her usual time. Her light turns on at 6:34am, and turns off at 6:34pm. It is currently 5:10, and she is already in her sleeping spot with her eyes closed and her tail curled up. The only thing I can think of is that maybe my husbands alarm clock wakes her up in the morning? It's usually set for 5am. Other than that she's been eating and drinking fine. Today I watched her drink, and sprayed her enclosure about 5 times (between the times of 8am and 4pm. She looks really healthy, and she shed last week. She is still going to the bathroom normally, and her urates are still white. I just don't know why she is going to bed so early..

 

[mandaxx3x]

Also, here is come information about her..

• Your Chameleon - 3-4 month female veiled chameleon
• Handling - We try to take her out for at least 5 minutes every other day. When she is out she's in a plant.
• Feeding - Currently we feed her horned worms, meal worms and crickets. Her crickets are gut loaded with two different types of gut load (a green cube thing, and some of the Zilla gut load powder). We have a water pillow for the crickets and re soak as needed. She eats probably 15-20 small crickets a day.
• Supplements - Currently we dust her crickets with calcium powder. Without vitamin D3 every day, with every couple weeks.
• Watering - We have a big dripper set up, and dripping. I also spray her enclosure multiple times during the day for about a minute or so. I have tried to spray her and get her to drink. Even using warm water, she tends to run in the opposite direction of being sprayed.. It's just a mist, so it's not like I'm shooting her in the face with water. I just end up spraying the plants in her enclosure because she seems to dislike being sprayed.
• Fecal Description - Oblong, brown and normal white urates attached.
• History - Calvin is our first chameleon. We have had her since March 4th. We purchased her from Petsmart.

 

[kinyonga]

What is the basking temperature in the cage?
What time does it get light in the room she's in in the morning? Dark in the room at night? Has anything changed the day she started to do this?

 

[mandaxx3x]

What is the basking temperature in the cage?
What time does it get light in the room she's in in the morning? Dark in the room at night? Has anything changed the day she started to do this?

The basking temperature is probably about 75 or so. Her light turns on at 6:34, but I don't open the curtain to let actual sunlight into my bedroom until around 7. Once her light goes off at night, I shut any lights in my room off and close the curtain. Nothing has changed.

 

[mandaxx3x]

Here is a picture of her from today.

 

[mandaxx3x]

Her eyes look that way because I didn't realize opening the enclosure door would wake her up

 

[JacksJill]

The basking temperature is probably about 75 or so

Temperature:
Baby/juvenile (<9 months): ambient 72-80F (22-26C), basking 85F (29C)
Adult females: ambient 75-80F (23-26C), basking 85F (29C)
Her basking temp seems low unless that was a typo. If your air-conditioning is coming on now that it's warmer out that may be dropping her temps. I would double check and adjust accordingly.

 

[mandaxx3x]

Temperature:
Baby/juvenile (<9 months): ambient 72-80F (22-26C), basking 85F (29C)
Adult females: ambient 75-80F (23-26C), basking 85F (29C)
Her basking temp seems low unless that was a typo. If your air-conditioning is coming on now that it's warmer out that may be dropping her temps. I would double check and adjust accordingly.

It may be higher. I'm not 100% sure. We weren't sure how to attach a thermometer near that area with her enclosure being made of mesh. I have no ac, I haven't turned my fan on and I don't have the windows open.

 

[JacksJill]

A laser thermometer can come in handy in this situation. you just point it at the basking branch and you can be sure.

 

[mandaxx3x]

A laser thermometer can come in handy in this situation. you just point it at the basking branch and you can be sure.

Best place to find one? She doesn't bask on a branch, we have a reptile hammock for her.

 

[JacksJill]

You can get them at hardware/home improvement stores. We use ours on the BBQ and a few other things, very handy. Look in the plumbing dept they are used to check the temp of hot water pipes. Don't spend more than 30 bucks. Oh and Amazon has many also.

 

[mandaxx3x]

You can get them at hardware/home improvement stores. We use ours on the BBQ and a few other things, very handy. Look in the plumbing dept they are used to check the temp of hot water pipes. Don't spend more than 30 bucks. Oh and Amazon has many also.

I'll have my husband look when he goes to work tomorrow. Does it actually get the temperature of chicken right? I definitely need one of those. I don't cook chicken because I'm paranoid of salmonella anything else I should be looking out for with her?

 

[JacksJill]

No it won't give you internal temp but the grill temp is handy.

 

[mandaxx3x]

No it won't give you internal temp but the grill temp is handy.

I'm assuming that the temp of the net will be the basking temp?

 

[JacksJill]

Yes, that will work fine.

 

[Extensionofgreen]

I agree that the basking temp is low, but unlike common opinion, it is not uncommon for chameleons to get cozy in their roosting spots, an hour or even a couple hours before lights out.
My parsons and veiled do this all of the time, though typically they don't close their eyes until lights out. If all else is well and the timing is consistent, I'd not be worried. If the chameleon is closing its eyes other times during the day or refusing food, showing general lethargy, etc., then I'd be concerned. Chameleons don't hear, as much as sense vibration, so it's doubtful the alarm clock had any influence.

 

[jamest0o0]

Was getting worrieed myself, my cham gets ready for like around 6ish with lights going off at 8. Usually doesn't close eyes until they're off though. Thought this was normal

 

[JacksJill]

Mine also goes to his roost long before lights out but his eyes are open and he appears alert. I'm mildly concerned that the eyes are closed while the lights are on because this is a change of behavior according to the OP. It certainly justifies a review of husbandry etc., not a cause for panic.

 

[Graves923]

My veiled usually cruises his enclosure an hour or so before lights out to find the roosting spot he likes the best that night. If he finds it quickly, he'll get comfy and chill until its dark.

FWIW I would keep an eye on your cham throughout the day and see if she closes her eyes at all during the course of the lights on period.