Heating??

[h4nk0]

I was recently using a wooden enclosure for my panther and I have just switched to an exo terra glass vivarium. I currently use a heat wave lamp which was easy enough too set up in the wooden viv as I hung it up from the wood. Now the new vivarium has a mesh top and the last thing i want to do is splash out more money on equipment I might not need. Anyone know of the most efficient and cost effective way to install the heat wave lamp in the glass and mesh viv. I would prefer if it was inside the enclosure (because I have seen clamps & lamp stands) but any suggestions would be great, and again cost effective solutions preferably.

 

[AngieL]

We have our heat lamp set up on top of the mesh (but we have a reptibreeze) so we just put 2 planks of wood along the top and rest the dome on top of the planks to stop the mesh from heating up

EDIT: is the heatwave lamp a ceramic heater? If so I would strongle recomend changing to a house bulb in a dome fitting for your basking area.

 

[carol5208]

you can set the lights directly on the mesh. The basking should be a light (to simulate the sun) and it can rest directly on the top of the mesh if you choose. It will not burn it, but it will get hot.Use the clamp lamp and an ordinary housebulb to achieve the basking temp you desire. The only thing you have to worry about is if your chameleon crawls on the top of the screen, then yes he could get burned but if you have glass sides he probably cannot get up to the top. Just make sure you basking branch or vine underneath the light is not to close for him to get burned that way. Why do you want the light inside?

 

[h4nk0]

yes i'm using a ceramic heater, it benefits me at night time to keep the temperatures right without emitting light. The vivarium is directly in front of a window so she gets plenty of natural light during the day. I've decided to purchase the wire clamp lamp so i can rest it on top. My only concerns are that its on the outside of the vivarium so it wont manage to reach the optimum temperature within. That's why i was preferably looking for another solution, but as you said the light dome might be a better solution.

 

[neuce]

yes i'm using a ceramic heater, it benefits me at night time to keep the temperatures right without emitting light. The vivarium is directly in front of a window so she gets plenty of natural light during the day. I've decided to purchase the wire clamp lamp so i can rest it on top. My only concerns are that its on the outside of the vivarium so it wont manage to reach the optimum temperature within. That's why i was preferably looking for another solution, but as you said the light dome might be a better solution.

Does this mean you dont have a uvb? If you dont cuz its next to the window,cuz the window blocks out all the UV rays from the sun and your cham isnt getting what it needs.

 

[h4nk0]

I have a UVB of course, the window is just for natural light and a little heat. but because it doesnt get hot / hot enough. i currently just rest that on top. my only concern is the ceramic heater.

 

[carol5208]

The mesh does not block out the heat but it does block out some of the uvb rays if you put your uvb on top. Well, none of us use heat emitters for our chameleons to bask so I cannot say 100% that the mesh wont block the heat from that type of heat source. We use lightbulbs that shine and emit heat so they feel like they are basking in the sun. How many hours of day light does your chameleon get in the window? I am just asking, cause you just want to try and imitate their natural habitat as much as possible.

 

[h4nk0]

She's infront of the window all day everyday. She's become more active and produced more vivid stronger colours since, so I've stuck with it. I'm probably going to purchase a Solar Glo (for heat and UVB) and still use the tube UVB across the viv.