Lighting questions

[dante8858]

Ok my new pygmy home is all set up but I can't seem to get it warm enough in their new home...from what I read they like it in the low to mid 70's with a 10 degree drop at night. I bought the smallest watt bulb that I could find in my area which was a blue daytime heat 40 watt bulb and it got their home too hot (about 80) so right now I am using a 25 watt low light bulb from home depot and I can only leave it on for about one hour in the morning before I go to work since it gets the cage too hot. (It is the lowest watt bulb that I can find that fits in a regular socket). The hood I am using is the Zoo Med Terrarium Hood 12". I saw that lllreptile sells the Zoo Med 15 watt bulb will this one work for making the temp just a few degrees higher during the day? The cage has been staying aroung 70-73 near the top and 67-68 near the bottom. It has just been cold here and I would like to make their heat temps in the normal range everyday. Today it was warm here so they got up to the mid 70's without the hood turned on.
other info to consider:
Cage 5.5 gallon
Zoo Med Eco earth substrate
Live plants
bamboo
higer heat 70-73
lower heat 67-68

If anyone know of a good pygmy care book please let me know...I want to buy one and I have the care sheet from chameleonnew.com but I just would like a book about them. Thanks
Here is their home:

 

[Brad Ramsey]

The environment needs to be more heavily planted and you should be using a 2.0 or 5.0 linear tube with no basking light at all with the temps you are getting.
That is a really small enclosure, how many animals do you house in it and of what species? Recommendation by Routhouska is one animal per 10 gallons.
Doesn't appear that you have your drainage layers in place either.
What's the water dish for?
There are actually three great articles on the e-zine.
Look for "Stump Tailed Chameleons, Miniature Dragons of the Rain Forest" on Amazon or E-bay

-Brad

 

[Woodinville]

Stump Tailed Chameleons book

Just wondering, I looked on Amazon for "Stump Tailed Chameleons, Miniature Dragons of the Rain Forest" and it's $72. Have you read this book? It looks great, but, wow, that's a lot of cash for what looks like a small book.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

Just wondering, I looked on Amazon for "Stump Tailed Chameleons, Miniature Dragons of the Rain Forest" and it's $72. Have you read this book? It looks great, but, wow, that's a lot of cash for what looks like a small book.

It's a FANTASTIC book!
I think you can get it on e-bay for around $54.

-Brad