A stupid question...

[maxttu]

I thought I read recently where someone stated the our chams need at least one hour a day of UVB absorption. Don't know if this is accurate or not.

Here's the stupid question: If a Cham gets 8 hours of natural (sun) UVB's on Saturday and Sunday, totaling 16hrs, could they go without UVB all week if kept indoors?

Please don't think this is what I'm doing, I'm just curious...

 

[tracysimpson]

i was told the need 12 hours a day we have the uvb light for it we keep on 12 hours

 

[carol5208]

i was told the need 12 hours a day we have the uvb light for it we keep on 12 hours

yes, but an indoor uvb light has no where the strength or output of the sun so I think what he is asking if you put your chameleon in the sun would it be enough because it is so much more powerful than the artificial lights we use. And I do not have an answer for that!! We say 12 hours as we are trying to replicate a natural day out in the wild.

 

[nightanole]

Ya adults only need 30min of DIRECT sunlight a day. They are shade dwellers. Its why we can get away with reptisun 5.0's through screen.

So ya if said cham would sun itself a couple hours a day 2x a week it sounds like it would be a happy cham. Even more so than one stuck indoors under a florescent all the time.

And the 12 hours this is psychological need, not a physical need. Hell if i put my beardies on 12 hour timers they would sleep 7 months out of the year.

 

[tracysimpson]

i have no clue on that one i just stay safe with the indoor one......sorry couldnt help you

 

[maxttu]

The 12 hour cycle is to replicate the natural lighting in the wild. My question is more aimed at UVB absorption and retention.

 

[maxttu]

Ya adults only need 30min of DIRECT sunlight a day. They are shade dwellers. Its why we can get away with reptisun 5.0's through screen.

So ya if said cham would sun itself a couple hours a day 2x a week it sounds like it would be a happy cham. Even more so than one stuck indoors under a florescent all the time.

That's another issue that I've asked about before with differing answers. Do they really need "direct" sunlight? I was informed that even in the shade or on cloudy days that the UVB's are bouncing everywhere and they are still absorbing those...

 

[pssh]

I'm not sure. The chameleon only absorbs what it needs, so maybe if you did it consistently, it might work? After a few weeks of this type of pattern the chameleon would recognize that it needs to absorb more UVB and convert it to D3 to store for the week ahead? I don't know. I do know that it's possible to raise a chameleon without UVB and only supplemented D3. I wouldn't suggest it though. It would require a lot of care and thought to figure out how to do it properly.

 

[maxttu]

I'm not sure. The chameleon only absorbs what it needs, so maybe if you did it consistently, it might work? After a few weeks of this type of pattern the chameleon would recognize that it needs to absorb more UVB and convert it to D3 to store for the week ahead? I don't know. I do know that it's possible to raise a chameleon without UVB and only supplemented D3. I wouldn't suggest it though. It would require a lot of care and thought to figure out how to do it properly.

Wow. That's very interesting. I deffo wouldn't recommend or test that theory myself.

 

[AngieL]

I'm sure this has been brought up before on a thread a whole ago. I remember someone said that they would need at least 3 hours of NATURAL UVB daily before you could stop using a bulb. I wish I could remember the thread, it was about free ranging or some other unrelated topic

 

[deadhd5]

That's another issue that I've asked about before with differing answers. Do they really need "direct" sunlight? I was informed that even in the shade or on cloudy days that the UVB's are bouncing everywhere and they are still absorbing those...

This is a great question that I am very interested to find the answer to.

I am planning on building an outdoor enclosure to house my guys outside full time for as much of the year as possible. However, my backyard is tiny and dominated by a large oak tree. I want to make sure that my guys will get the necessary UVB even if they only get indirect sun, or infrequent direct sun.

 

[deadhd5]

This is a great question that I am very interested to find the answer to.

I am planning on building an outdoor enclosure to my guys outside full time for as much of the year as possible. However, my backyard is tiny and dominated by a large oak tree. I want to make sure that my guys will get the necessary UVB even if they only get indirect sun, or infrequent direct sun.

Can someone with a UVB meter go outside a run a test on this?

 

[maxttu]

This is a great question that I am very interested to find the answer to.

I am planning on building an outdoor enclosure to my guys outside full time for as much of the year as possible. However, my backyard is tiny and dominated by a large oak tree. I want to make sure that my guys will get the necessary UVB even if they only get indirect sun, or infrequent direct sun.

This is what I was indirectly getting at. My outdoor enclosure will be somewhat nestled under some foliage and I'm even considering putting a hard roof on it.

 

[imcurt]

This is what I was indirectly getting at. My outdoor enclosure will be somewhat nestled under some foliage and I'm even considering putting a hard roof on it.

Pick up a SolarMeter. Its the only way you will know how much UVB your out door enclosure is getting......mine has almost paid for its self .Its nice to know exactly when to replace your bulbs

 

[pssh]

Can someone with a UVB meter go outside a run a test on this?

The problem with this is that different parts of the world get different UVB readings at different times of the year/day. Some places are at such an angle during some parts of the year that they dont get any UVB even though the sun is shining (There was a thread about this that had a link to a website where you entered your info and it would tell you which parts of the year you received no or very little UVB from the sun.) The only way to tell for your area is to get a UVB meter and test it yourself.

 

[Echoezra]

I remember inquiring about something similar and getting replies along those lines, so it may have been a thread of mine. The consensus was basically implying that a sunny day here in canada, is not going to receive the same UVB levels as a sunny day in Florida. So lets say a half hour in Orlando might end up equalling 5 hours in Amherstburg Ontario. Depending on the day. Because of this and that, the angles of the sun and whatnot.

 

[DavidBuchan]

It's one of questions where you can't go by the book........'cos there is no book - it's time get artistic/scientific......

So, 12 hour photoperiod makes good sense. Indirect sunlight is what wild cham observation suggests is what they like most......
D3 supplementation is what we do to replace some of the power of the sun......
So, lots of outdoor time means giving less D3 powder. You have to guess....get creative. Mix plain calcium with a little Repashy cal plus or something......

Studies on panthers conclude that they will regulate their basking instinctually (with extreme effectiveness! ) - http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.1086/597525?uid=3738032&uid=2&uid=4&sid=21101716842533