Newbie Jackson's owner with a few ?

[diegoted]

I have a few questions. First the chameleon (Mr. Echo) is an adult male Jacksons. Enclosure is screened mesh, 40L X 16W X40 H. I am in San Diego

1. I am using a compact florescent .10 bulb for UVB, however, the reflective 7” fixture is not deep enough so ¾” protrudes out of the fixture, thus, I cannot set it on the screen. I am hanging the fixture for the mean time. I think I am going to lose some effectiveness of the bulb? What have others done to remedy this? If I build up the fixture with tubing will this take away from the effectiveness of the bulb? Any suggestions.

2. My Jackson does not seem to like the warmest part of his cage. The basking spot is a branch about 10” from a standard 65 watt bulb, the temp is about 85*. Mr. Echo would rather spend most of his time on the other side of the enclosure which does not have heat or light, the temp there is about 70*. Is there a problem with this?

3. I have both the heat and UVB lights on one side of the enclosure (near the highest branch). However, this leaves the other side of the enclosure kind of dimly lit! I would like to add a third light for the times I am with Mr. Echo so I can observe him better. Which type of light should I use for this application?

4. I have seen the recommended plant list on this sight. Can I use any non-toxic tropical plant in the enclosure?

I am sure I will have more questions, I thank you all in advance for any help.

Thx Ted

 

[Lathis]

First of all, welcome to the forum! If you haven't already, definitely check out the care sheets and other information here:
https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/chameleons/

To answer your questions:

1. I would recommend getting a deeper reflector dome. Or even better, ditch the CFL and get the tube kind. The light is far more evenly distributed and this will help eliminate some of those dark spots in the cage.

2. My Jax doesn't bask all that much. Maybe an hour or two a day, max. It could be one of two things: either he is basking for shorter periods of time when you are not looking, or he is uncomfortable on that side of the cage for some reason. I wouldn't think that his basking spot is too hot at 85°F. How long have you had him? Maybe he is still adjusting to a new environment and is nervous.

3. If you get the tube kind of UVB light, that will help a lot. You could add another dome with a lower watt bulb to the other side of the cage, just to increase ambient light without raising the temperature.

4. The recommended plant list often gives 3 or 4 basic plants because a) they have a known history of being chameleon appropriate and b) they are relatively cheap and available. Umbrella plants (schleffera arbicola), ficus benjamina, golden pothos, crotons, hibiscus, dracaena, and the other common ones can usually be picked up at the big box hardware stores in the summer. If you have a question about a specific exotic/tropical plant, you can check the scientific name against some of the safe plant databases (http://www.flchams.com/safe_plant_list.asp). In general, anything that oozes sap/milk/rubber or has needles/fibers/hairs should be avoided to prevent skin and eye irritation. Jacksons tend not to chew on plants, so that makes it a little easier to keep things alive.

Good luck!

 

[diegoted]

Thanks for the response! I have only had Mr. Echo for two days, the store said he is about a year old, they had him in the store for about two months and spoiled him rotten! At the present he is in mid shed mode. What do you think of adding another UBV .5 to the other side of the enclosure to provide additional lighting?

Ted

 

[Lathis]

You really only need 1 UV light. If you want to add more light, I would do another regular bulb. Plus it's a lot cheaper. Just monitor the temperatures to ensure if doesn't get too hot in the enclosure.