Question about outdoor enclosure temperature control

[Backtooth]

Hello people

So for those who keeps their chameleons outside 24/7, what would you do if outside temps is too high? Would you just bring them inside or there's other way? And for veiled and panther chameleon, what temperature would consider too high if keep them outside(assume they do have a lot of shade to hide)?

 

[fluxlizard]

I leave mine out all summer every year. We have temps mostly in the upper 80s, with some 90s and occasionally upper 90s near 100. A few summers ago we had an exceptionally hot summer- temps in the mid to upper 90s for weeks on end.

I don't worry much about the veileds- as long as they can locate shade they are fine. In parts of their native range, during the summer it is normal for temps to climb to 100-110 sometimes. Panthers I worry a little more about but not much. It sometimes climbs well into the 90s in parts of their range also. It is 91 today in Ambilobe according to the weather app on my blog.

What I do is typically run the misters for longer periods during the heat of the day. I use patio cooling misters and aim each nozzle so that only part of the shady part of each cage is kept wet- there is always dry and shade and dry and sunny. Where the mist does not hit, the effect still cools the surrounding air in the enclosures. When I run the misters this way, even during the heat of the day, I'll often see panthers basking in the sunlight.

When I have cool loving chameleons like melleri or jacksons, I run the misters once the day temp reaches about 82-84 and leave them on all day until the temp drops again in the evening.

And by the way, these conditions are true for babies that just hatched as well as for adults.

A few suggestions for you-

First, get access to a weatherapp from locations where your chameleon is from. And then watch the weather to get a feel for natural conditions and temperatures. Frankly- they don't line up with care sheets written with animals kept indoors under electric lights in mind. Electric lighting does not effect the animals the same way as real sunlight when it comes to thermoregulation, and ambient temps are very often much warmer than ambient temps recommended in indoor terraria. It is useful to realize this because more likely than not you are not going to have outdoor conditions with basking temps in the mid or low 80s and ambients in the low 70s- but in nature for panthers and veileds, during the summer you aren't going to have temps like that either.

Second, shade and mist are your friends, but don't forget that dry areas in sun and shade are just as important if you require long hours of misting to keep things cool. You don't want to force your chameleon into constantly damp conditions.

third-If you are keeping veileds like your icon suggests- I've found that as long as they have shade and I give them 30-60 minutes of mist during the heat of the day they are fine here whatever the weather. But you should be home to observe the first couple of days outdoors and check frequently on your lizard for signs of heat stress. If he's pale, hyperactive, gaping, etc, you will need to make some changes quick- maybe deeper shade, maybe run the mister at whatever the temperature is, that kind of thing. And then every time the forcast is predicting a new high temperature for your chameleon, you need to be home to monitor conditions that day and check him frequently to see how your setup is doing, and make any changes if they are necessary. After a while, you will have seen all kinds of weather and tweaked things to your local conditions and can be away with confidence during the day.

I don't know that's my take on it anyway.

 

[Backtooth]

Ahhh, thanks a lot man!

Your suggestion helps a lot. I will bump up my misting period during the heat!