burns / heat lamp question

P

pennyz

New Member
hya,
I have been doing some research and i think my cham has either a skin problem or burns i think probably both....

my question is mainly about my lamp...
(will take cham to vet)

I have a glass vivarium (says firplast on the side) with an in built cage for the ceramic light

I think from memory i have a 100watt bulb in the cage... and a massive ledge of wood for him to bask on thats about 16 cm's below it..

is the wattage to high? the distance too short?

thanks as always x
 
Hello there. First of all we have to know what kind of chamelon you have, what age, what your basking temps are... I have used 100 watt bulbs for my adult panthers which gives me a basking temp of about 95. It depends on alot of variables like your house temps, how far away the bulb is from the basking site, etc. A 100 watt can be used but it has to be under the right circumstances. Can we see some pics of the suspected burn/infected skin area?
 
I'll have to try and sort some pics tomorrow... he's gone to bed.. lol
he's a 2 year old yemen
temps are hard to work out as i dont have a thermometer in the viv.. just the sensor which i set to about 84... but the probe isnt sat under the lamp.. its a few cm away.... is that ok?
 
We would really need to see pics of YOUR cham and not someone elses. That chameleon looks burned to me, missing spikes and all. I know they said skin infection but I am not so sure. I would set the probe exactly where he sits and basks to get a true temp and yes I would put it under the light. Don't forget they have a high casque(well most do) so always allow space for that when you are planning your basking spot.
 
Am I reading it correctly? You have a 100 watt bulb inside a glass enclosure? I think any bulbs need to be protected by wires to keep the chameleon away from them. The easiest way to do that is to put the bulbs outside. 100 watts with glass might well be too much regardless of where the bulb is. Glass tends to hold the heat in a lot more than screen cages. You should consider getting a temperature gun, they run a bit under $30 and let you take the temperature from a distance (you'll want to go through the screen on top).

You want a range in temperature from around 90 degrees in the top 6-8 inches down to the low 70s at the bottom of the enclosure. If you cannot get that, then lower the top temperature (by moving the bulb further away or reducing the wattage) to 85 and see if that gets you the low 70s at the bottom.
 
Elizadolots said:
Am I reading it correctly? You have a 100 watt bulb inside a glass enclosure? I think any bulbs need to be protected by wires to keep the chameleon away from them. The easiest way to do that is to put the bulbs outside. 100 watts with glass might well be too much regardless of where the bulb is. Glass tends to hold the heat in a lot more than screen cages. You should consider getting a temperature gun, they run a bit under $30 and let you take the temperature from a distance (you'll want to go through the screen on top).

You want a range in temperature from around 90 degrees in the top 6-8 inches down to the low 70s at the bottom of the enclosure. If you cannot get that, then lower the top temperature (by moving the bulb further away or reducing the wattage) to 85 and see if that gets you the low 70s at the bottom.
Click to expand...

I think she said the bulb was protected by a cage? I have seen that set up before so the cham cannot come in contact with the light.. I am assuming she is from the UK (viv) as the seem to do that over there as the cages are wood on the top. Maybe I am just assuming. And you are probably right about the glass but I think if it is a huge viv it could work. I use a 100 watt but then again my house is 74 degrees with AC and I have a screen cage so you have to consider all the variables like I said.
 
thanks ladies, I shall move my sensor...
the bulb may be less than 100 I will check... memory like a sieve! (its in a cage with mesh at the bottom but i know convection can burn and also the cage its in does get hot also... think i shall move a lot of branches away too....
will try and get pics sorted tomorrow...
just had to post while i had the time!
 
For pictures that are on your computer, use the POST REPLY button (not the handy Quick Reply box at the bottom of the thread). That will give you more "tools" at the top of the box. Click the paperclip, follow the commands to upload pictures from your computer. You will not be able to see them in your post, even in preview. They will appear as thumbnails when you submit the post. When we click the thumbnails they will expand so we can see them.
 
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