lighting

[chamnewguy]

hi guys im new here but have had chameleon before im building my own custom viv again had loads of fun last time with expanding foam and logs and plenty of green boat varnish haha im in the uk so its not as hot here anyway i have heard that i can use a ordinary house hold strip light bulb for day time use and a 100watt house hold bulb for basking is this true as last time i used the reptile ones don't mind going to get them just thinking ahead thanks

 

[MelissaB]

You'll need a special reptile bulb for UVB, but can use a regular incandescent bulb for the basking lamp.

The wattage of the basking bulb will depend on the species and what temp you get at the basking spot. The only time I've used 100 watt was when I have the fixture hooked up to a dimmer. It's usually a little too much for my liking. For my panthers I usually use 60 or 75 watt bulbs for basking.