Reptile & Amphibian Forums

what are you using you sun your chameleon outside? would it be adviseable to use something like a "parrot perch" or is it better safe then sorry and use a cage?

one more thing. how long do you sun them. i have a friend that a few years ago was sunning her iguana's and ended up killing them for over exposure.

dennis
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compasscreek backcountry adventures

i use a bird cage

Dennis-

I only put them outside on there ficus trees or plants from there cages when I am cleaning, and I am outside watching them and keeping an eye out for large birds with the exception of my ambilobe he tells me when he wants to go outside and has his own outside tree. LOL! If you are going to keep them outside not in cages where they would be protected by the screen, make sure you are outside watching them. The more unfiltered sun you can give your chameleon the better. When I put them outside unwatched they are caged. I use plants because it gives the chameleon a place to be exposed to the sun and a place to be shaded from the sun. Also you don't want to place them in direct sun, they must have a place that has access to shade, and water if you are keeping them outside to prevent dehydration. As long as you provide these things they can be outside all day long. You will notice there reaction when outside, they love it, and in young growing chameleons they tend to grow better. If you are exposing them to natural sun for more then 4-5 days out of the week you should use a vitamin/calcium dust that does not have D3 in it, this means unfiltered sunlight (light that does not pass through windows(glass) or acrylic/plastic). So the main thing when keeping them outside is to provide a place to bask, a shaded area, and a water source.

P.S. One more thing, my male panthers like to roam, and will walk off there trees in search of bugs and there female mates, so this is also a good reason to cage them when outside.
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John
1.1 Ambilobe Panthers
1.1 Nosy Be Panthers
1.1 Sambava Panthers

When I take Zoe outside I let him stroll around on his own, through the garden, and on the grass..BUT... I am with him constantly...even if I was to go back inside to grab a glass of water...he comes with me. I have made sure there are no nooks or crannies he can get into, and have blocked off any that were there with large rocks (which he hates to be on, so he won't go near them!)
He decides whether he wants to be in direct sun, or shaded. Most often it seems as though, the warmer, the better. But occasionally he'll move to a partially shaded area.
We stay outside for as long as possible, or until I get too hot (not really a worry these last couple days...BRRRRRR!)
I have also taken him out in a large cooler, but that seems to REALLY stress him out, so, I don't use that any more.
I am planning on looking into a largish bird cage too. Especially once school lets out, and the neighbourhood kids are around all the time...it'll be safer for Zoe! Currently I only take him out when the younger ones in the neighbourhood are at school.

wow...that was a long, rambling reply wasn't it....oh well...just my 2 cents.

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Kim

birds are very alert, and very quick. Did you see the americas funniest home video with the kid and his mouse??

there was a little kid holding a pet mouse outside. He put the mouse on a table or something to let it walk around, adn bang, within a second or two a hawk sweeps past the camera and the mouse is gone. It was WATCHING themouse, waiting for them to put it down...dont think they would not do the same to a chameleon.

Also, a guy I used to talk to on the AOL boards had a female verricosus pulled through a cage by a blue jay--birds are very voracious predators of chameleons. and they are faster, more patient,and sharper eyed than anything on the planet.