Really confused now!

[Picasso123]

My breeder told me to use a powersun and repcal w/ d3 twice a week and herptivite once a week.

Now I read powersuns are horrible and I should be dusting daily with calcium power and only using d3 and herptivite twice a month? currently have a 100w powersun on a 4' cage

Which way is right? I'm feeling bad for my Panther Cham if he's been suffering due to bad info!

 

[jannb]

The power sun is pretty strong for a cage. I use the Mega Ray in some of my free range areas. Most here use the Reptisun 5.0 and it has worked great for chameleons. I would also recomend calcium without d3 several times a week if you have an adult and just about every day with a young cham. Only use calcium with D3 twice a month and a multi vit. once or twice a month. How are you gutloading? To me gutloading is just as important as your supplements.

My blog for new keepers is attached below.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...-keepers-young-veiled-panther-chameleons.html

 

[Picasso123]

The crickets have a bowl of romaine, some carrots and some high calcium powder food.

So should I dump my powersun? He does seem to hang in to lower sections of the cage mostly. Those his hibiscus is also there. I switched off the sun ( LOL) and put his repisun 24' on. is the reptisun 5.0 strong enough to get down to the bottom?

 

[clarkrw3]

My breeder told me to use a powersun and repcal w/ d3 twice a week and herptivite once a week.

Now I read powersuns are horrible and I should be dusting daily with calcium power and only using d3 and herptivite twice a month? currently have a 100w powersun on a 4' cage

Which way is right? I'm feeling bad for my Panther Cham if he's been suffering due to bad info!

I read the post where someone was telling you not to use a powersun and that it was horrible...what they were referring to was the CFL UVB 5.0 not an actual powersun. Here is some info about lighting and Mercury vapor bulbs.
http://chameleonnews.com/10JulWeldon.html

I don't think that the Powersun or Mega Ray's are bad and my Vet actually recommends them (he use to raise Parsonii) but they do put out a lot more UVB than a 5.0 it's more similar to full sun UVB thus I don't think you need as much calcium with D3. I think the reason they get a bad rap with chameleon owners and on the forum is that so many times you see people that have chameleons with burns. A 100w bulb is powerful and puts out a lot of heat. If you KNOW your cage isn't hot and your temps are correct for your panther than I think you are ok. It is just very excepted to have a 5.0 that doesn't produce much heat, and then a basking bulb that is 25-60w to adjust for heat. I think the general accepted lighting etc that is recommended on the board might not be perfect but it is SAFE which is important when handing out recommendations.
Gutloading is important and Sandrachameleon has an EXCELLENT blog about the different things you do and don't want to use. I think what you are doing now is on the weak side of what would be good.

https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/sandrachameleon/75-feeder-nutrition-gutloading.html
https://www.chameleonforums.com/blo...just-crickets-roaches-gutload-everything.html
http://www.chameleonnews.com/05JunDescamps.html

 

[Picasso123]

The middle of the cage is about 77 and lot cooler at night.

 

[clarkrw3]

The middle of the cage is about 77 and lot cooler at night.

While the middle of the cage is important, I think the more important temp is what is the temp in his basking spot usually 6-8" below the light? What is the temp of the screen right below the light? If he spends time hanging upside down on the screen below the mercury vapor bulb will he burn himself? When he is sitting on his basking branch for long periods of time like after he eats will he burn his back from the light? You see people that have had the same set up for a while and one day there cham ends up with a burn. How and Why? These are the reasons people shy away from recommending such a high powered bulb. I am running a mini incandescent 40w and have it on a dimmer.


I think it is important to know about animal behavior. Chams will head to "the sunny spot" when they wake up and when they have just ate. They don't have pain sensor receptors for heat like you and I, they just go and sit in "the sun" no matter what the temp. In their natural habitat the sun is never too hot it will not burn them. They digest then they go back into the shade. We are recreating their habitat and need to make sure that "sun spot" isn't going to be too hot or burn them which means we need to KNOW the temps all the time as the ambient temps change. And with a Mercury Vapor it's even more important because its such a strong bulb.

 

[Picasso123]

he hasn't really left the confines of his Hibiscus for about a week now. he goes on the screen near it but always comes back to it. He's only been up top twice.

 

[clarkrw3]

he hasn't really left the confines of his Hibiscus for about a week now. he goes on the screen near it but always comes back to it. He's only been up top twice.

If that is in case the fact that he hasn't been basking, not even when you haven't been watching than something is wrong with your setup and you should check temps in the areas I have recommended

 

[Picasso123]

1' from the top it's almost 80 and on the cage floor it's about 74

 

[Picasso123]

guess powersun is to strong?? I switch it out for his reptisun 5.0 and light bulb and he's up at the top today.

 

[suzi]

I believe the power sun is really meant to be hung from the ceiling ( or the like) and quite a distance from the top of the screen, not touching the screen at all.