There are so many websites and people with different information, I just wanted to ask a few more questions while setting up my enclosure!
For temperature, my understanding is that adults should stay around mid-80s for basking temps, and youngsters like it a bit hotter, closer to low 90s. In the evening those temps can drop as low as 65, so no heating element/light is needed at night. I also wondered what the lowest temp should be for the enclosure during the day, out of the basking light?
Ive also read to mist youngsters 4 times a day for different intervals between 2-4 minutes. That seems a bit excessive to me, and I was wondering if 3 times a day at a 1 minute interval was sufficient. Ive got everything running on timers, so I'm not trying to avoid misting by any means! I just want to do the right, healthiest thing for my little man! I was also wondering if people bump up misting a bit more when they notice their cham is shedding?
I also wanted to know cricket amounts for youngsters and adults. Ive read babies should be fed everyday in the morning, and adults every other day, but Ive seen all amounts from 10-30. Im also a little confused about the feeding methods, as far as using a cup or not. Is the cup just so crickets don't spread throughout the enclosure as fast, or do chams just dip into the cup for an easy meal? I read a lot that chams love to hunt, and I just worry about letting a bunch of crickets go free at feeding time. Ive read so much about how chams can get munched on and hurt at night when they are sleeping if there are leftover feeders.
Sorry if these questions are a bit monotonous, Ive read the cham care sheets on this forum, as well as a lot of other information, and its just getting a bit confusing for me. I like things black and white, and I know chameleon care has a lot of gray areas because of species, personality, enclosure type, set-up, methods, location, and personal preference! Overall I just want a beautiful, happy cham--any and all help and comments are greatly appreciated!
For temperature, my understanding is that adults should stay around mid-80s for basking temps, and youngsters like it a bit hotter, closer to low 90s. In the evening those temps can drop as low as 65, so no heating element/light is needed at night. I also wondered what the lowest temp should be for the enclosure during the day, out of the basking light?
Ive also read to mist youngsters 4 times a day for different intervals between 2-4 minutes. That seems a bit excessive to me, and I was wondering if 3 times a day at a 1 minute interval was sufficient. Ive got everything running on timers, so I'm not trying to avoid misting by any means! I just want to do the right, healthiest thing for my little man! I was also wondering if people bump up misting a bit more when they notice their cham is shedding?
I also wanted to know cricket amounts for youngsters and adults. Ive read babies should be fed everyday in the morning, and adults every other day, but Ive seen all amounts from 10-30. Im also a little confused about the feeding methods, as far as using a cup or not. Is the cup just so crickets don't spread throughout the enclosure as fast, or do chams just dip into the cup for an easy meal? I read a lot that chams love to hunt, and I just worry about letting a bunch of crickets go free at feeding time. Ive read so much about how chams can get munched on and hurt at night when they are sleeping if there are leftover feeders.
Sorry if these questions are a bit monotonous, Ive read the cham care sheets on this forum, as well as a lot of other information, and its just getting a bit confusing for me. I like things black and white, and I know chameleon care has a lot of gray areas because of species, personality, enclosure type, set-up, methods, location, and personal preference! Overall I just want a beautiful, happy cham--any and all help and comments are greatly appreciated!