Triple Cage System

[Kharn]

Hello

I drew this cage system in MS paint, the general idea is to follow the standard 24x24x48 cage of black aluminum mesh.

One of the most interesting aspects about caring for one or a few chameleons is the climate of where I live which is detailed in the picture of graphs (temp/humid).

With a climate such as detailed in the image I made with the information on it...I think that neither would need any specific kind of basking bulb just because the ambient temp is quite warm, I'm not saying to not have nothing but maybe something else with just a little bit of added heat perhaps.

Any thoughts, maybe something I missed, ideas???

 

[MelissaB]

Instead of individual dome lights w/cfl bulbs for the UVB, I'd use T5 fixtures. Maybe even dual or quad fixtures to give better lighting for plants.

 

[MsCham]

Impressive lay out! Im concerned, without the basking bulb, how the cham would be able to regulate his/her temperature. You wouldn't need a commercial "basking bulb" for herbs that pumps out so much heat. But a regular incandescent light bulb (from hardware stores or something) should probably still be included. Just my thoughts~

 

[ChameleonUES]

This is quite impressive!
Since you get to keep three different species, which most people would only be able to keep one.

As stated above, perhaps using one lone 6ft, 180cm. uvb and T5 fixtures, so you can accommodate all three cages with one single large fixture. I recommend if you can, using arcadia bulbs or order from lightyourreptiles.com, they have a good variety of lights.

Otherwise, I think your chameleons will do well in such a set-up, Good Luck!

 

[MelissaB]

^ It looks like the OP is planning on using dual dome fixtures, so they can use a
cfl bulb for UVB and another bulb for heat. I prefer using the long fluorescent tubes for UVB and lighting for plants, I get better plant growth and spread of light with them. Although I do use the cfl UVB bulbs on some of my pygmy setups.

 

[Kharn]

Thanks for the responses.

Only reason I've got CFL bulbs instead of Linear bulbs is because there are no reptile stores where I live and I am not sure if I could get things imported/mailed to where I live...

If I CAN get imported/mailed then I would likely get a 6ft Quad T5 with UVB and other linears.

I'm just worried about a basing bulb heating up the enclosures because the ambient temperature is already so warm...like the chameleon 'might' only need the minimal heat output from a non UVB CFL up close rather then the overkill of a normal basking bulb, it never drops bellow 75degrees here and often reaches the low to mid 90's.

Thanks again for your responses.

 

[Brassaxe]

I bet there are double throw thermostats out there where you can have it control two bulbs. Say.. If you set it to 75.. Then below 75 it would power a Basking light, and above it would instead power a CFL.

 

[Kharn]

I can easily swap out the Repti Vision CFL 'White' bulb for any other incandescent my next choice would be one of the low end wattages of the Swamp Basking Bulbs (for the sake of paranoia & splash from mistking).

The incandescent swamp bulb is about 1/2-1/3 the cost of the Repti Vision CFL.

I would likely just go with the 50W Swamp Basking Spot Lamp and just have it so that there is at least 1 'area' directly beneath it that is only 6-10inchs from the bulb itself.

That way the chameleon can still get close enough if it needs more heat and the bulb itself shouldn't heat everything else up that much too.