Having trouble with basking temps...

[lizcrespo93]

I have a male veiled chameleon named Camilo, and he has been using a reptile bulb for basking but I was told at 90 degrees it was too hot for him. I then went out and got a 60 watt household bulb but now the temp on the basking branch reads at 75 degrees. The basking branch is about 6 inches from the screen and at the screen it reads at 82 degrees. So now I'm not sure if I should be reading the temp at the branch or if I should use the temp at the screen level, since when he is on the branch he is about 3 to 4 inches away from the screen. Any tips on what to do?

 

[MissSkittles]

How old is your chameleon? For an adult male, 90* is ok. For a young one, you want it cooler low 80’s.

 

[lizcrespo93]

How old is your chameleon? For an adult male, 90* is ok. For a young one, you want it cooler low 80’s.

I got him in June but I believe he may be 8 months or a little older.

 

[MissSkittles]

90* should be ok then. Just make sure that his basking area is at least 8-9” away from the light. Either lower the branch or raise the light. Don’t want to risk burns.

 

[TimothyOnTop]

I have a male veiled chameleon named Camilo, and he has been using a reptile bulb for basking but I was told at 90 degrees it was too hot for him. I then went out and got a 60 watt household bulb but now the temp on the basking branch reads at 75 degrees. The basking branch is about 6 inches from the screen and at the screen it reads at 82 degrees. So now I'm not sure if I should be reading the temp at the branch or if I should use the temp at the screen level, since when he is on the branch he is about 3 to 4 inches away from the screen. Any tips on what to do?

I would measure the tempature at the highest point of his body when he's basking

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

This may sound like something from Captain Obvious, but for some it may be worthwhile.

There are two basic variables in establishing basking areas:

1. Source (bulb) output (wattage)
2. Distance from bulb to basking site

However there are other factors to consider. Some sources recommend measuring the temperature of the basking surface (branch, stone, perch), while others recommend measuring the temperature a few inches above the basking surface (to simulate temperature on/near the chameleon's back).

What both of these methods often fail to take into account is the property of emissivity—different materials (including skin & scales) absorb and/or reflect radiation differently, which can affect actual basking temperatures to different degrees. It can also skew results of temp guns and probe thermometers.

Without getting overly technical (and this is an over-simplification), this is why on a sunny day, pavement gets hotter than lawn grass.

There are other factors as well (like angle of the light), but for reptile keepers, these are probably enough.

Boiling it all down, IMO, it's best to have & use both an IR temp gun and digital thermometer with probe to establish an ideal basking site. We essentially want to know three temperatures:

1. The temperature of the basking surface (so it's not so hot as to burn Mr. Lizard's little tootsies).
2. The temperature of the air a couple/few inches above the basking surface, and
3. The temperature of Mr. Lizard's skin at the location he's basking.

This will generally involve the use of both kinds of temperature reading tools, the gun for expediency and the probe for accuracy.

If I had to choose an either/or, I'd probably go with the probe thermometer, though other folks may disagree or have other opinions.

 

[Beman]

I prefer lower temps at basking. Really there is no reason for them to be at 90. 85 max. And you should be using a temp gauge with probe at the basking branch to get a real idea of temp. Per distance 6 inches is way too close and poses a thermal burn risk and should be more like 9 inches away. Which also leads to me double checking your UVB distances. This should be no closer then 9 inches with a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% UVB bulb.

 

[lizcrespo93]

This may sound like something from Captain Obvious, but for some it may be worthwhile.

There are two basic variables in establishing basking areas:

1. Source (bulb) output (wattage)
2. Distance from bulb to basking site

However there are other factors to consider. Some sources recommend measuring the temperature of the basking surface (branch, stone, perch), while others recommend measuring the temperature a few inches above the basking surface (to simulate temperature on/near the chameleon's back).

What both of these methods often fail to take into account is the property of emissivity—different materials (including skin & scales) absorb and/or reflect radiation differently, which can affect actual basking temperatures to different degrees. It can also skew results of temp guns and probe thermometers.

Without getting overly technical (and this is an over-simplification), this is why on a sunny day, pavement gets hotter than lawn grass.

There are other factors as well (like angle of the light), but for reptile keepers, these are probably enough.

Boiling it all down, IMO, it's best to have & use both an IR temp gun and digital thermometer with probe to establish an ideal basking site. We essentially want to know three temperatures:

1. The temperature of the basking surface (so it's not so hot as to burn Mr. Lizard's little tootsies).
2. The temperature of the air a couple/few inches above the basking surface, and
3. The temperature of Mr. Lizard's skin at the location he's basking.

This will generally involve the use of both kinds of temperature reading tools, the gun for expediency and the probe for accuracy.

If I had to choose an either/or, I'd probably go with the probe thermometer, though other folks may disagree or have other opinions.

thanks for that thorough explanation! I'll the getting a probe thermometer soon to have as well as my gun one.

 

[lizcrespo93]

I prefer lower temps at basking. Really there is no reason for them to be at 90. 85 max. And you should be using a temp gauge with probe at the basking branch to get a real idea of temp. Per distance 6 inches is way too close and poses a thermal burn risk and should be more like 9 inches away. Which also leads to me double checking your UVB distances. This should be no closer then 9 inches with a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% UVB bulb.

I've lowered the basking branch to 9 inches now. I tried a 100 watt bulb and it would've cooked Camilo, it was so hot at almost 100 degrees where his head would be. I quickly turned it off and will be keeping my 60 watt bulb, even if it is on the lower 80s. Better to play it safe. Thanks again!

 

[Beman]

I've lowered the basking branch to 9 inches now. I tried a 100 watt bulb and it would've cooked Camilo, it was so hot at almost 100 degrees where his head would be. I quickly turned it off and will be keeping my 60 watt bulb, even if it is on the lower 80s. Better to play it safe. Thanks again!

I keep my boy no hotter then 83 and he is 2 years old. Really most of the info circulating about hotter basking temps is out dated... Newer line of thinking is 80-85 max for a Veiled male. 100 watt is a powerful bulb and would for sure produce thermal burns at 6 inches. You have to account with Veileds for their casque. It normally rises up a full inch higher then their body. This then puts it that much closer to the heat. This is why you will almost always see Veileds with thermal burns to the casque. So I am glad you dropped it to 9 inches.

 

[NashansCamos]

I quickly turned it off and will be keeping my 60 watt bulb, even if it is on the lower 80s. Better to play it safe. Thanks again!

lower 80's is actually pretty perfect for basking temp. I try to never go over 85.