Sleeping at Odd Times

Amanda1801

New Member
Chameleon Info:
Your Chameleon - Male, veiled/yemen, 8 months old, been with me for 2 months
Handling - Minimal handling, once a fortnight for weighing max.
Feeding - 6-10 feeders a day depending on how he's eaten the previous day. Locusts, silkworms, wax worms, meal worms, dubia roaches. Gutloaded with a homemade gutload (kale, celery, carrot, sweet potato, grapes, orange, apple and cucumber)
Supplements - Daily 0.05ml liquid calcium - every 2 days without D3 every 3rd day with D3 (calcium sandoz and zolcal-D respectively). Using a multivit powder without D3 once a week to dust feeders.
Watering - Currently misting several times a day as I'm home all the time. Need to set dripper up in new cage. I don't see him drink, but I have seen him drink recently once or twice -he likes to be secretive about it!
Fecal Description - Browny-grey (depending on feeders!) consistent size and shape, bright white urates. Not tested for parasites but treated approx 4 weeks ago with panacur/fenbendazole as a precaution.
History - Severe MBD - under veterinary treatment and doing well.

Cage Info:

Cage Type - 2ft x 2ft x 4ft all screen.
Lighting - 100W incandescent spot bulb 7am-7pm and 18" reptiglo 10.0 bulb (7am-7.15pm)
Temperature - highest temp 84F lowest (right at bottom around 75F)
Humidity - Using digital hygrometer, humidity gradient average 50-60%
Plants - one large ficus and several fake plants
Placement - Corner of living room, low traffic, no draughts etc.
Location - Bristol, SW england

Current Problem -
He's sleeping at odd times. Normally, he will be awake and active from 7am-7pm. When the basking lamp goes off, he goes to wherever hes going to sleep (usually the same place) and then his UV light goes off. Today and yesterday, I've noticed that he's going to sleep a lot earlier - around 5pm, hes wandering off to where he's going to sleep, and going to sleep then. He's not sleeping during the day, he's just going to bed early! He is currently shedding, and as a result not eating very much (this is only his 2nd shed with me, but he went through a phase of not eating much last time) and his activity has increased a lot (also happened last time) almost as though he's going through all the leaves to get the loose skin off. My house is also incredibly cold so I was wondering if it was the temperature he was responding to, but his basking spot temperature hasnt changed - the last couple of days hes had a 60W bulb so slightly lower temperatures, but is back to a 100W bulb now, and has still disappeared off to bed at 4.30pm. I'm wondering if I should get another bulb to put on the opposite side of his cage as it is quite dark over that side, thinking he might be wandering about to have a scratch on the leaves and its getting colder and darker over the other side so he thinks its night time.....

Any thoughts? Just to reiterate - hes NOT sleeping during the day, hes just going to sleep early! Once he goes to sleep, like he is now, he's asleep until the next morning
 
It's not unusual for chams to do this during the winter months. I would go ahead and turn his lights off earlier due to the shorter days. They can sense the sunrise and sunset and time of year.
 
:Dthank god for that lol I've only had this guy 2 months and hes stressed me out no end with his dodgy health! lol

How he senses it I don't know because my blinds are all shut - maybe thats why? (I have an anxiety disorder and it creeps me out people looking in through my window!)

I'll sort his lights out to suit him - thanks for putting my mind at rest!
 
Yes, mine has gotten into his sleeping position earlier since the time change, but will not close his eyes until I cover his cage even if the lights go out. He is in my computer room and there are lights so until I cover his cage at night he will just sit there with his eyes open. i definitely wouldn't worry about it!!
 
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