How much outside time?

[Howdyco]

My panther chameleon Flash is now about 6.5 months old. He lives indoors with us. We live at an elevation of 5600 feet in the SW Metro Denver area.

Flash has recently decided he likes to come out of his cage and really likes going outside.

So to accomodate him, I have been letting him spend some time in his old 18x18x36 screen cage outside on our deck for assorted amounts of time each day. I do not let him out when the sun is beating down but opt for the mornings when air temps are still 65-75 and the sun is at an angle.

I provide a dripper at all times while he outside and he has limited shade from a live pothos, assorted branches, a few fake vines, and deck/patio furniture.

I have also left food in there with him. Some days he eats other days not while outside. On those days once he is back in his indoor home he usually eats good.

I know some people frown on handling/shifting their chams around. Flash initiated this behavior and I'll continue to do it as long as he comes out at his own discretion.

Any recommendations on how long each day is good for his "outdoor recreation?"

Thanks In Advance,
Howie

 

[CleaTheChameleon]

some people let them stay out for 5 hours. If they are free range always have them watched. The chameleon outside should always have supervision.

 

[viaje]

I think everyone on here will agree with me when I say- the more the better!

Natural sunlight is so much better than the UVB his bulbs provide, and providing the weather is warm enough for him it's probably the best place for him!

Many members here (mainly those in warmer states like california) keep their chams outside day and night during warmer months.
-Abby

 

[Lancecham]

I agree with Viaje. The more the better. The weather and type of cham should be a determining factor on how long they stay outside.
My panthers have been outside 24/7 for the last month, while the veileds have been out for the last 3 months and the Jacksons have been out all year(except for the few cold nights that we get.
Lance

 

[chambabysitter1]

I agree with Viaje. The more the better. The weather and type of cham should be a determining factor on how long they stay outside.
My panthers have been outside 24/7 for the last month, while the veileds have been out for the last 3 months and the Jacksons have been out all year(except for the few cold nights that we get.
Lance

I think we live in similar areas Lance.
What outside temps do you like to bring the panthers inside at?
I currently keep my little guy in an outdoor cage everyday, and was wondering at what temp extremes should I consider uncomfortable to him.

Like, is a hot summer day at 90 degrees okay? Provided I give alot of misting?
Or a cool overcast kind of day, pushing in the lower 70s all day?

 

[Lancecham]

I think we live in similar areas Lance.
What outside temps do you like to bring the panthers inside at?
I currently keep my little guy in an outdoor cage everyday, and was wondering at what temp extremes should I consider uncomfortable to him.

Like, is a hot summer day at 90 degrees okay? Provided I give alot of misting?
Or a cool overcast kind of day, pushing in the lower 70s all day?

We are close to each other. I am about 20-25 minutes away. I am more inland than you are.
As a general rule, night time temps around 60 is the cut off before they would need to be put inside for the night (There are exceptions to this).
Since I live inland, my summers can get hotter than 90. So yes, shade spots are mandatory as well as prolonged mistings.
How little is your guy. If real small, then 60 at night may be too cold and 90 could be to warm.
Feel free to PM me with any other questions.
Lance

 

[Pure]

I think we live in similar areas Lance.
What outside temps do you like to bring the panthers inside at?
I currently keep my little guy in an outdoor cage everyday, and was wondering at what temp extremes should I consider uncomfortable to him.

Like, is a hot summer day at 90 degrees okay? Provided I give alot of misting?
Or a cool overcast kind of day, pushing in the lower 70s all day?

Someone, I forget who or what the thread was, posted a weather report for Madagascar. It showed day time temps in the mid 90s. But the important thing to remember is their rain fall is pretty high, so at temps over 90 multiple if not almost constant mistings are needed to keep him from over heating.

Also I don't think the shade provided by a Pothos is enough when he wants out of the sun. You probably need to cover half the cage with a board or something, so he can completely get out of the sun.

 

[chambabysitter1]

How is this? The grapevine covers almost the entire cage except for the front corner on your right. It absorbs alot of heat from what I can tell, but I've yet to test it out on a real summer day.

Thank you for the advice guys.
I don't leave him outdoors at night, as we have too many pesky critters around.

My pardalis is about 7-8 months now, and about 6 inches stv.
He really seems to prefer his outdoor cage to his indoor one. There has been a noticeable change in his temperament and color, for the better.

I wonder if he'd like it more on colder overcast days, or just prefer to be in his controlled environment indoors.

 

[Lancecham]

Yes, sometimes when are temps are over 100, parts of the cage are covered up as well as the very prolonged mistings..

 

[Silverdusk]

Here ya go Temps in Madagascar currently

And Foreca ]<-- awesome site

Also, even in full shade your chams are getting about 50% UVB, just being outside.

 

[Howdyco]

Awesome Information. Thanks.

Howie

 

[Lancecham]

How is this? The grapevine covers almost the entire cage except for the front corner on your right. It absorbs alot of heat from what I can tell, but I've yet to test it out on a real summer day.

Thank you for the advice guys.
I don't leave him outdoors at night, as we have too many pesky critters around.

My pardalis is about 7-8 months now, and about 6 inches stv.
He really seems to prefer his outdoor cage to his indoor one. There has been a noticeable change in his temperament and color, for the better.

I wonder if he'd like it more on colder overcast days, or just prefer to be in his controlled environment indoors.

He would be big enough to handle the temps I mentioned. He would naturally love the outdoors more. (Heck, I'm not even a chameleon, and I prefer the outdoors.)

Cage looks good and depending on the placement of the cage, the plants would help shade the cage when needed. But if the ambient temp is too warm, mistings are in order.

 

[Fearaffect]

Yes, sometimes when are temps are over 100, parts of the cage are covered up as well as the very prolonged mistings..

So u do keep them out at 100?? Just make sure misting is done then.........hmmm I'll have to try that when it gets hotter.....I usually brought them in at about 95 give or take a few degrees.
My room gets about 90 sometimes....so not really much a difference I suppose

 

[Fearaffect]

Here ya go Temps in Madagascar currently

And Foreca ]<-- awesome site

Also, even in full shade your chams are getting about 50% UVB, just being outside.

Thanks!! That is so cool!!!

 

[Lancecham]

So u do keep them out at 100?? Just make sure misting is done then.........hmmm I'll have to try that when it gets hotter.....I usually brought them in at about 95 give or take a few degrees.
My room gets about 90 sometimes....so not really much a difference I suppose

There is a big difference of 90 and 100.
When it is near 100, the misters are on during the heat of the day. I prefer to be home when it is that hot as so I can watch them. Some take the heat more than others.
And if it is that hot, a good part of the cage is covered to provide shade.

 

[Chameleon Company]

I think everyone on here will agree with me when I say- the more the better!

I'm on that wagon too. To help with some of the warmer days outside, and in Colorado that means not only air temp, but lack of clouds and humidity making for a brutal sun many days, verticality of the cage with ample shade areas will help the animal to thermo-regulate. More mistings on hot days will also help. So long as they get a daily warm-up, it is our experience that pardalis can take mid 50's at night and not miss a beat, and upper 40's (nights) on occasion. Veileds can go lower. Good luck with all.

 

[Chameleon Company]

A couple more thoughts ...

One aspect of outdoor caging that is sometimes missed are the effects of dark color cages, bases, etc., and their ability to elevate the chameleon's surroundings above the ambient air temp if in the sun. This could be dark screening, such as the charcoal variations, the dark milk crates that your cage is sitting on, dark framing, etc. Like it or not, it all absorbs more heat than lighter colored or mill finish materiels, and then radiates it back out in all directions, to include into the cage. For that reason we recommend all things be as light-colored as possible in cage construction and positioning if outdoors.