How long to sun outdoors?

[AESara]

I'll be getting my female veiled in a few weeks and I intend to let her sun out on the balcony every day since I work at home. This is the first time I have lived somewhere that I feel safe doing this (no cats will make it up here), so I am just wondering how long others allow their chams to sun outdoors.

My plan is to get one of the mesh cages and keep a hibiscus in it for climbing and weight. Will this still allow her to benefit from the natural sunlight, or what is typically used?

 

[laurie]

As long as the cage is mesh the sun will penetrate. I leave mine out as long as possible. But it depends on what kind of cham, where you are located, Seattle should be great temps, how much cover your cham will have and how much water it will have. Getting them out is really good for them.

 

[AESara]

Thanks very much for the quick response. Yes, Seattle has great temps most of the year. Right now it's starting to get a bit cold overnight, but nonetheless I have been thinking that the temps are perfect most of the time. I've been very excited to start keeping chams here since I moved from the midwest.

 

[laurie]

We have some great cham keepers in Seattle, I can hook you up, if you ever need help.

But all of us are willing to help also.

 

[AESara]

Awesome! Maybe we should try to set up a PNW Cham Keepers get-together someday.

 

[JGspecial]

I have a few different trees on my deck. I have a Jackson, veiled, and a panther. I take them out randomly for a couple of hours to sunbathe and they all seem to know when we're going out. They very much enjoy hanging out on the trees and being able to hang out in the sun. I also keep a misting bottle and soak the plants so they can drink if they want to. It sucks though that summer is coming to a close and I won't be able to take them out soon. I live in Massachusetts and our winters are pretty gross.

 

[AESara]

Luckily our winters aren't bad out here, especially compared to the east coast! Nonetheless it is quickly getting too cool outside to be comfortable for the cham.

 

[Wowbango]

This may differ for a Veiled, since I'm only experienced with Panthers...but my guy could sit outside in the sun all day if I let him. He really does enjoy it. He's usually perched on his big Manzanita tree within reach and I just keep my eye on him. When he's out of a cage, I usually let him sit for 2-3 hours in the California sunshine and just watch his colors to make sure he isn't getting too hot. We have average temps in the mid 70's to mid 80's pretty much year round so I'm lucky in that department. I think that as long as you're keeping an eye on them, or they're in a cage, they should be find for plenty of hours outside. I would just make sure he has a shady area in his cage in case he needs to cool down.

 

[JoeVet]

According to my human endocrinologist, 15 minutes of exposure is enough to produce enough vitamin D for a human. Not only that but they said all that is needed is a quarter sized area of the skin to be exposed. Humans are not reptiles and reptiles may need more or less but that is the only reference I have.

 

[jannb]

I have large outside enclosures for all my guys and I take them outside for a few hours in the mornings before it gets so hot. I do this about 350 days a year. We have a few days in the winter when the temps drop to low for them to have outside time. They do not need to be in the sun to get UVB. I have a UVB meter and they get 400 in the direct sun and 100 in the shade. A screen cage cuts down on the UVB however. Direct sun in a screen enclosure they get 160 and in a 1/4 wire cage (what I use) they get 325. In the shade in a screen enclosure they get 50 and in the shade 280 in 1/4 inch wire enclosure.

Shade 100
Direct sun 400
In screen cage 160
In a 1/4 inch wire cage 325
In screen cage in the shade 50
1/4 wire cage in shade 280

 

[Wowbango]

I have large outside enclosures for all my guys and I take them outside for a few hours in the mornings before it gets so hot. I do this about 350 days a year. We have a few days in the winter when the temps drop to low for them to have outside time. They do not need to be in the sun to get UVB. I have a UVB meter and they get 400 in the direct sun and 100 in the shade. A screen cage cuts down on the UVB however. Direct sun in a screen enclosure they get 160 and in a 1/4 wire cage (what I use) they get 325. In the shade in a screen enclosure they get 50 and in the shade 280 in 1/4 inch wire enclosure.

Shade 100
Direct sun 400
In screen cage 160
In a 1/4 inch wire cage 325
In screen cage in the shade 50
1/4 wire cage in shade 280

Great information to have! I really do need to get a UVB meter, useful little things!

 

[jajeanpierre]

Great information to have! I really do need to get a UVB meter, useful little things!

Air pollution will cut down on UVB, too. I've been surprised to find basically zero UVB (light meter) some days at 11:00 a.m. with a light cloud cover and a lot of ozone in the air.

Don't be afraid to leave a veiled out in the colder weather. They come from areas where it drops below freezing, so can cope with cold. In order to manufacture Vitamin D, they need to warm up their skin. Even in colder weather, direct sunlight will warm the skin.