There are reasons but in general, Flo. UV lighting is far better on an average Chameleon set-up than the 50+ year old technology of using a mercc vapor bulb.
The biggest reason is that the animals libe in an ENVIRONMENT.
Not just a lspot of light, And while merc. vapor do an OK job of making a basking spot, there is allot more to lighting and animals environment than just that.
Now, having said that, one can create a large cage environment using a mercury vapor to make a special UV / head basking spot...
but then we have to ask a few questions:
What about the full spectrum light needs? Mercury vapor are notorious for having a horrid spectrum of visible light when compared to the natural spectrum of sunlight.
So, if you are using a mercury vapor bulb, the very least you would want to do (plants or no live plants) is to add in a 6.0 - 6.5K full spectrum flo. bulb to correct the spectrum and light the whole cage environment.
Also what about the correct temperature gradients? Lets say a cham should be sitting in a UV reading of 2.5 UVI reading to bask and soak up sun. Ins ome mercury vapor bulbs, they may have to sit too close to the bulb to then have to maintain correct body temperature..
or vice versa, so they don't get "over- uv-ed" by a too strong bulb, they may have to sit so far from the merc. vapor bulb that it will not warm themselves up enough to properly digest food.. because if they moved any closer, they would sun-burn.
These are just some of the things folks don't think about when using the 50+ year old technology of the merc vapor bulbs.
Mercury vapor bulbs DO have a place in reptile care... but when used as the single source of heat /light and UV on a Cham cage... it ISN"T it.
We must use the WHOLE ENVIRONMENT approach when lighting Cham cage incorporating the Light & Shade method.*
* This takes in account the chams natural habitat of dappled sunlight.
By doing this, we are incorporating many different basking options that have many different UV and heat levesls -- so the animal themselves can choose what they want and need. Not simply forcing them to "SIT HERE" under a one sze fits all mercury vapor bulb with a perch "X inches" under it.
Because ... who knows? The perch could have the right UV level... but the wrong basking temp.---??
Or the right basking temp, but the wrong UV level.
The best way to light the AVERAGE Cham set up is with a double bulb flo. fixture fitted with TWO ho t5 bulbs.
1.
One bulb is a 6% Arcadia UV and one bulb is a Full Spectrum Daylight. They synergy of the two bulbs working together creates an excellent spectrum of light for the cage, As well as many UV gradient options, as perches can be adjusted as needed to get different UV levels at each "elevation" of perch.
Then the Heat is provided by the dome light -
and the best bulb in the dome would be a reflector Flood style incandescent bulb. (NOT a spot-light..because too pin-point of a heat from a spot for this application) Flood Reflector bulb will get more heat and light pointing "down" .. but in a larger warm zone.
I use two domes always on larger cages with different wattage bulbs, so that it is easy to give them a basking Temp. & UV choices.
2.
And..
On larger cages (24 x 24 x 48H +) with lots of plants
A quad (4 bulb linear) HO t5 light can be used with a 6 or 12% Arcadia Bulb for UV.
These are set up with the following 4 bulbs:
1 x Arcadia bulb (either a 6% or 12% in a Quad AFTER researching what would best for your species of Cham and specific set up.
1 x Arcadia Plant Pro Bulb. Only use ONE in an array or else you will ruin the overall spectrum. One is good... more are just "eh".
2 x 6- 6.5k full spectrum daylights.
Then a dome light is used with a 40- 75 +/- watt incandescent household or flood bulb to create proper basking area(s).
HINT... more than onee dome can be used on larger cages with different wattage bulbs (even on timers) to create a few great basking spot options.
The 60+ year old mercury vapor bulb technology does have its place.... and can be used on certain set ups.
(I actually like to see Mercury Vapor bulbs used for some NON ABORIAL reptiles -- on some types of set ups--
and then *used in conjunction* with other newer types of Flo. lighting to add a more natural spectrum of daylight into the mix.
To help OFF-SET their inherent poor spectrum. (This is what I usually advise zoos to do on big desert displays)
But with all the new advances in lighting from Arcadia in Europe as well as what we have learned over the past 50 years...
why do a Cham set up in 2016 the way they did it in a zoo in the 1950's?
(I say "zoo",
because that was the only place that could keep chams alive for any time indoors by using the UV fixtures and bulbs designed for People.)
If anyone using the HO t5 lighting methods like "1" and "2" above want to chime in with their experiences --
or post a few pics...
to help illustrate what a set ups look like using HO t5 for moms menagerie or others .... that would be great.
Sorry to go off on a tangent...
But as many folks know.... I am REALLY into this stuff.
So it can get me going. LOL!
Thank you & Cheers:
Todd Goode
Owner, LightYourReptiles.com
President, LYR Inc.
And if anyone needs me:
e-mail:
[email protected]
Phone:
207.588.7210
M-F 9:30 AM - 6 PM EST> if phone busy ...please leave message & I call customers right back... It has been real busy w/ calls lately.
www.lightyourreptiles.com
