Ack Heat Question

[RachelRiot]

Yesterday while I was misting I guess I misted my heat bulb and it exploded. Luckily none of the glass went into the cage. I sent my husband to the store with the box from the blown bulb which was a 50w and he came back with a 75w.

Is 75w too high for her? I dont have a way to test the basking spot until I can find what my husband did with the heat gun. I know she is not sitting in her normal spot right under the bulb she seems to have moved farther away and last night she slept much farther down in her enclosure than normal.

(we leave the heat on 24 hours because we live in an old drafty house and it can sometimes get very cold through the night)

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Can you raise the bulb?
I have put those fixtures on blocks on top of screened enclosures before.
a couple of inches will make a big difference.

Question ... is there light 24 hrs in the enclosure? they prefer total darkness at night.

-Brad

 

[alhickabee]

If you can't raise the bulb further from the basking spot, go back to the 50w. Too much heat can hurt her.

 

[RachelRiot]

That's what I thought. I will go raise that bulb right now.


There is "heat" 24 hours. During the day we are using white heat lights (as well as the UVB) and at night we are using the red bulbs (minus the UVB). I have to keep heat 24 hours or it gets way too cold and that was the only way I knew because I do the same for all of my snakes.

 

[dodolah]

That's what I thought. I will go raise that bulb right now.


There is "heat" 24 hours. During the day we are using white heat lights (as well as the UVB) and at night we are using the red bulbs (minus the UVB). I have to keep heat 24 hours or it gets way too cold and that was the only way I knew because I do the same for all of my snakes.

Since you are in Florida, i believe your cham can withstand the night temp there.
I suggest using ceramic heater if the temp is lower than 60 F

 

[BocaJan]

I live in Boca Raton and have 4 chams. They do quite well at night and I don't have any heat on. In the morning when we get up we turn on the UV and the basking lights. I left them warm up for an hour before I feed or mist them.

 

[RachelRiot]

In my home we have experienced temps as low as 55f. Is that too cold for her? I can start turning the heat off at night if she will be fine. I am just scared it is going to get too cold and she wont be able to warm up if she needs too.

 

[BMXICAN]

In my home we have experienced temps as low as 55f. Is that too cold for her? I can start turning the heat off at night if she will be fine. I am just scared it is going to get too cold and she wont be able to warm up if she needs too.

She should be fine. My big veiled, Fred, is next to the sliding glass door and it gets to 52° or so lately at night. Once daylight comes, he just basks in the sunlight.

 

[RachelRiot]

Cool I appreciate that. Last night was the first night we let her go without any heat. She seemed to love it. She slept really deep as opposed to the other nights where she was easily awakened.

This morning I got up a little extra early (30 mins) and turned on her red heat light and as it got lighter outside I switched to my white bulbs. She ate a lot more this morning and seems a lot more active.

Thanks so much. I am going to keep her on this schedule.

 

[Dave Weldon]

This morning I got up a little extra early (30 mins) and turned on her red heat light and as it got lighter outside I switched to my white bulbs...

Howdy Rachel,

There will be additional benefit from removing the red heat light completely. Your chameleon will likely tune-in to the white light as her proper source for basking heat. They are wired to be drawn to the somewhat natural color spectrum (relative to a red heat light) of that kind of white light for heat .

 

[Julirs]

Yep-no heat-I am right here in the Tampa area with you and have never used night heat. Of course wth the cooler temps these last weeks, my outside chams are now inside chams!

 

[RachelRiot]

Thanks Dave. I plan on ditching that one here soon.

And Julirs, it's good to know how you are doing it since you have had such success and in the same area as I am.



One last question.

My plan was to use this red heat bulb for the next few days and "ease" her into this. Is that necessary?

 

[Julirs]

Nope-I would cut her off cold turkey!

 

[RachelRiot]

Cool thanks. I will toss that bulb then.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I also vote for no more red heat lamp.

-Brad

 

[RachelRiot]

I also vote for no more red heat lamp.

-Brad

Done and Done!