Gaping from heat.

[rango123veiled]

My new chameleon is gaping from heat and i would just like to know if there is anything i can do to help, start spraying more? lower their basking spot, ill get a video if i can but in the meantime plz help.

 

[AmandaS]

Not spraying more, that will jack up your humidity. Can you just raise your basking light? Also, you dont need a basking light on all day. You can run it for a couple hours a day. If during the heat of the day your basking spot is 80+degrees then you do not need a basking light on at all.

 

[Pickle-cham]

Have you done the hand test,, has the safety distance of the bulb been achieved. Lower the wattage possibly?

 

[rango123veiled]

My new chameleon is gaping from heat and i would just like to know if there is anything i can do to help, start spraying more? lower their basking spot, ill get a video if i can but in the meantime plz help.

i spray 3-4 times a day for a minute

Not spraying more, that will jack up your humidity. Can you just raise your basking light? Also, you dont need a basking light on all day. You can run it for a couple hours a day. If during the heat of the day your basking spot is 80+degrees then you do not need a basking light on at all.

ok ill turn off the heat sooner in the day

 

[rango123veiled]

Have you done the hand test,, has the safety distance of the bulb been achieved. Lower the wattage possibly?

no i have not yet how can you tell how hot its supposed to be with the hand test

 

[Pickle-cham]

https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/

I can highly recommend a dimming thermostat for a belt and braces safety measures

 

[rango123veiled]

https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/

I can highly recommend a dimming thermostat for a belt and braces safety measures

i will, i cant install anything like that at the moment because my cage is mesh but im getting dragon stands to solve that and add new sticks, could you recommend me some plants? their cage is a bit dull but id like to get more.

 

[Pickle-cham]

How are you measuring your basking temperature?

 

[rango123veiled]

How are you measuring your basking temperature?

at the moment im not but its only been 5 days since ive gotten it and i will be measuring when my dragon stand gets here

 

[kinyonga]

no i have not yet how can you tell how hot its supposed to be with the hand test

The hand test is meant to be used to make sure that the basking light isn't so hot that it will burn the chameleon at the closest point the chameleon can get to the light inside th cage.

You hold your hand (palm side down) under the basking light as close to the cage lid as you can put your hand. If it's uncomfortable and you want to move your hand then is likely hot enough to burn the chameleon. This does not measure the temperature to tell you that you have the basking temperature right.

 

[Pickle-cham]

The link i shared with has lots of informative resources to start with,, i waaa on front foot when setting up my chameleon environment as i did a lot of research and tuned basking temps,uvi and humidity all before the arrival of my cham

 

[rango123veiled]

The hand test is meant to be used to make sure that the basking light isn't so hot that it will burn the chameleon at the closest point the chameleon can get to the light inside th cage.

You hold your hand (palm side down) under the basking light as close to the cage lid as you can put your hand. If it's uncomfortable and you want to move your hand then is likely hot enough to burn the chameleon. This does not measure the temperature to tell you that you have the basking temperature right.

ok, its ok then

 

[rango123veiled]

ok, its ok then

it actaully felt comfortable

 

[kinyonga]

So the light isn't going to burn the chameleon....that still doesn't mean it's the right temperature. You need to measure it.

 

[rango123veiled]

So the light isn't going to burn the chameleon....that still doesn't mean it's the right temperature. You need to measure it.

ok,ill make sure to measure when i can