What temperatures are okay to not have a heat lamp on?

[BenjiTheCham]

This got brought up in a thread before, but I didn’t get enough info for me to feel okay about doing this.

In the summer in my house I don’t always have the air conditioning on, so it can get pretty hot. My enclosure can get upper eighties with the heat lamp on(for ambient) and mid nineties(for basking but don’t worry I don’t have my cham yet. I heard that with these temps I wouldn’t need a heat lamp and I wanted to know more about this. Would I still need a way to cool part of the enclosure down because I’m getting a baby and isn’t low to mid eighties the recommended temp for the basking spot for a baby veiled? I was planning on buying an outlet with a temperature probe on it that will turn off after x temp.

Is there any tips or info that I could get about this. I won’t be able to feel good about this until I get a solid plan and know for sure that it will work

 

[Beman]

So IMO they need a lower ambient temp. So if your room heats up to the basking temp or above it is too much because they can not escape the heat. Even if they move down into plants it is still the same temperature for them. You can get a room air conditioning unit if you just want to cool that area.

Babies that are say 3 months old should have basking temps of 82-84ish... So yes if your ambient temp is that of your basking temp then the basking fixture needs to be turned off. You can do this with a dimming thermostat so it kicks the basking level down to off when temps reach the specific setting. I have a herpstat for this.

 

[jamest0o0]

So IMO they need a lower ambient temp. So if your room heats up to the basking temp or above it is too much because they can not escape the heat. Even if they move down into plants it is still the same temperature for them. You can get a room air conditioning unit if you just want to cool that area.

Babies that are say 3 months old should have basking temps of 82-84ish... So yes if your ambient temp is that of your basking temp then the basking fixture needs to be turned off. You can do this with a dimming thermostat so it kicks the basking level down to off when temps reach the specific setting. I have a herpstat for this.

I don't totally get that logic though. Many months in Madagascar and yemen are pretty hot. Chameleons, according to the one podcast, don't even bask much at all in the wild. I would be a little more careful with a baby, but given longer mist times and cooler nights idt it'd be a problem.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

So IMO they need a lower ambient temp. So if your room heats up to the basking temp or above it is too much because they can not escape the heat. Even if they move down into plants it is still the same temperature for them. You can get a room air conditioning unit if you just want to cool that area.

Babies that are say 3 months old should have basking temps of 82-84ish... So yes if your ambient temp is that of your basking temp then the basking fixture needs to be turned off. You can do this with a dimming thermostat so it kicks the basking level down to off when temps reach the specific setting. I have a herpstat for this.

Okay thanks, I’m going to have to either find a way to cool down the enclosure or wait until the temp cools down to get him. Would these temps be okay for an adult?

 

[jamest0o0]

I'm not saying a lower ambient is a problem, but I think this is an example of more than one way to do something. No basking with warmer ambients has worked well for me over the past couple years.

 

[Ramrod]

I'm not saying a lower ambient is a problem, but I think this is an example of more than one way to do something. No basking with warmer ambients has worked well for me over the past couple years.

Agree, I am inland in San Diego county where it gets pretty warm during the summer months. 85 to mid 90s frequently and when that happens there is no basking and no problems.

 

[Beman]

I don't totally get that logic though. Many months in Madagascar and yemen are pretty hot. Chameleons, according to the one podcast, don't even bask much at all in the wild. I would be a little more careful with a baby, but given longer mist times and cooler nights idt it'd be a problem.

Right but it’s cooler down in the trees...

 

[Beman]

Okay thanks, I’m going to have to either find a way to cool down the enclosure or wait until the temp cools down to get him. Would these temps be okay for an adult?

It does not mean you don’t get one... it means you work with what you have... so hotter days kick off basking fixtures. Open windows to get a breeze through the house. Just modify for your environment. Many keepers do that... some buy air conditioners to cool a room some do ice packs and some simply kick basking off.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

I'm not saying a lower ambient is a problem, but I think this is an example of more than one way to do something. No basking with warmer ambients has worked well for me over the past couple years.

Okay thanks, that helps a lot. Will this be okay for a baby though? I just want to make sure

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Okay thanks, I’m going to have to either find a way to cool down the enclosure or wait until the temp cools down to get him. Would these temps be okay for an adult?

What about subsequent years? Some outlying days (warmer or cooler) are to be expected in any climate; it's the average highs & lows that matter long term.
(Seems like I just went through this in another thread... Yup, I did, but it was in regard to panthers.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/ambient-temperature.175837/#post-1575145
Same logic would apply to veileds―just look up the average climates where they come from (i.e. Yemen).

 

[nightanole]

I turn my heatlamps off 10-2 in the summer when air gets hotter than like 82 in the house, else everyone is hiding at the bottom of the cages.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

Do you think these would work as good as the ranco thermostats, I just want an on/off one and it has 1200+ reviews with 4.5 stars

Sorry I couldn’t post a link because I have bad service as I am out of town and it wouldn’t give me a link from the amazon app. I’ll post a screenshot and you can look at if you’d like

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I'm not familiar with any of those units personally.
I got what I needed from Cooler Guys. We called them on the phone, described what we needed, and they helped us put together all the components very reasonably (IMO).
Digital thermostatic control w/probe, ultra-quiet muffin fan, all wiring & hardware, ac/dc conversion, etc. and it was all P&P. Can't hurt to call & ask.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

I'm not familiar with any of those units personally.
I got what I needed from Cooler Guys. We called them on the phone, described what we needed, and they helped us put together all the components very reasonably (IMO).
Digital thermostatic control w/probe, ultra-quiet muffin fan, all wiring & hardware, ac/dc conversion, etc. and it was all P&P. Can't hurt to call & ask.

Wow that’s really cool thanks for the info. How much did it end up costing? Just wondering for an estimate.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

Wow that’s really cool thanks for the info. How much did it end up costing? Just wondering for an estimate.

Also, which controller did you use and would this work with my heat lamp?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

Wow that’s really cool thanks for the info. How much did it end up costing? Just wondering for an estimate.

It was almost a year ago, and I don't do the filing. I recall it was reasonable, and everything's been performing flawlessly.

Also, which controller did you use and would this work with my heat lamp?

I'm not a techie. My suggestion is still to call & talk to them. They'll help you choose the right controller (and everything else) for what you need.

 

[BenjiTheCham]

It was almost a year ago, and I don't do the filing. I recall it was reasonable, and everything's been performing flawlessly.

I'm not a techie. My suggestion is still to call & talk to them. They'll help you choose the right controller (and everything else) for what you need.

Thanks, I looked at their products and they look really good, I’m going to contact them today