Jacksonii jacksonii lighting and care questions. NEW CAGE TIME!

[HunterCope]

My room stays at 65° Fahrenheit. I keep their basking spots at 80°f or slightly less.

I have a male and a female both born in December. They’re in small grow out cages right now. The female is growing faster and eats more than the male. During the day they’re both always very dark but it’s either stress, too small of enclosure, or some other factor: I have reptisun t8 length t5 uvb bulbs.
I’m about to move them to their 2x2x4 enclosures that are very well planted. I have a mist king on them now and will move it over.

I’m debating dropping my basking bulb and relying on my sansi 70w veg lights for basking. Thoughts? Any ideas on what may cause their dark coloration? Their care and caging is spot on other than a bit small. They could use some more space and shade. Should I drop the basking bulb all together with these guys and use my sansis in the new habitat?

 

[JacksJill]

Your room temperature is low for daytime ambient. 72 F would be better. I believe they are staying dark to absorb more heat. Your basking temp is fine use a different bulb if you want but try to stay in that range.
If they can see each other they could also be reacting to that.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

My room stays at 65° Fahrenheit. I keep their basking spots at 80°f or slightly less.

....

I’m debating dropping my basking bulb and relying on my sansi 70w veg lights for basking. Thoughts?

I have 2 of these lights in a double-wide enclosure, w/ ambient temp ~70-74F.

The Sansis, while they do give off some heat, it primarily goes upward—partly due to thermodynamics and partly due to the reflectivity of the screen tops of enclosures. Space between screen & light also bear on this; lights that contact the screen raise the screen temp higher than lights just a couple centimeters above. For this reason I suggest raising them up a bit to prevent burns on ceiling screen climbers.

IME/O, dispensing the basking light will not be enough heat for basking, especially in a 65° ambience. You could try experimenting by leaving the basking light off and see what temperatures you generate at basking level (which should still be 8-12" below ceiling, assuming T5 UVB is close to ceiling height). If you get the basking temps you need—or don't—you'll have answered your own question as to whether separate basking light is necessary.

Your cham will likely be drawn to trying to bask under the Sansi, since they're usually brighter than basking bulbs and closer to daylight wavelengths. This is why it's important to tilt your basking light so it shines on a point directly below the Sansi.

Any ideas on what may cause their dark coloration? Their care and caging is spot on other than a bit small. They could use some more space and shade. Should I drop the basking bulb all together with these guys and use my sansis in the new habitat?

IDK why they go dark apart from trying to get warmer. My panther goes dark when prowling/hunting down in the nether regions of his enclosure. I think this may be at least in part an effort to conceal himself; he's much more difficult to see in those lower levels when he's dark.

When up top, he's lighter except first thing when he's trying to warm up. He displays somewhat brighter colors when hungry up top, and looking for food in either of his 2 feeder apparatus.

Hope this helps.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Your chams are beautiful! I have a Jackson’s Xanthalophus.