Will direct misting really harm my chameleon? This book said so.

[Treerhino]

So I was reading a book on chameleons and it looks like this guy is saying not to mist your chameleon in temps above 75f. My chameleon isn’t supposed to go under 75 degrees ideally so that basically means I cant help him shed by misting him? Or is this guy full of it? Took a picture of the paragraph in question.

 

[Decadancin]

I would not heed that advise. Many enclosures are routinely over 75 degrees and misting has been done in them for years with no harm to the chameleon. As for direct misting (spraying on the animal) I would recommend to mist the enclosure and foliage and if your chameleon wants to get sprayed it will be his choice because he can move towards the spray.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Pretty sure you can throw that book away.

Out of curiosity what is the title and who is the author?

 

[Treerhino]

Ya the only time I directly mist my cham is when he is shedding and it’s with warm water. The little guy is mortified of being sprayed any other way so I typically avoid directly misting him when possible. The book is called “The Chameleon Handbook” by Francois Le Berre

 

[Decadancin]

I will caution against spraying with warm water. Room temp or a bit lower is even better. They can actually be harmed by water that is too warm from what I have learned. You likely will not need to help with shedding if your husbandry is spot on, so you may want to check your levels of humidity.

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Agree with above, how easily your Cham sheds is a good indicator of their overall health. I find that spraying my Cham during a shed does not help them remove it on their own. I find that it adds elasticity to the dried skin causing it to stretch when your Cham rubs on it instead of tearing off cleanly.

 

[Treerhino]

I didn’t realize it could complicate the shedding process, duely noted. And I realize hot water would be bad for a cham but when it sprays it comes out about skin temp which I heard was about the sweet spot. Please correct me if I’m wrong as I’m still learning

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Don’t get me wrong spraying chams during a shed has its place in chameleon husbandry but shouldn’t be your go to method. If you have to spray them at every shed it is a sign that something else is wrong. The only time I find it beneficial to spray a Cham during shedding is if there is a spot that’s stuck really good or if there is a cuff that is threatening the circulation of a limb. In the case of a cuff the water returning elasticity to the skin is exactly what needs to happen to relieve the pressure and allow the blood flow to return to normal.

 

[Treerhino]

Right on, my cham is starting it’s first shed with me, it looks like it’s starting with the tail. Is the tail something to be concerned about like the feet/toes during a shed or would the fact it’s prehensile assist the shedding process?

 

[Brodybreaux25]

Kindly, You have no need to be concerned about any part of the shedding process! It’s on autopilot! The only time you should be concerned is if a cuff develops like we discussed earlier.

I know it’s your first time and it can be nerve racking, totally normal and it just proves you care. To put your mind at ease skim through the linked thread so you can see what to watch out for.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/skin-tourniquet.164515/#post-1422123