Cold Or Hot?
06/09/2020
Breeders, keepers and even VETS often recommend showers, baths it soaks or wraps in warm water...
While direct showers, baths and soaks are an absolute NO in chameleon husbandry, as they lead to heavy discomfort and stress and must NEVER be done, contact of water e.g. in form of wraps are sometimes necessary for therapeutical purposes (hemipeneal plug removal, emergency measures in cloacal prolapse etc.)
The problem is the human perception of this non-concrete terms...
Cold
Luke warm
Warm
Hot
You just need to attach concrete values to it otherwise it does not make sense to discuss...
Water is:
Cold under 90*F (32*C)
Luke warm 96-100 (36-38*C)
Warm over 100 (38*C)
Hot over 110 (43*C)
The average optimum temperature of the commonly kept chameleon species is around 72-76*F (22-25*C)
Even LUKE WARM IS 20 degrees higher!!!
And this causes unnecessary, stupid (if done) THERMAL SHOCK.
Do not overheat the chameleons!
Use COLD WATER, best at room temperature!
Author: Petr Nečas