Lighting and reptarium

[WTF]

If I use a Zoo Med 100w power sun bulb in the deep dome fixture over a reptarium enclosure, should I place it on the fabric or use a stand to suspend it over the enclosure?

I'm worried about about damaging the fabric or overheating my chameleon.

 

[Chamoman]

If your worried about burning your Cham, you will first need to measure the degrees of the basking spot. For a baby veiled you want between 80-83. Just don't let it exceed 85. If its hotter than 85 you want to elevate it until you get the desired temperature.

 

[WTF]

Thanks for the information

 

[Venutus1]

If I use a Zoo Med 100w power sun bulb in the deep dome fixture over a reptarium enclosure, should I place it on the fabric or use a stand to suspend it over the enclosure?

I'm worried about about damaging the fabric or overheating my chameleon.

Dear WTF,

And please remember...
Watch out for the 2 types of "burning".

Are you concerned about burning your animal with too much UV, or thermal burns cause by him / her touching the light (or ht dome) or basking in the *heat* too close??

Power suns emit UV, and sometimes in what we call "hot spots" of UV.....and too much UV would be considered Sun Burning your pets skin. Just like a light skinned person getting a bad sun-burn.

But the bulb also throws heat to have the animal bask in , and they can physically burn your animal,
especially if it is anywhere in the cage (bad, bad - no unprotected/ screened over hot bulbs in cage) where he / she could accidentally brush up against it or fall and touch the bulb.

One thing, usually the animal will have some sense and not sit under a bulb and physically burn themselves. In other words, they will (usually) know enough to get out of the heat.
But UV burns are a different thing, if there is no other basking spot in they cage and they MUST sit under a new, high UV out-put bulb to get warm, then sometimes they can get severely sun-burned by UV radiation.

It is highly recommend if using Mercury Vapor, like power sun,
to have 2 basking spots / dome lights ....
One with the UV spot, and one dome light est up with with a NON UV Emitting bulb.(Even household light bulb of appropriate wattage is OK)

So that way they can get warm under a non UV bulb too if they want....without being forced to be exposed to high levels of UV (ultra-violet radiation) if they do not want to be.

Does that make any sense?
(It's in the wee hours of the morning I am typing this ....and I feel like I am rambling ... ha ha )

Good luck with your Cham and Cheers!
Todd

 

[WTF]

Thank you for the explanation I was only worried about the heat and in my haste to give UV totally overlooked what now if obvious to me the UV burn. Thank you again I will take your advice