Got My Chameleon!

[ddvw123abc]

Hey guys, after following some advice I got my chameleon! A local guy was selling his for 200 and came with the full set up! My only question is as soon as a put him in, he crawled down to the bottom and has just been sitting there, i did wake him up from sleep to put him into his enclosure. Its dark out now so should I shut the lights off and leave him be?

 

[camimom]

yes.
its possible thats just his nice sleeping spot.

some chams have preferances.

 

[brandon1]

Hey guys, after following some advice I got my chameleon! A local guy was selling his for 200 and came with the full set up! My only question is as soon as a put him in, he crawled down to the bottom and has just been sitting there, i did wake him up from sleep to put him into his enclosure. Its dark out now so should I shut the lights off and leave him be?

Congrats on your cham . And yes turn the lights out and don't disturb him.

 

[ddvw123abc]

The one light is big, and the other is quite tiny, both bulbs. And the long light that goes across the top. Do they all go off?

 

[camimom]

yes all lights off. they need darkness to sleep.
12 hours on, 12 hours off.
what lights are you using?
should have a uvb bulb, and basking bulb [regular house bulb is fine]

 

[Goldenarcher1328]

Chameleons need darkness to have proper sleep patterns, if its too cold at night ( below 60 Degrees from what i'm told) Invest in a ceramic heater. Its lightless yet produces heat!

And yes some chams like odd places. Mine switches his up ever few nights

 

[ddvw123abc]

uhh yeah idk for sure, the guy gave me everything. the longer bulb is a blue color and goes across the top. I got a bigger bright hotter light in there. and the third smaller bulb doesn't seem to turn on >.<

 

[camimom]

do those bulbs have boxes for them> can you take a pic?


no blue bulbs!

reptligo or reptisun uvb bulb.

and you should only have 2.

 

[Goldenarcher1328]

uhh yeah idk for sure, the guy gave me everything. the longer bulb is a blue color and goes across the top. I got a bigger bright hotter light in there. and the third smaller bulb doesn't seem to turn on >.<

Could you post pictures? Also the strip light should have a label on the bulb itself on the right side of the tube nearby where it attaches to the fixture. you should be able to check to see if its a Uvb/Uva bulb.

 

[ddvw123abc]

Ok the strip light is a reptisun 5.0. It looks kind of blue-ish white-ish. Sorry about the confusion >.< not sure on the others. Oh and hes at the top now xD he moves fast in the dark xD

 

[camimom]

Ok. thats fine then. thats the proper bulb to have!


as fofr the other two.. not sure.. but you can use a regular house bulb for basking.

 

[ddvw123abc]

I hope he makes it through the night, as i don't have a black light on me.

 

[camimom]

I hope he makes it through the night, as i don't have a black light on me.

NO LIGHTS! lol

no black, blue, red, purple, pink. polka dotted.

total darkness,

they can do temps down to 50 at night...
if it gets below that, get a ceramic heat emitter.

but they NEED total darkness to sleep, and a ten-fifteen degree temp drop at night to grow properly.

 

[ddvw123abc]

I thought black lights essentially didn't have any light. My apologies, I meant a bulb that only produces some form of heat, if they exist xD

 

[Solid Snake]

I thought black lights essentially didn't have any light. My apologies, I meant a bulb that only produces some form of heat, if they exist xD

They do not
(bulbs are made to give light)
As stated, a ceramic heater should be used if the temp goes below 50F
These heaters screw into a bulbs socket, but their is no light involved.

 

[ddvw123abc]

Ok thanks, I'll check walmart tomorrow, hopefully they have crickets there too, as the closest pet shop is 45 mins away >.< if not I'll have to start a colony or order online

 

[Daughty]

the two all lights are basking lights, both have a 75-100 watt bulb in them, get a picture of him as soon as ya can, i miss him already :-(

 

[ChappyMcChap]

Ok thanks, I'll check walmart tomorrow, hopefully they have crickets there too, as the closest pet shop is 45 mins away >.< if not I'll have to start a colony or order online

You can order crickets online far cheaper than you can purchase them. Bait shops also sell crickets, however most pet stores/bait shops feed them junk and it's imperative that you properly gut load your crickets for at least 24/48hrs before feeding them to your Cham. There is info all over CF on how to properly gut load feeders. You never know what a retailer fed them if anything and sometimes the food can be rather toxic.

 

[ddvw123abc]

the two all lights are basking lights, both have a 75-100 watt bulb in them, get a picture of him as soon as ya can, i miss him already :-(

Oh hey xD I'll get to it. I think I'm going to replace the smaller bulb with a ceramic heater thing because I think my house gets too cold at night. I'm unsure though. He slept well and was moving around when I turned the big light on this morning.

 

[Captive Creations]

sounds like too much heat with a 75w and a 100 w you should only need a 60w clear house bulb and the uvb tube 5.0 only those two lights are needed