lighting

[InGoodHands]

i was just thinking i know flo reptisun 5.0 is best in the tube but what about 10.0 wouldnt that be better??? its more like the real sun isnt it?....why is 5.0 better for tropical reptiles. in my eyes if a cham is basking it wants to soak some rays...my setup is a 2x2x4 homebuilt... i was just thinking more uvb is better! i have a 5.0 reptisun now in a 18" tube. should i get the 10.0.....just have a 18 inch in it with a heat light 75 watts

 

[Syn]

Oh goodness I can't remember if this applies to these bulbs.. 5.0 is good down to 5 feet, 10.0 to 10 feet.

The closer the chameleon is to the bulb the more intense the UVB. More is not always better.

Most people only use the 10.0s with Reptariums or cages with thicker mesh.

 

[draetish]

The 10.0 is too harsh for a short distance and it is labeled as a "desert" bulb. Stick to the 5.0 as it is proven to be effective and safe. Also think about a cham in a rain forest and sitting inside the tree with the sun shining through the opening of the leaves swaying in the breeze, that's all they need. Some chams even live lower in the canopy and require very little UVB.

 

[Todnedo]

It really depends on your setup, a large cage heavily planted a 10.0 would be fine. A smaller cage lightly planted a 5.0 would be fine. Or a small cage with a 10.0 suspended 6-8 above would work too.