How long until lights go out?

[aboogabooga]

How long until lights go out after their meals?
I came home late today and I gave her, her meal 1 hour b4 the lights go out is that ok?

 

[Drake]

They need time to bask so they can digest their food. If not, I guess it wont hurt for 1 day. But its better to let them have a few hours of basking time after you feed them to help them digest their food.

 

[MicheleSmith]

They need time to bask so they can digest their food. If not, I guess it wont hurt for 1 day. But its better to let them have a few hours of basking time after you feed them to help them digest their food.

Drake is Absolutely right. They need the time to thermoregulate and get their digestive tract in shape to get all the nummy food down. Even if it's just 30 minutes, every minute helps.

 

[aboogabooga]

Thats good she still had an hour!!!!!
I thought that wasnt enough

 

[lele]

the recommended that I always heard is minimum 2 hours. That said, I have seen Cyrus snag some crix and he knew darn well that the lights were out soon! lol! Luna was mainly cup fed so I could regulate it, but I figure Cyrus will have to figure it out for himself.

As mentioned, once in a while is OK but if it happenes frequently that food will sit in their cool belly all night and ferment - not a good thing.

 

[SonTigerPantherCham]

thank you!

I've been looking for the same answer.
I've given him @ least an hour to digest, but now I know the
Longer the better.
But he gives me those puppy dog eyes sometimes

 

[jojackson]

As mentioned, once in a while is OK but if it happenes frequently that food will sit in their cool belly all night and ferment - not a good thing.

Lele,
What do you suppose happens to a wild chameleon if it scores itself some nice meals just before the sun goes down?
How often do you suppose that might happen in nature?
Not only are most cham keepers homes heated in winter anyway, some folks provide night heat where temps drop very much at night.
Your cham not only regulary experiences night time temp drops, it needs them.
Provided your cham has heat throughout the day and is well hydrated, I think it will be fine with digesting its food, provided it has heat to bask the following day. Insects are not large meals and your lizard is an opportunistic feeder that will feed at any opportunity when awake if hungry.
Cheers
P.S Lizards dont immeadiately lose all body heat and turn stone cold after lights out!
Digestion continues, albeit at an ever slowly decreasing rate, before being recharged the follwing morning.
That's the beauty of being Solar powered!

 

[PrettyInInk87]

I think as long as you make sure and turn his lights on the next morning he'll be fine. Heck, they can even go a day or 2 without food if your worried about it and just feed him the next morning. Of course, just make sure it doesn't become a habit.