specific lighting for graceful chammy

[Carli]

Hello! This is my first post to this forum. I have visited here before, but have just joined.

I bought a graceful chameleon (had her for 3 months now) from a dealer who told me he believed she was not yet a year old. I have her in a 16x16x20 repti-breeze with dripper on top and 2 live plants. Previously, she was in my vivarium.

The lighting for the vivarium has been a repti-sun 5.0, repti-sun 2.0, 75w moonlight and 50w infrared spot. Her neighbors being a day gecko, a red-eyed, and a white's. All have done fine together with that lighting.

I have spoken to several local 'reptile' folks, but cannot seem to get a concrete answer for the lighting she specifically needs for her new solitary environment. Can you please guide me as to which bulbs I need to put on her cage?

Thank you so much!!

 

[Tyler33]

A reptisun 5.0 linear tube light. make sure your cham can get with in 6 inches of the light. You will not need a night light of any kind, chameleons need darkness and cooler temperatures to sleep. If you are worried about your cham getting to cold at night, buy one of those lights that emits heat with no light. I forget what they are called, ceramic bulbs i think, but im not sure.

As far as a basking light goes, it all depends on the age of your cham. the main goal is reaching the appropriate temperature. i have about a 3 month old veiled, i use a heat lamp but i keep it on for a few hours of the day and i keep it a few inches off the top of the cage. It's only use is to get the internal temp of the cage up to 80 degrees.

If i messed up or left something out, please fill in the details and correct me.

Hope this helps, post pics of your cham! i'd love to see her!

Oh, and welcome to the forums! i hope you like it here! i know i do!

 

[Carli]

thank you, tyler!

you're the only one who has responded and i appreciate it. i was hoping more folks would reply, also.

i took her to the vet yesterday b/c she had begun the mouth breathing/foamy mess after putting her in her new home. xrays revealed clear lungs, oral exam was clean, too. she never defecated for them so i have to take in a sample today.

they are thinking she is having gastric distress from the grasshoppers i've been catching and feeding her. she really goes for them!

just ordered some variety feeders, but can't find locusts/hoppers. any ideas???

thanks!

 

[Psi]

but can't find locusts/hoppers. any ideas???

thanks!

Not legal to sell in the US.

 

[Carli]

thanks for the info. was unaware of that.