Height of plants?

[MattandRicco]

Hi how is everyone, its good to be here, so I have a few questions...

Im picking up my 2.5 month old Male veiled low end translucent chameleon.

Its enclosure will be the 2x2x4 reptibreeze enclosure

Lights are T5HO 10% linear bulb 36"
An 8" Dome fixture with 100w white home bulb

Repti rain misting system

So heres my question for live plants

What is the maximum height of a plant that I can put inside.
Lets take the benjamine ficus for example....what size is the recomended height 2ft? 3ft? 3.5ft?

This will be very very helpful thank you

 

[jamest0o0]

Whatever can fit. I like some leaves to make it to the top so they're not blocking out the light, but dappling it.

 

[MattandRicco]

Whatever can fit. I like some leaves to make it to the top so they're not blocking out the light, but dappling it.

Awsome thank you so much...
Im thinking of putting in these 3 olants with a couole fake ones and a bunch of vines and branches

What do yoy think?

 

[NashansCamos]

If you are looking for a large plant that would cover nearly the whole cage, I would buy something like a 100-110 cm tall plant.

 

[MattandRicco]

If you are looking for a large plant that would cover nearly the whole cage, I would buy something like a 100-110 cm tall plant.

Perfect! And then keep a corner open for his basking area?

Also for basking area with t5HO 10% linear bulb 35w. And 8" dome light with 100w house bulb, what distance do you recomend the basking are to be from top of the cage ?

 

[Beman]

Hi how is everyone, its good to be here, so I have a few questions...

Im picking up my 2.5 month old Male veiled low end translucent chameleon.

Its enclosure will be the 2x2x4 reptibreeze enclosure

Lights are T5HO 10% linear bulb 36"
An 8" Dome fixture with 100w white home bulb

Repti rain misting system

So heres my question for live plants

What is the maximum height of a plant that I can put inside.
Lets take the benjamine ficus for example....what size is the recomended height 2ft? 3ft? 3.5ft?

This will be very very helpful thank you

What is the distance to basking branch? With that T5ho and a 10.0 bulb your going to want a good 11-12inch distance. Most people will use a 5.0 bulb and do a nine inch drop to basking with it for the proper UVI level. But if baby screen climbs the top this will have to be lifted. Also the 100 watt is a very high wattage for a baby. What temps are you getting? And do you have the basking fixture lifted up off the top of the cage a few inches?

https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/

I have my plants go all the way to the basking branches. That way they can get above them to bask and then move down into them.

 

[NashansCamos]

yeah up to the basking branch so no plants above the basking branch or they could be exposed to high uvb levels. It depends how far the basking branch is depending on your uvb light

 

[MattandRicco]

What is the distance to basking branch? With that T5ho and a 10.0 bulb your going to want a good 11-12inch distance. Most people will use a 5.0 bulb and do a nine inch drop to basking with it for the proper UVI level. But if baby screen climbs the top this will have to be lifted. Also the 100 watt is a very high wattage for a baby. What temps are you getting? And do you have the basking fixture lifted up off the top of the cage a few inches?

https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-cage-set-up-replicating-the-sun/

I have my plants go all the way to the basking branches. That way they can get above them to bask and then move down into them.

I havent gotten the setup yet Im getting everything on wednesday.....

I have both 5.0 and 10.0 bulbs I read that veilds need at least a 10.0 bulb if placed on top of the screen which mine will be and if 100w is too stron what wattage would you recommend?

I am fully new to this so all the info helps

 

[MattandRicco]

yeah up to the basking branch so no plants above the basking branch or they could be exposed to high uvb levels. It depends how far the basking branch is depending on your uvb light

I have both 10.0 and 5.0 UVB bulbs
I cant figure oyt which to use some say no less that 10.0 and some say 10.0 is too strong and to go with 5.0

So many moxed comments out there

Im fully new to this so any solid info really helps me

 

[Beman]

I havent gotten the setup yet Im getting everything on wednesday.....

I have both 5.0 and 10.0 bulbs I read that veilds need at least a 10.0 bulb if placed on top of the screen which mine will be and if 100w is too stron what wattage would you recommend?

I am fully new to this so all the info helps

Ok so the correct information is a 5.0 bulb is plenty in a t5HO single bulb fixture with basking 8-9 inches below. Should not be closer then this. Baby needs a basking temp of 80 degrees at the basking branch. I would do a 60-75 watt bulb but you want it lifted up off the top of the cage a few inches. Then stick your hand right below the light on the screen. If it is hot to you then it will be very hot for baby.

I would consider doing a rack so you have a shelf to utilize above the cage. This allows you to lift the t5HO up on to the top shelf a precise distance so that if baby screen climbs the top it is not getting exposed to high UVI levels and having your heat fixture on the shelf allows baby not to be burned if screen climbing the top.

I would read through every module in this husbandry program https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

This section will give you more info on set up https://chameleonacademy.com/setting-up-a-chameleon-cage/

This one will show you how to do it in a 2x2x4 on a rack stand https://chameleonacademy.com/case-study-2-x-2-x-4-cage/

 

[MattandRicco]

Ok so the correct information is a 5.0 bulb is plenty in a t5HO single bulb fixture with basking 8-9 inches below. Should not be closer then this. Baby needs a basking temp of 80 degrees at the basking branch. I would do a 60-75 watt bulb but you want it lifted up off the top of the cage a few inches. Then stick your hand right below the light on the screen. If it is hot to you then it will be very hot for baby.

I would consider doing a rack so you have a shelf to utilize above the cage. This allows you to lift the t5HO up on to the top shelf a precise distance so that if baby screen climbs the top it is not getting exposed to high UVI levels and having your heat fixture on the shelf allows baby not to be burned if screen climbing the top.

I would read through every module in this husbandry program https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

This section will give you more info on set up https://chameleonacademy.com/setting-up-a-chameleon-cage/

This one will show you how to do it in a 2x2x4 on a rack stand https://chameleonacademy.com/case-study-2-x-2-x-4-cage/

Awsome thank you so much for all the info!
Once hes reached adult hood should I switch for a 10.0 or always run a 5.0 through out its life?

And I will def read all those links

 

[MattandRicco]

Ok so the correct information is a 5.0 bulb is plenty in a t5HO single bulb fixture with basking 8-9 inches below. Should not be closer then this. Baby needs a basking temp of 80 degrees at the basking branch. I would do a 60-75 watt bulb but you want it lifted up off the top of the cage a few inches. Then stick your hand right below the light on the screen. If it is hot to you then it will be very hot for baby.

I would consider doing a rack so you have a shelf to utilize above the cage. This allows you to lift the t5HO up on to the top shelf a precise distance so that if baby screen climbs the top it is not getting exposed to high UVI levels and having your heat fixture on the shelf allows baby not to be burned if screen climbing the top.

I would read through every module in this husbandry program https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/

This section will give you more info on set up https://chameleonacademy.com/setting-up-a-chameleon-cage/

This one will show you how to do it in a 2x2x4 on a rack stand https://chameleonacademy.com/case-study-2-x-2-x-4-cage/

So if I understand correctly, lets say i put both basking ligh and uvb light 4 inches above the enclosure, my basking branch/ tallest plant would then be 5" away from the too of the enclosure?

 

[Beman]

So if I understand correctly, lets say i put both basking ligh and uvb light 4 inches above the enclosure, my basking branch/ tallest plant would then be 5" away from the too of the enclosure?

So if you follow lifting the fixtures then yes for the 5.0 bulb you will lift the fixture 4 inches and basking branch would be 5 inches below the screen

 

[MattandRicco]

So if you follow lifting the fixtures then yes for the 5.0 bulb you will lift the fixture 4 inches and basking branch would be 5 inches below the screen

Awsome! Thank you very mych.

why is there alot of ppl out there saying you need a 10.0 or 12% linear bulb minimum for veiled chameleons? I dont understand lol I also think 5.0 is more than enough.....

I will have alot of live plants will the 5.0 be enough light for the plants?

 

[Beman]

Awsome! Thank you very mych.

why is there alot of ppl out there saying you need a 10.0 or 12% linear bulb minimum for veiled chameleons? I dont understand lol I also think 5.0 is more than enough.....

I will have alot of live plants will the 5.0 be enough light for the plants?

Because they do not understand UVB and how it works... The 10.0 and 12% bulbs are just stronger output of UVI... There is a place for them when it comes to using a multibulb fixture that has only one reflector but never in a single bulb fixture unless proper distances are met. A Veiled only needs a 3UVI level but they can have up to a 6 if they screen climb as babies this is how that chart accounts for the rise in fixture above. They misunderstand how these bulbs actually work and the needs of their chameleon. Since they can not see the UVB lighting as anything different they do not logically think oh that puts out way too much at 6 inches away.

The uvb will not be enough for the live plants. You will want to either do daylight bulbs or LED lighting for chameleons. I run 2 additional T5HO fixtures with 6400 daylight bulbs on both of my cages this pushes light all the way down and has been great for my plants and growth. I use these fixtures and they come with the bulbs. https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/t5-uvb-light-fixture.html

Here are my cages so you can see how well they light up. I use 3 of these fixtures and 1 houses the UVB the other two are the daylight bulbs that come with them.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/media/albums/my-enclosures.6672/

 

[MattandRicco]

Because they do not understand UVB and how it works... The 10.0 and 12% bulbs are just stronger output of UVI... There is a place for them when it comes to using a multibulb fixture that has only one reflector but never in a single bulb fixture unless proper distances are met. A Veiled only needs a 3UVI level but they can have up to a 6 if they screen climb as babies this is how that chart accounts for the rise in fixture above. They misunderstand how these bulbs actually work and the needs of their chameleon. Since they can not see the UVB lighting as anything different they do not logically think oh that puts out way too much at 6 inches away.

The uvb will not be enough for the live plants. You will want to either do daylight bulbs or LED lighting for chameleons. I run 2 additional T5HO fixtures with 6400 daylight bulbs on both of my cages this pushes light all the way down and has been great for my plants and growth. I use these fixtures and they come with the bulbs. https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/t5-uvb-light-fixture.html

Here are my cages so you can see how well they light up. I use 3 of these fixtures and 1 houses the UVB the other two are the daylight bulbs that come with them.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/media/albums/my-enclosures.6672/

Awsome! Thanks for the detailed info and amazing enclosures!!!

So if I am understanding correctly you run 3 t5 HO bulbs

2x daylight 6400k
1x UVB 5.0

 

[Beman]

Awsome! Thanks for the detailed info and amazing enclosures!!!

So if I am understanding correctly you run 3 t5 HO bulbs

2x daylight 6400k
1x UVB 5.0

Your welcome. Yes that is exactly what I do. And with the link to the ones I buy they come with the daylight bulb. these can be daisy chained together as well so that you only have one plug going to your outlet.

 

[MattandRicco]

Your welcome. Yes that is exactly what I do. And with the link to the ones I buy they come with the daylight bulb. these can be daisy chained together as well so that you only have one plug going to your outlet.

Amazing! You were/are alot of help.
Again thank you so much!

 

[Beman]

Amazing! You were/are alot of help.
Again thank you so much!

My pleasure... Let us know if you have more questions.

 

[MattandRicco]

My pleasure... Let us know if you have more questions.

Should I get a 24" fixtures with 22"bulbs for a 2x2x4 and place them horizontally
Or
36" fixture with 34" bulb placed diagonally