Photo update and lighting advice

Hi all!

Digit is growing pretty fast and Im hoping for a some advice on lighting for his adult enclosure. I have a T5 unit and both 5.0 and 10.0 tubes 39w tubes available. The top of the tank is mesh (around 1cm x 1cm holes).

In your experience, which is best? Should/could I use both?

Any assistance will be most appreciated.

A week or so after arrival:


A few weeks older


Two weeks ago


Last weekend

Wish I could help... I've been outta the Cham world for a while(Got the itch and now I'm back). Back in the day you couldn't go wrong with to much lighting, but now I don't know. I have accuired a Cham and am experimenting with the power sun UVA/UVB with heat bulb as reccomended by the breeder. My new Panther seems to not have an issue with it(people say they sun burn), but the breeder only uses those and his Cham's are beautiful.(Multi-Generation) Yes the bulbs are expensive, but if you want the best you have to provide the best. I say go for it, your doing fine with that set-up, carry it over to the adult set-up.

If it helps, I have bought/sold/owned/breed hundreds of Chams.

Thanks for the insight! I did look at the powersun but was unsure as they can't be hooked up to thermostats.

I guess the only way to be certain would be to source a UV meter?

Apologies for the grainy photos; phone is due an upgrade!

Are you using an exo terra cage? I use the 10.0 or 12% over my exo terra cages as the mesh blocks out quite a bit of uv.

Photo's look better then my phone would take-

great progression pics!
i got my light set ups from light your reptiles...

Can you snap a distance shot of the cage?

I want to see how heavily planted (ie: how much shade) it is.

And how big is the cage?

IF you used a 10% or 12% ho t5...
you would need to make sure there was a suitable UV GRADIENT in the cage.

Repeat: UV Gradient

Because a 10 or 12% HO T5 is TOO MUCH UV if it is being used just "straight on".... especially on a cage less than 3 feet tall and 24" wide.

You must have ample shade and a non UV / low UV basking area & resting zones.

We CAUTION ANYONE USING HO T5 UV 12% without a Solarmeter.
IT IS A RISKY THING TO DO.

Please get this:
a ho t5 6% Arcadia bulb gives MORE UV (and more light overall) than a 10% t8 repti-sun.


OK, now that I have tried to caution you against sunburning your animal & scare you into checking your UV.....

That sure is a cute little bugger
so please make sure you don't fry his eyes out or sunburn him.

I don't want to give anybody a hard time...
I just care.
And it is easy to think with UV that "more is better", when that is not always the case.


Best Wishes!
Todd

PS. Here is a handy species UV lighting guide to go by that shows UV gradients:

http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/lighting-guide/

Here is how easy it is to use a Solarmeter:
http://www.arcadia-reptile.com/how-uv-meter/

and yes...they are kind of expensive.

But a bargain compared to trips to a vet to treat UV burns... or MBD if they are getting too little UV.

Morning Todd, thanks for the informative response.

Not giving me a hard time at all, I appreciate the level of detail; it's exactly why I use these forums!

The enclosure isn't fully furnished yet but it is around 4ft tall. I understand your point around UV gradients entirely. In light of this, I think its more natural for the chameleon to go in search of rays by basking in the upper area of the enclosure, rather than running to the bottom to avoid sun burn.

Also, the temperature reduce towards the bottom of the enclosure so it'll be far from ideal.

Following on from your advice, I think I'll go with a 6% UV T5 and perhaps a natural bulb that will assist in plant growth (I have a ficus and hibiscus to move in). Any recommendations on the best bulb to use here?

All the best,
David

i see in his first pic when you first got him hes showing black stress bars.how long after did he stop showing them? as mines doing that now.

he looks great btw

Thanks Rango!

Erm, I'm not too sure; a couple of days at most. He then settled in two a light green colour before he started to develop colours here and there. At the moment he seems to colour up more each day.

I'll update with another photo next weekend or something!

Any thoughts on using an additional bulb alongside the arcadia t5 6% for plant growth?

All the best,
David

He looks awesome

Chk out the arcadia pro plant t5

hes stunning

Hughesy said:

Morning Todd, thanks for the informative response.

Not giving me a hard time at all, I appreciate the level of detail; it's exactly why I use these forums!

The enclosure isn't fully furnished yet but it is around 4ft tall. I understand your point around UV gradients entirely. In light of this, I think its more natural for the chameleon to go in search of rays by basking in the upper area of the enclosure, rather than running to the bottom to avoid sun burn.

Also, the temperature reduce towards the bottom of the enclosure so it'll be far from ideal.

Following on from your advice, I think I'll go with a 6% UV T5 and perhaps a natural bulb that will assist in plant growth (I have a ficus and hibiscus to move in). Any recommendations on the best bulb to use here?

All the best,
David

Click to expand...

Hi David.

LED spots are great over Hibiscus to concentrate light they need with low electrical usage and low heat.

the one below is a one of my custom spots with one red extra diode and 6.5k/4.5k mixed diodes for a good plant spectrum.

Thanks all!

LED is a great shout Todd, I'll see what I can do. How did you create your custom spotlights?

Is anyone else using LED?

Some more shots:

Hi all, almost completed the new enclosure, will post pics soon.

Brought a microclimate Prime2 thermostat; it's a great piece of kit!