Lighting / Enclosure for new Chameleon!

[RastaReptiles]

Hello Everyone,

1st off this is my first ever post on Chameleon Forums! In the next month or so I will be purchasing a female baby veiled chameleon to add to my collection of reptiles... I already have a Bearded Dragon, Mali Uromastx, and Leapord Gecko. I have been doing my research on Chameleons for the past two weeks... watching videos, reading threads and caresheets online, so i understand the work and obligiation it takes in raising one... I have a few questions though about my future setup...

First off, I have found a great deal on an enclosure that is 31''L x 12''W x 32''H. Now I know for now this will be a great enclosure for a baby veiled chameleon, since I will be getting a female chameleon will this be an ok setup for an adult? I know that females dont get as long as males and many websites are saying enclosure must be atleast 36'' high. If the enclosure is too small for an adult, how many months will this enclosure last?

Second, I have read many websites demanding an enclosure with a great UVB setup since chameleons are very liable to MBD. I was thinking about purchasing a UVA/UVB Solar Glo Mercury Vapor Bulb - 125 watt (picture down below) + a regular Zilla Desert Series Low Profile T5 Fixture w/ fluorescent desert series 50 uvb bult (picture also below)... now this may be a silly question but is that too much uvb? if so what bulbs are recommended?

 

[pssh]

Welcome! That enclosure will be fine as for her as an adult. Is it a reptarium of some sort?

Mercury vapor bulbs aren't recommended unless you are using a UVB meter. It's too hard to guess the distance needed between the animal and bulb. The recommended bulb is a linear reptisun 5.0, or a reptisun 10.0 if it's a reptarium (or something with similar mesh.)

 

[RastaReptiles]

Haha sorry I didnt put that in there... ya, its an aluminum screen cage... its looks almost exactly like the picture below...

 

[pssh]

Yep, a 5.0 would be great.

 

[jannb]

Personally, for an adult female I would recommend a taller cage at least 36 and 48 would be even better. That one would be fine until 8 months or so.

 

[VeiledOwner87]

my personal opinion would be, getting an higher enclosure when she is about a year old, that way, a laying bin may be placed inside with still enough comfortablity range for the cham. but with a good layer of substrate (when she is a little older) she will start to explore the bottom and perhaps dig. you will then transfer her every day to a climate controlled laying bin outside. so a 32" would be acceptable, seeing on what take you will use when egg laying time comes. also, do research about feeding, you can avoid infertil egg laying altogether if you do not plan on breeding her.

p.s welcome to the forums
p.p.s get ready to become addicted to the forums
p.p.p.s good luck on your upcoming addition