Lamp questions

[TheGuyInTheChair]

Getting a lamp for my enclosure (18x18x36) and im not sure which one to get. At the moment limited to what i can find in stores,but i can upgrade later.
Is the one in the pic ok, or is it too small? Should i be getting the larger one?

Not referring to the bulbs, just the fixture itself. (Although advice on that welcome too)

 

[jannb]

I do not personally like the dome lights/fixtures. You can buy a fixture at WalMart or Home Depot and order the tube style Reptisun 5.0 and have the bulb in a few business days.
https://smile.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Re...d=1523413866&sr=8-2&keywords=reptisun+5.0+uvb

 

[TheGuyInTheChair]

Makes sense.
I would then need a second fixture for a basking bulb, correct?

 

[jannb]

Makes sense.
I would then need a second fixture for a basking bulb, correct?

I get the basking fixtures at HD too. You can see them hanging over the baby bins. I use a regular household bulb for basking...not the coil kind but the older ones....just a plain bulb. Make sure to get several different bulbs with different wattage. A 40 watt is a good place to start and if he’s not getting warm enough you might have to up it to a 60. Be sure to get a digital temp gun. It’s very important to keep a close eye on the temps. You wouldn’t want him to get a burn.i recommend hanging the light up off the top of the cage.

 

[MSMorgan]

Makes sense.
I would then need a second fixture for a basking bulb, correct?

Yes,

You will need a basking bulb dome. I prefer one with a dimmer so that you can adjust the temp. for the light. Jann you're too quick for me.

 

[jannb]

Yes,

You will need a basking bulb dome. I prefer one with a dimmer so that you can adjust the temp. for the light. Jann you're too quick for me.

Where do you get the ones with a dimmer?

 

[Carlton]

View attachment 203553 Getting a lamp for my enclosure (18x18x36) and im not sure which one to get. At the moment limited to what i can find in stores,but i can upgrade later.
Is the one in the pic ok, or is it too small? Should i be getting the larger one?

Not referring to the bulbs, just the fixture itself. (Although advice on that welcome too)

Does it bother anyone else that the cham on the Zoo Med fixture package looks seriously sick? Weird looking gular and MBD? I know, I know, off topic! Yes, I've seen worse package "ambassadors" but really!

 

[TheGuyInTheChair]

I assume the length of the uvb bulb/fixture is purely situational. It doesn’t have any relevance to the amount it puts out?

 

[TheGuyInTheChair]

Does it bother anyone else that the cham on the Zoo Med fixture package looks seriously sick? Weird looking gular and MBD? I know, I know, off topic! Yes, I've seen worse package "ambassadors" but really!

Hadn’t even looked that closely at the pic.
It’s pretty scary when people that are making things for the animals do things like that.
It reminds me of companies that make hamster/chinchilla/rabbit cages that don’t actually make cages big enough for the expert recommended size

 

[jannb]

I assume the length of the uvb bulb/fixture is purely situational. It doesn’t have any relevance to the amount it puts out?

The dome puts out UV in a small area and even though it’s suppose to be fixed, some experienced keepers have still had problems with the coil bulbs bothering the chameleons eyes. The tube bulb has been safe always and it covers a larger area.

 

[Carlton]

Hadn’t even looked that closely at the pic.
It’s pretty scary when people that are making things for the animals do things like that.
It reminds me of companies that make hamster/chinchilla/rabbit cages that don’t actually make cages big enough for the expert recommended size

So typical. They want to sweet talk newbies into believing their new pet will be convenient, one-size-fits-every apartment, that it will be some little compact self-contained habitat that doesn't affect the rest of the human living space. See that with herp caging all the time. Typically, the largest commercial herp cage is about half the size of the one I would try squeezing MY animals into.

 

[Carlton]

The dome puts out UV in a small area and even though it’s suppose to be fixed, some experienced keepers have still had problems with the coil bulbs bothering the chameleons eyes. The tube bulb has been safe always and it covers a larger area.

When your cham has to sit fairly immobile in a small area just to be exposed to light/heat, it sets them up for burns too. A linear tube UV gives them better access to the CAGE, the PLANTS, and those thermal and humidity gradients we all harp on so much.

 

[tjcondy]

As some others have mentioned, just spend the little extra money and invest in a linear UVB and bulb dome.

I prefer one with a dimmer so that you can adjust the temp.

I use dimmers on some of my enclosures, I personally love em.

Like @jannb mentioned, the dome UVB tend to concentrate the power. If you're chameleon is roaming throughout the cage it might not be able to get as much exposure to the UVB. The linear fixture is the best way to go, many will attest to this.

 

[MSMorgan]

Where do you get the ones with a dimmer?

Jann, I found this one on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Deluxe-Dimmable-8-5-Inch/dp/B000FTEQCY

The one I got with Lucky, I believe, is the same brand. Breeder was a UC Davis grad., moving back to Washington. He was getting rid of most of his stuff for the move.

Strangely, the dimmer went out recently. After researching the dimmer, it was actually cheaper to buy the switch and cord. Amazon too:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CQP151E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[jannb]

Jann, I found this one on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Deluxe-Dimmable-8-5-Inch/dp/B000FTEQCY

Strangely, I had to replace my dimmer recently. After researching the dimmer, it was actually cheaper to buy the switch and cord. Amazon too:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CQP151E/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thank you!

 

[Char333p]

For all fixtures I'd check online.. that same one is 39 on amazon for example