Natural Sunlight

yoza717

yoza717

New Member
I know the benefits of natural sunlight but how many of you have had Chameleons for 5+ years using only artificial light?

The reason I ask is that I had a panther chameleon that lived for 5 years (12 years ago) on so-so husbandry but had access to the sun year round (he live in my screen porch with lots of plants).

I got back into the hobby recently and now I find myself with 7 panthers (varying in age from 6 month to 14 months).
Three of them love the sunlight (just like my orignal one 12 years ago).
Two are iffy, when it is windy, they just hide in the plants.
And the other 2 basically do not move an inch once they are outside and seem stressed for days afterwards (I've tried using their original cage outside to relieve some stress, but it didn't help)

So my question is, will these gals be alright with just artificial light and D3? I don't want to repeatedly stress them by putting them outside.
 
I have had quite a few veiled females live to be over 6 years old...some even over 7...males even older.

I don't have my record books handy for other species I've kept at the moment...they were stored away when my house was flooded out and I haven't unpacked them since.
 
Presumebly. Id be intrested to know if you could find your records, what brands you were using mostly and which brands/strengths you noticed the best effects? If you recorded those things, took notes maybe *shrugs* also if you noticed, if different sp.? did better with diff strengths/brands? Veileds for me personally, Im curious.

I get my guy out for atleast an hour a day, even if its the last hour of sunlight (weaker uv) because I fear artificial Uv may not be sufficient.
 
My panthers never go outside. I have used ReptiGLO linear tubes (either 5.0 or 8.0 or 10.0 -whatever was in stock). I used ReptiGLO CLFs for a period of 6 months (no known damage as a result - but I wont use them again knowing what I know now of the potential risk)

At next bulb change, I will be using ReptiSUN, but I've never had any trouble with ReptiGlo.

I use a Calcium with D3 powder about twice a month.

My first male (and thus he did not receive perfect husbandry as I was learning and it was quite awhile ago and I had not found this forum) lived to be over seven years old. I've not lost another male yet, but I am assuming all the others will live long lives also. Females have also lived good lives.

So ya, they can live good healthy lives without real sunlight.
But for those who "like" going outside, and if you have a suitable climate, do it! :)
 
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Thanks Sandra...good information.
I am relieved to know that I can keep my two "easily stress by the outdoors" Chameleons healthy without supplimenting them with natural sunlight.

The other three seem to enjoy the view and fresh air so much so that I have to wait until sunset because they get grumpy when I try to move them back in too early (they climb up my arm readily when they know they are going outside...LOL).
 
My 8 year old female veiled which died last year was indoors all year round, with no UVB. I had a normal hardware store bought UV bulb, never changed it, and a 75w incandecent for basking.

I took her out in the summer a few times a week, but even then it was only for an hour or two at best.

One thing I've noticed between my chameleon and other long-lived chameleons is that they aren't supplemented as often as recommended.

When I got started, I was talking with an expert cham keeper and he said not to over-do it on the supplementing, and that people don't know what they're talking about when they say to supplement calcium at every feeding because feeders are lacking in the Ca:phospheros ratio, etc etc etc, same with multi-vitamins.

Chromachameleons has a good proper supplementing regimen on their website, here is a link:

http://chromachameleons.com/index.php?page=care under Supplementation

He says calcium twice a week...this really does depend if you gutload, what feeders you use, etc. So judge it for yourself.

And of course, different species have different requirements.

My friend's female veiled lived to 13 years old, and the male was 11, and he also supplemented rarely compared to most people. He even has an anole going on 14 some odd years now!

That said...I would say natural sunlight in adequate doses is important, mine always was more active and seemed 'happier' during the summer when I'd take her outside.

But as for UVB bulbs, they are a scam.
 
yoza717 said..."Were these guys raised strickly on UVB and Basking Bulbs? "..they all had Repti-sun 5.0's for the UVB and a second regular fluorescent bulb in the same hood. The males had regular incandescent household bulbs for basking.

Brock said..."My 8 year old female veiled which died last year was indoors all year round, with no UVB" and "I took her out in the summer a few times a week, but even then it was only for an hour or two at best"...she would be getting UVB from the sunlight. I have read a couple of articles saying that it only takes a few hours in the sun for many reptiles to get enough UVB.

What did you gutload/feed insects with? What was in the supplements in the way of D3 when you did use them?
 
I used HerpCare (made by Mardel) supplements, which were recommended to me by the same guy who told me it's dumb to use UVB bulbs.

That said, I think UVB is important, so I am getting a UVB meter and going to find bulbs that actually produce adequate amounts. I think he was against UVB bulbs because as we recently discovered, 90% of them are crap right out of the packaging.

D3, I dusted usually once a month. Calcium a few times a month, it varied between 3-7 times. When gravid, I would do it several times or maybe more.

Multi vitamins I used every so often whenever I'd think of it, maybe twice a month??

I went away for 3 months one time, and my dad was taking care of my animals. The male veiled had edema when I got back, because he was supplementing every three days. This was easily solved with lots of hydration though.

With my next chameleons, I am going to be using Vit-All and Miner-All 1 and 0, nutribac, and Repashy's SuperPig (pigment/color enhancer).

As for gutload, any leftover vegetables/fruits, and chicken mash. I would say the staple is oranges though, and melon rinds are great.
 
Using the Repashy (brand name T-Rex) stuff is pretty high quality for gutloading for any animals, though it's made mainly for crested geckos, it'd be good to gutload your selected feeders to feed off that day or the next.

If you're not into making your own. Kinyonga made a good post recently with a great gutload recipe I can't wait to try.
 
Read the label on the chicken mash...some of them have poor ratios of calcium to phosphorous...some of them contain formaldehyde...etc.
 
I took norman into the Sun for the first time yesterday I put him in his travel container without the lid on. He was fine until we went into the sun He immediately tried to get under the fake leaves in his travel container.

I coaxed him onto my hand but he didnt want any of it. Just seemed very stressed about it. Ah well, will try again sometime
 
Stay inside for 3 weeks and then go out on a bright sunny day, :D that's probably how your chameleon feels.

Going outside is a shock to a chameleon that hasn't seen the true light of day in several months. They'll get used to it with conditioning. Start with several minutes, like put him on your shoulder if you are taking the trash out or doing a small task outside..If you increase the time of exposure each time, they'll get used to it.

Also if you have an outdoor enclosure, or take it outside, you should always let your cham have access to adequate shade for thermoregulation.

But yeah, the brightness of the Sun is definitely a shocker the first few times lol.
 
The only time ive seen my jackson turn bright yellow and blue is when he is outside without a cage chillin in a tree..


he is happy as can be :)


but i do have sit few feet from him guarding him from birds
 
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