The day before Yesterday, I bought a solarmeter 6.2. I metered one of my UVB with the new equipment.

My UVB lights are all ZOOMED repitsun 5.0. The UVB lamp I metered have been used for 6 months. I measured the UVB at the point where is 30cm(12'') from the surface of the UVB light. It is 6~7 uW/cm2.

I metered a new ZOOMED UVB lamp again. It is 17uW/cm2.

From what I know. In Madagascar，the UVB is more than 300 uW/cm2.

I also read the article《Effects of Artificial Ultraviolet Light Exposure on Reproductive Success of the Female Panther Chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) in Captivity》by Ferguson G.W., W.H. Gehrmann, T.C. Chen, E.S. Dierenfeld, and M.F. Holick. Female Panther Chameleons could live very well in only 6 uW/cm2 and could make 71% viable eggs.

In my home, the distance is only 10cm from the UVB lamp to the branch that the chameleon bask. I metered this, it is over 50 uW/cm2.

My question:
1. Why 30cm (12'') is standard distance? Do you set the branch at 30cm from UVB lamp?

2.If doing like me, raise the branch up to 10 cm. Chameleons could get more UVB and we can delay UVB lamp's operational life span. Does this have any damage for Chameleons?

3.How uW/cm2 Veiled and panther need? Someone suggest that 15~33uW/cm2 is optimal. But in the wild, it is over 300uW/cm2.

4.Is chameleons able to see UVB? if it can, it should know where UVB is stronger, it will get to there to bask. so that we needn't make a UVB gradient for chameles. right? one point 30 uW/cm2 UVB is enough for Veiled and Panther.
Thanks

wish I could help but this is over my head
jerry

I believe that studies quote 5 - 15 uW/cm2 at the point of basking is sufficient. I'll try to find the reference.

__________________
aka HarryO....705-715-1148
www.chromachameleons.com

This link quotes 15 -33 uW/cm2...

http://www.uvguide.co.uk/whatreptilesneed.htm

__________________
aka HarryO....705-715-1148
www.chromachameleons.com

Many people suggest that get rid of the ZOOMED UVB after have used for 6 months. But from this data, we can use it more than one year. we just make the branch close to the UVB.

i dont think that chameleons can see uvb it is too law to see ...
some lower that 400nm yes ...but 290-300nm no way.

that is my opinion

Howdy Zarko,

Yep, it is not visible to the human eye and may not be visible to the chameleon eye either, but none-the-less essential to their survival. The UVB produced by our UVB lamps helps our chameleons (and many other living things ) create vitamin D3 which they need in order to effectively utilize calcium in their bodies . The best source of this UVB wavelength is, of course, unfiltered sunlight.

__________________
See Ya,

Dave Weldon
Panther & Veileds

Book Collection:
"Reptile Medicine and Surgery" 2nd ed. By Mader
"Chameleons - Their Care and Breeding" By Linda J. Davison
"Chameleons - Nature's Hidden Jewels" 2nd Ed. By Petr Necas
"The Panther Chameleon: Color Variation, Natural History, Conservation and Captive Management" By Gary W. Ferguson...
"Thoughts for Food" 3rd Ed. Edited by Ardi Abate
"Understanding Reptile Parasites" By Roger J. Klingenberg D.V.M.

Seeing ultraviolet...doesn't say UVB...
"The eye of the Chameleon can not only sense what humans can, but its eyes have the ability to see Ultraviolet color as well"...
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science...ons/index.html