Energy
- Thread starter littleliz
- Start date
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
-Yes absolutely outside sunlight is the best and obvious choice if its warm enough where you live.
-The tube lights dont cost much to run. Spot/heat bulbs do, so use the lowest watt necessary to do the job. And instead of an overly hot bulb placed further away, use a lesser bulb closer - but guard against contact burns.
-Keep the chams in their own room, so that you can keep it warm in there and let the rest of your home be cooler in the winter at night (or if you live in a hot place, you can cool the cham room as needed and let it be warm for you if you can handle it.)
-If you cant house outside, Choose a room with a south facing window that opens (to let heat and fresh air in whenever practical).
-Choose a room next to your bathroom, so that you can re-direct shower humidty into the cham room with easy vent slits.
-Use a dripper for the primary water source along with a manual mister (the kind you pump by hand up to create pressure is very easy and not hard on your hands like a little spray bottle type - and creates more than enough mist for multiple chams).
-Raise your own feeders (reducing carbon footprint associated with shipping, and can reduce your waste if you feed off some of your vegetable scraps)
-When you first turn on the faucet to your bath or shower, collect the water in a bucket while you wait for it to warm up. Use that water for your chameleons instead of wasting it down the drain (assuming you have decent water - and best to leave it overnight for any chlorine to dissipate and allow water to reach room temp in the cham room).
-Install solar panels and/or a heat pump and/or a mini-wind turbine
-The tube lights dont cost much to run. Spot/heat bulbs do, so use the lowest watt necessary to do the job. And instead of an overly hot bulb placed further away, use a lesser bulb closer - but guard against contact burns.
-Keep the chams in their own room, so that you can keep it warm in there and let the rest of your home be cooler in the winter at night (or if you live in a hot place, you can cool the cham room as needed and let it be warm for you if you can handle it.)
-If you cant house outside, Choose a room with a south facing window that opens (to let heat and fresh air in whenever practical).
-Choose a room next to your bathroom, so that you can re-direct shower humidty into the cham room with easy vent slits.
-Use a dripper for the primary water source along with a manual mister (the kind you pump by hand up to create pressure is very easy and not hard on your hands like a little spray bottle type - and creates more than enough mist for multiple chams).
-Raise your own feeders (reducing carbon footprint associated with shipping, and can reduce your waste if you feed off some of your vegetable scraps)
-When you first turn on the faucet to your bath or shower, collect the water in a bucket while you wait for it to warm up. Use that water for your chameleons instead of wasting it down the drain (assuming you have decent water - and best to leave it overnight for any chlorine to dissipate and allow water to reach room temp in the cham room).
-Install solar panels and/or a heat pump and/or a mini-wind turbine
As was suggested in a previous thread, you could put up an 80 foot windmill in your backyard.
littleliz
Member
Hey all fantastic in depth advice Cheers! I can presume that you have put a lot of thought into this already and are already doing most/all of this yourself. Now about that 80 ft windmill LOL I think the neighbours might have something to say about that one but solar panels might be OK. Does anyone have these?
I do plan on getting a safe outdoor place for them.... not that we get many days that are any where near warm enough in the UK!
but solar panels might be OK. Does anyone have these?I do plan on getting a safe outdoor place for them.... not that we get many days that are any where near warm enough in the UK!
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Marc10edora
Avid Member
I would put up some solar power, But they're so damn expensive. I usually keep my cham outside all summer and spring out here in sunny california.
sandrachameleon
Chameleon Enthusiast
There are small wind turbines, designed for residential use.
http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2008/03/14/inexpensive-residential-wind-turbine/
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/01/stormblade_the.php
http://www.awea.org/smallwind/smsyslst.html
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/2007-06-01/Improved-Wind-Power.aspx
http://www.thelohasian.com/2007/10/residential-wind-turbines-for-ed-begley.html
http://www.edbegley.com/environment/tipsandfaq.html
and many many more
http://www.alternativeconsumer.com/2008/03/14/inexpensive-residential-wind-turbine/
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/01/stormblade_the.php
http://www.awea.org/smallwind/smsyslst.html
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Renewable-Energy/2007-06-01/Improved-Wind-Power.aspx
http://www.thelohasian.com/2007/10/residential-wind-turbines-for-ed-begley.html
http://www.edbegley.com/environment/tipsandfaq.html
and many many more
Marc10edora
Avid Member
I would put a little windmill in my backyard. But I remember seeing a guy on the news that got sued by pg&e for using a personal windmill to power his house. He used it for about two years where I live and PG&E found out. They said that he was stealing money from the company. The guy didn't pay any electricity bills for 2 years. PG&E are crooks.
Technically, if you're able to produce more power than you use, the power company should give you a credit (if you're wired to feed power backwards into the company). He may have been doing it without them realizing it, and building up a credit for those 2 years.
littleliz
Member
that is really interesting! I have taken a look at the links. I would doubt very much if we would be able to get planning permission for even a small turbine where I currently live but all things worth looking into. Back to my last question though. Does anyone use solar panels or know anyone who does? Are they worthwhile/cost effective etc?
