Too cold outside for montanes?

[Lovereps]

Temperatures in my area have swung wildly lately.
Are 70-74 temps too cold for outdoor basking? They would be in the sun, with shade and water available.
I'd like my chams to get a bit of natural light before winter sets in.
I have a multi (K. multituberculata) and a xantho Jackson's (C. j. xantholophus).

 

[AJA]

Those temps are just right for montanes. My guys stay out at night and it gets to the mid 40s. Remember the mountains are a cool climate, hence the name montanes.

There are some care sheets on AdCham and Chameleon E Zine for more info on this guys. Check it out. Also the SEARCH mode on this forum is your friend .

 

[Lovereps]

Thanks. AJA!

I make daily use of the search feature, but searched unsuccessfully today for that answer.
Not that I'm obsessed with my montanes but I spend more time each day than I would care to admit reading current and past posts.
Thanks for the heads-up about more info locations.
Now, I can obsess--I mean learn--even more

 

[xanthoman]

i dont really know about other montanes , but xantholophus can withstand temps down as low as 45* (for brief periods) not that i would recomend that, personally if i felt temps were going to get below 55*, i would use some sort of auxilary heat source. and im not sure how dew or chill factor would enter into that.dew or chill factor could lower the body temps significantly further, even though the ambient air temp only got down to 45* what if you were expecting temps to 45*and they turned out to be 40* sounds risky , i would at least hang a heat pad or use a ceramic heat emmitter

 

[eisentrauti]

A ceramic heater is completely unnatural. Even temperatures around 40° aren't for many montane species problematic when they have at the morning a spot to warm up. But those extreme temperatures should be just an opinion for healthy, adult specimen

 

[Lovereps]

I'm always glad when numerous people reply to my questions.
Since my chams have been with me for only about a month, I've been trying to err on the side of caution--realizing that acclimating to a new environment can take a while.
Fortunately, my area had one sunny day in the low 80s and the next in the low 70s.
Due to my owning only 1 smaller screen cage, 1 fellow went outdoors on one day and the other guy the next day.
Now I know how to make a chameleon sad---bring it back indoors after a day out!

 

[bugboy]

Fortunately, my area had one sunny day in the low 80s and the next in the low 70s.
QUOTE]

yea i remember that day i got my cham out for like a good hour and then next day BAM its freezing outside. i hate long island.

 

[xanthoman]

A ceramic heater is completely unnatural. Even temperatures around 40° aren't for many montane species problematic when they have at the morning a spot to warm up. But those extreme temperatures should be just an opinion for healthy, adult specimen

cages are also unatural , for that matter, the captive keeping /breeding of chameleons is unatural, even in a free range situation. are you suggesting that he should he should just let the temps fall where they may? what if one is expecting a low of 40* but the temps actually get down to 32* there are also other factors in determining the minimum tolerable temperature such as evaporative cooling , chill factor, humidity, health of the animal, length of time exposed , rewarmup condtions of the following day etc. if you take two seemingly similar animals (same genus, same sex, same age, same appearent health, , recent stress, same conditions prior to having been kept outside,maybe even from the same clutch, does not mean that they will both have an exact same tolerance for minimum temp, one may do fine at 38* the other may perish at 40* just because generalizations have been made as to the minimum (or maximum) temperature any given animal is able to tolerate, that does not mean they should be tested. although i recognize that a reasonable unheated nightime drop is beneficial for many (even most) chameleons. any specific minimmum temperatures for any given genus can only be given as a general guidline. . if in doubt use a heat source. to me the safety of the animal takes precedence over creating natural conditions. if your goal is to be 100% natural regardless of the consequences , take it back to its native habitat and let it go

 

[Fearaffect]

cages are also unatural , for that matter, the captive keeping /breeding of chameleons is unatural, even in a free range situation. are you suggesting that he should he should just let the temps fall where they may? what if one is expecting a low of 40* but the temps actually get down to 32* there are also other factors in determining the minimum tolerable temperature such as evaporative cooling , chill factor, humidity, health of the animal, length of time exposed , rewarmup condtions of the following day etc. if you take two seemingly similar animals (same genus, same sex, same age, same appearent health,recent stress, same conditions prior to having been kept outside, does not mean that they will both heve an exact same tolerance for minimum temp, one may do fine at 38* the other may perish at 40* just because generalizations have been made as to the minimum (or maximum) temperature any given animal is able to tolerate, that does not mean they should be tested. although i recognize that a reasonable unheated nightime drop is beneficial for many (even most) chameleons. any specific minimmum temperatures for any given genus can only be given as a general guidline. . if in doubt use a heat source. to me the safety of the animal takes precedence over creating natural conditions. if your goal is to be 100% natural regardless of the consequences , take it back to its native habitat and let it go

I agree...............nothing wrong with ceramic heating...........