Incandescent Lighting
- Thread starter jcb
- Start date
Regular household incandescent light bulb. Available at your local grocery store. No fancy bulb required for a basking light.
UVB bulbs are a different story of course, and they are required for any cham.
UVB bulbs are a different story of course, and they are required for any cham.
ChameleonRave
Avid Member
Recessed lighting like the kind built into the ceiling?
If I am not understanding forgive me, but you can also go to Home Depot, Menard's (if there is one near you, or is that a Mid-West thing?), Lowes, or Walmart. You can get a clamp lamp for about $8 then just get a 40-75 watt bulb (reg. house bulb as the above poster stated) Depending on the size of the chameleon, I would get a specific watt, if it's about 6-12 months I usually use a 40 watt, but I use a 75 watt in the fall/winter/early spring due to the outdoor/indoor temps to keep them warm.
If I am not understanding forgive me, but you can also go to Home Depot, Menard's (if there is one near you, or is that a Mid-West thing?), Lowes, or Walmart. You can get a clamp lamp for about $8 then just get a 40-75 watt bulb (reg. house bulb as the above poster stated) Depending on the size of the chameleon, I would get a specific watt, if it's about 6-12 months I usually use a 40 watt, but I use a 75 watt in the fall/winter/early spring due to the outdoor/indoor temps to keep them warm.
ChameleonRave
Avid Member
The bulb for artificial sunlight would be the Zoo Med Repti-Sun 5.0 linear tube light. It emits UVB that is needed for reptiles.
summoner12
Avid Member
I highly recommend using the philips 50w PAR20 Flood lamps from home depot.
These lamps won't pop if you get them wet, they put out a good amount of heat with less energy compared to a normal lamp that would require a hotter wattage. The seem to last me quite a while and my animals seem very drawn to them. I use the 75w PAR30 in the free rang for Henry and I have the lamp hanging down from the ceiling.
Also, always angle these lamps, never point them straight down.
as for UVB, go with the Zoo Med brand. Do not use the R-Zilla or knock off cheap lamps. Exo Terra are ok, but don't last as long. Use a 5.0 in a smaller cage, change every 6 months. use a 10.0 on a large enclosure and change maybe every 7-8 months depending on how far the basking area is from the lamp.
These lamps won't pop if you get them wet, they put out a good amount of heat with less energy compared to a normal lamp that would require a hotter wattage. The seem to last me quite a while and my animals seem very drawn to them. I use the 75w PAR30 in the free rang for Henry and I have the lamp hanging down from the ceiling.
Also, always angle these lamps, never point them straight down.
as for UVB, go with the Zoo Med brand. Do not use the R-Zilla or knock off cheap lamps. Exo Terra are ok, but don't last as long. Use a 5.0 in a smaller cage, change every 6 months. use a 10.0 on a large enclosure and change maybe every 7-8 months depending on how far the basking area is from the lamp.
summoner12
Avid Member
Because when you point the lamps straight down it is not a natural angle for the chameleon to be basking. Chameleons don't bask mid day, they take shelter from the hot direct sun. They warm up in the morning when the sun is at a slight angle. If you angle your lights you will notice a difference in your cham's basking habits. I have some old threads with photos of how I use my lamps and of the chams basking... but I can't post anything at the moment. 
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