Flourescent UVB problems?

M

Mueller23

New Member
I have a male veiled chameleon, and have been using a 50w night glo moonlight from exo tera for nighttime (which i am going to try without for a couple days due to an eye problem) along with a 60w sung glo for UVA and a 26w Repti glo 5.0 for UVB.

My concern is the 26w Repti glo 5.0 for UVB. I have read some things about "High UVB output" possibly leading to damaged eyes or many reptiles (including chameleons) and a lethargic attitude. What do some more experience chameleon owners think about the lighting issue? Should I consider changing my UVB bulb or just stick to what I'm doing?

I also run my lights on a schedule (9:00am-7:30pm for my day lights and 7:30-8:15ish for my night light).

Lately my chameleon has been closing his left eye an awefull lot, but there is no discharge, ooze, crust, or any visible foreign object. If he is hunting or getting a mist, he will open both with ease. That is why I don't know for sure if it is a bulb issue. and it only affects his left eye, but I am concerned it could start affecting both.

Also, in michigan right now (where I live) the weather has been very strange lately. We had some 60 degree days in january and also 25 degree days. Could this outside change be messing with him internally thinking it is more wintery outside and he should rest more?

sorry for all my questions, I just want to learn as much as possible!

Thanks!
 
First off ditch the Nite light;) Secondly it could be a suppliment issue.. you need to fill out the how to ask for help form completely & we can sort you out and probably fix up your cham. Im sure others will chime in soon and say just what I said.... Give us some info and we will give it our best shot ;) Dave
 
I have a male veiled chameleon who is a little less than a year old. I’ve had him for almost 2 months.
• I don’t handle my chameleon every day, but try to. He seems to come to my mom and I (we take care of him)
• I am feeding my chameleons strictly pin heads crickets right now. He eats about 5 a day. Some days less, some days more. I gut load them with the yellow flukers (water and nutrients) and also fresh greens like lettuce, carrots, and sometimes peppers.
• I dust my crickets with calcium MINUS PHOSPHORUS right before I put them into his cage. I do cup feed, but the crickets get out sometimes and he hunts them. I prefer that a couple do because I like him being active.
• I water atleast twice a day with heated distilled water (Lukewarm). I mist for a minute or so and then drip in the same place. I almost always see him open his mouth and swallow but I don’t always see him drink. I, however, don’t think that dehydration is an issue because he is meaty and his eyes are not sunken.
• His fecal material is normal. It is solid and brown with the last bit yellow and almost always a white tipped end.

• My cage is a 16x16x20in screened cage. I have 10in tall glass piece on three sides to hold in humidity and heat.

• I have both UVB and UVA bulbs. I use a repti-sun 5.0 bulb and a 35 watt UVA. They are both repti sun brand (tropical). I lalso use a low watt moonlight.

• My cage is 80 degrees in his basking spot and 70 at the lowest spot in his tank. I measur e this with an actualthermometer in there and I also have a laser temperature measurer (which is really nice and expensive. My dad got it from an air conditioning tech guy). My humidity is always above 50 if not 60. I have a bottom of “mulchy-ish material” I bought from the pet store for reptiles that holds a lot of humidity and heat.

• Since I’ve only had a chameleon for about 2 months, I haven’t bought any live plants yet. I use all fake.

• My cage is in my room about 2 feet of the ground (at the bottom) so about 3.5 feet at the top. There isn’t too much traffic. We keep the door shut and I never run my fan. Would running a fan be ok?

• I live in southeaster michigan about 5 minutes from toledo. It is winter here and very gloomy, so I don’t know if that wuold make a difference in his acting.


I am ditching the night light tomorrow night! I've heard to try withought it for a while from multiple people.

About the vitamins; he was on calcium with D3 everyday, but i have since learned that is bad! Iam stopping and will onlydust with that twice a month. I a buying calcium only dust and am looking on how to get my chameleon some vitamin A. I've heard too much can be very bad, and I want to learn how to do this right. If you have any word, I would greatly appreciate it!
 
All I know is what works for me and works well! Others do things different. I dont worry about suppliments because I use Repashy Calcium Plus.... thats all I need. I would ditch the Flukers junk for gut load & go to Repashy Bug Burger for now... with fresh veggies too. Ive heard of cham problems being solved with the Calcium Plus.. There are all kinds of blogs and differing opinions but alot of people here are doing what I am with great results;) Dave
 
So you just use the Reasy's calcium plus? no calcium with D3 twice a month?

and my crickets seem healthy, but i amlooking into this burger stuff!

Thank you very muchfor your help!
 
Yep... Just the Calcium Plus. Also....... your guy is dehydrated if his urate is yellowish at all.. It should be white or just off white. I also add Dinofuel to my Bug burger. At almost a year he should be eating at least 10 full size crix per day too, Its possible his appetite is off from not enough UVA try a different bulb
 
i am looking into getting his cage raised up actually lol. and by "ALL" what do you mean? Cuz D3, phosphorus, among other things are bad for chameleons...
 
It is a calcium & vitamin suppliment All In 1.... Its all you need. It has the rite amount of what your cham needs in it. Like I said alot of people here have switched to it. Also What Sandra said in your other thread.... Well feed feeders is probably the best route... BUT we cant give the variety they get in the wild.. nor the Sun. I live just across the lake from you.... No sun for my guy till June! So..... we have to give them something...;)
 
The rapashy calcum plus has trace amounts of d3 and build up over time. If your in the north and your cham is not getting real sun light on a regular schedule. try adding rapashy vit a to you chams suppliment schedule in the winter months. My self after buying 2 bad reptiglos in a row, and having a cham go blind and not knowing why untill it was too late. i will never use reptiglow bulbs again.......I will stick with reptisun
 
Mueller23 said:
i am looking into getting his cage raised up actually lol. and by "ALL" what do you mean? Cuz D3, phosphorus, among other things are bad for chameleons...
Click to expand...

D3, and phosphorus are not bad for your chameleon! In fact it is essential. It just needs to be balanced and in proportion to all the other vitamins and nutrients.
Repashy has EVERYTHING you need in it. You just use it everyday.;)
 
imcurt said:
The rapashy calcum plus has trace amounts of d3 and build up over time. If your in the north and your cham is not getting real sun light on a regular schedule. try adding rapashy vit a to you chams suppliment schedule in the winter months. My self after buying 2 bad reptiglos in a row, and having a cham go blind and not knowing why untill it was too late. i will never use reptiglow bulbs again.......I will stick with reptisun
Click to expand...

So... I should add some of this Repashy vit. "A" to my Cal. Plus?... How much or just dust a few crix how often?
 
Thanks! I am going to buy some today I think lol! Thanks for all you help! I appreciate you reading my stuff and helping me out more than you know!

And my crickets i feel are very healthy! I feed them all kinds of fruit, vegies, greens, and flukers. I have heard to ditch the flukers, but I feel it can't hurt.

Thanks again!

P.S. i can't wait till june so I can take him outside too lol!
 
Sorry to write two reply, I didn't see the second page ha.

But I know the D3 and phosphorus are good, but like you said, only in good measures.

And you all agree that the light i am using (26w Repti glo 5.0 from exo terrra) is perfectly fine? I just need to do my supplementing?

I saw him rubbing his eye today and he peed today! So i feel the eye issue may have been just a foreign object! But i am very glad I learned allof this information
 
I didn't read all these replies but...

you shouldn't be using light at night...if your temps are below ~50F get a CERAMIC heater.

You know that the Reptisun ALSO puts out UVA. You do not need a UVA *AND* UVB bulb...the reptisun is already uva/uvb.

EDIT: Buy a tiny tube of terramycin and apply a tiny bit to his eye if he seems to have something in it and give him a bit of time to rub it around. I find it helps alot.
 
I have turned off my night light and my temperatures are still fine.

Do you mean the Repti-glo 5.0 or the sun glo?
The repti glo 5.0 sais it for UVB (hight UVB output) and also "stimulates appetite, activity and reproductive behavior through UVA radiaiton."

I am not a breeder incase you're wondering lol

But I was told to buy both for my chameleon. Why do you disagree? I'm not arguing, just trying to learn.

Also, what is terramycin?
 
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