HELP PLEASE!!

[thekinderteacher]

Hi y'all. I have had my chameleon for a few days and I have been stressing because I haven't been able to get the heat up. I just realized the Arcadia bulb I put in my Vivosun isn't turning on. Any idea why this is? Or how I can fix it?

 

[MissSkittles]

Hi. Not sure what you’ve done to trouble shoot so far, but have you tried turning the bulb to make sure it’s sitting in the connection securely, tried putting it in a different slot to figure out if it’s the bulb or the fixture that is the problem? Also, just fyi - none of those bulbs will provide sufficient heat. For that you need a basking bulb/fixture. Most of us use dome fixtures with various bulbs like incandescent, halogen or reptile bulb. Here’s some links for those. https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Rept...d=1677938722&sprefix=Fluker's+,aps,272&sr=8-3 or https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Rept...d=1677938722&sprefix=Fluker's+,aps,272&sr=8-2 https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Bask...7938722&sprefix=Fluker's+,aps,272&sr=8-9&th=1 https://www.amazon.com/Bluex-Bulbs-...aWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

 

[thekinderteacher]

Hi. Not sure what you’ve done to trouble shoot so far, but have you tried turning the bulb to make sure it’s sitting in the connection securely, tried putting it in a different slot to figure out if it’s the bulb or the fixture that is the problem? Also, just fyi - none of those bulbs will provide sufficient heat. For that you need a basking bulb/fixture. Most of us use dome fixtures with various bulbs like incandescent, halogen or reptile bulb. Here’s some links for those. https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Repta-Clamp-5-5-Inch-Ceramic-Dimmable/dp/B003H1P1CG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=26ZKNUTV1TNZ1&keywords=fluker's+repta-clamp+lamp&qid=1677938722&sprefix=Fluker's+,aps,272&sr=8-3 or https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Repta-Clamp-Lamp-Switch-Reptiles/dp/B0002DHOE0/ref=sr_1_2?crid=26ZKNUTV1TNZ1&keywords=fluker's+repta-clamp+lamp&qid=1677938722&sprefix=Fluker's+,aps,272&sr=8-2 https://www.amazon.com/Flukers-Basking-Spotlight-Bulbs-Reptiles/dp/B0006L2UBK/ref=sr_1_9?crid=26ZKNUTV1TNZ1&keywords=fluker's+repta-clamp+lamp&qid=1677938722&sprefix=Fluker's+,aps,272&sr=8-9&th=1 https://www.amazon.com/Bluex-Bulbs-White-Light-Reptile/dp/B0B2ZHNRVJ/ref=sr_1_12_sspa?crid=AJ725AAS61KD&keywords=basking+bulb+60+watt&qid=1677939102&sprefix=basking+bulb+6,aps,237&sr=8-12-spons&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExM0MzSTFBOVdaNFpIJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjg0OTQ3STFXWVNWT1lFNzlEJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4ODk3MDlQS1NNRVVCVzE5VzEmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl&th=1

Hi! Thank you for your response! I have turned the bulb and I’ve switched it to the other spots and it still won’t work. Maybe it’s a faulty bulb? I bought it from LLL Reptile so maybe I should call them. I do have a dome light behind that with a 65W repti heat light in it. However, I did just order some 100W bulbs to see if that helps with heat. I need that Arcadia light for the UVB though right? I basically bought everything on the Chameleon Academy’s shopping list lol but I’m totally new to this.

 

[MissSkittles]

Yes, sounds like the bulb itself is defective. It may have gotten jostled during shipping and broke.
What temps have you been getting and what are you aiming for? Is your home unusually chilly?

 

[Beman]

I agree if the bulb is not turning on in other positions but the daylight bulbs are when you move them into the position the uvb bulb was in then that means your bulb is defective.
Go to petco/petsmart or local reptile store and buy a 5.0 T5HO 22 inch bulb for your fixture. This is equivalent to the 6% arcadia. So distance to basking branch is still 8-9 inches.

With you running that quad on the hybrid you should be easily getting temps of 80 at basking. How are you measuring your temps?

 

[thekinderteacher]

I agree if the bulb is not turning on in other positions but the daylight bulbs are when you move them into the position the uvb bulb was in then that means your bulb is defective.
Go to petco/petsmart or local reptile store and buy a 5.0 T5HO 22 inch bulb for your fixture. This is equivalent to the 6% arcadia. So distance to basking branch is still 8-9 inches.

With you running that quad on the hybrid you should be easily getting temps of 80 at basking. How are you measuring your temps?

I will attach a few pictures. He has been in this spot since bed time last night and it's 10:15 am now. I welcome advice and suggestions on things I need to change! I want hime to have the best life.

 

[kinyonga]

You need a lot more greenery in the top half of the cage.

We could go over your husbandry if you answer the questions in this thread..
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/how-to-ask-for-help.66/

 

[Beman]

So that gauge is not going to give you accurate temps. It is against the wall. You need a gauge with a probe that you can hook in. The fake vine you are using needs to be pulled. The coating comes off and they can chew pieces off and get it into their eyes when they rub on it. THe only fake vines I recommend are the flukers brand. You need to measure from 8-9 inches down from the screen. Nothing should be higher than that for branches or vines. You need to have multiples at that distance including below the UVB slot in the fixture.
There is not much cover from what I can see. This will make the cham feel very exposed.

Can you take a pic of the entire cage so I can see which DS version you got and how you have it set up?

Look through my DS pics. This is what you are going for with coverage. https://www.chameleonforums.com/media/albums/my-enclosures.6672/

 

[thekinderteacher]

So that gauge is not going to give you accurate temps. It is against the wall. You need a gauge with a probe that you can hook in. The fake vine you are using needs to be pulled. The coating comes off and they can chew pieces off and get it into their eyes when they rub on it. THe only fake vines I recommend are the flukers brand. You need to measure from 8-9 inches down from the screen. Nothing should be higher than that for branches or vines. You need to have multiples at that distance including below the UVB slot in the fixture.
There is not much cover from what I can see. This will make the cham feel very exposed.

Can you take a pic of the entire cage so I can see which DS version you got and how you have it set up?

Look through my DS pics. This is what you are going for with coverage. https://www.chameleonforums.com/media/albums/my-enclosures.6672/

Ok, so looking at your pictures, I clearly need a lot more going on in there. Try not to cringe when you see my picture I will pull that fake branch and see if I can find the Fluker's one at the pet store today. This picture is from just now -- so he did move finally! Do you have a link for the gauge/probe I should get?

 

[MissSkittles]

He is gorgeous! Is he Ambanja?

 

[Beman]

Ok, so looking at your pictures, I clearly need a lot more going on in there. Try not to cringe when you see my picture I will pull that fake branch and see if I can find the Fluker's one at the pet store today. This picture is from just now -- so he did move finally! Do you have a link for the gauge/probe I should get?
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We all start out somewhere. My first enclosure or my second were not all that great lol. Ok you want to measure down from the screen 9 inches... Then you want to place in horizontal branches on your sides front to back verticals. Do this on both sides. This gives you your basking level. From those horizontal you will run your basking level branches. See red horizontal bracing branches... All yellow are your tie ins and basking. You can add more branches down through the middle as well. This will allow him to use more of the space.

Now all the plants in the bottom are going to struggle. Not enough light. Do yourself a favor and pull those out that are sittin on the bottom. Get a nice big centerpiece plant to stick in instead. Home depot or lowes indoor garden section. Draceana are good as well for adding coverage and height. See if you can find a nice ficus or umbrella.

How many nozzles are you running? Looks like 4 which will be overkill in that size enclosure. You can make those into single heads by pushing and pulling the pieces apart. This is why your pothos on the top is starting to yellow. Too much water. It will also push your humidity far too high during the daytime.

 

[thekinderteacher]

We all start out somewhere. My first enclosure or my second were not all that great lol. Ok you want to measure down from the screen 9 inches... Then you want to place in horizontal branches on your sides front to back verticals. Do this on both sides. This gives you your basking level. From those horizontal you will run your basking level branches. See red horizontal bracing branches... All yellow are your tie ins and basking. You can add more branches down through the middle as well. This will allow him to use more of the space.

Now all the plants in the bottom are going to struggle. Not enough light. Do yourself a favor and pull those out that are sittin on the bottom. Get a nice big centerpiece plant to stick in instead. Home depot or lowes indoor garden section. Draceana are good as well for adding coverage and height. See if you can find a nice ficus or umbrella.

How many nozzles are you running? Looks like 4 which will be overkill in that size enclosure. You can make those into single heads by pushing and pulling the pieces apart. This is why your pothos on the top is starting to yellow. Too much water. It will also push your humidity far too high during the daytime.

View attachment 335778

Awesome! So thankful you are breaking it down for me!

I was wondering why that plant was yellowing. It is 1 single nozzle and one double, so 3 total. Should I just make it 2 nozzles?

Do those plants on the bottom look like plants I could place on the sides for more coverage? Or do I need to get things that are more flowy?

 

[Beman]

Awesome! So thankful you are breaking it down for me!

I was wondering why that plant was yellowing. It is 1 single nozzle and one double, so 3 total. Should I just make it 2 nozzles?

Do those plants on the bottom look like plants I could place on the sides for more coverage? Or do I need to get things that are more flowy?

Your welcome. You could rework and attach some plants higher. This would be best with the pot in a pot method. you have to anchor in the pots correctly and attach it to the pot that you leave in the cage. Then you drop in the plants. See in that link I gave you. I show how I placed mine and how I anchor and put a support branch below the pot. They do not move at all once I anchor everything in. Then drop the plant in the pot into the anchored pot. This link will help you as well. https://dragonstrand.com/getting-the-most-from-your-dragon-strand-dragon-ledges/

Make it only 2 nozzles. Anything more than that will be serious overkill for a 2x2x4 hybrid. If your noticing extreme humidity during the day. Then you will want to look at the timing on your misting sessions.

 

[thekinderteacher]

He is gorgeous! Is he Ambanja?

Thank you, I agree! Yes, he is!