uvb and heat

[GoldenVeiled]

i know the basic heat requirements of chameleons but I've seen people post, " the uvb light should be a certain height from the basking spot" but how far away should it be for the uvb and the heat?

 

[BeBoSON]

Heat lamp should be a couple of inches (6-8) above the cage, so there won't be any issues with your cham getting burned. Doing this, you might have to get a different watt bulb to adjust your temps.
As far as the UVB fixture, you can lay it right on top of your cage.

 

[Preekoo]

I find it a little hard to position them "above" the cage so many inches. And what about people with tubes. They dont have it lifted off the cage. But I guess a coil is more concentrated, so what I did was I found an old lamp and did that. The lights were flexible and I intertwined them to make them more sturdy and I clamped the lights to it. I honestly think he likes them more at an angle anyways.

 

[Hoj]

I always like to place my heat lights on an angle as well, but I would get the Uvb as close as possible the cfls do not project the benificial uvb ray very far.

 

[Sticktongue]

I always like to place my heat lights on an angle as well, but I would get the Uvb as close as possible the cfls do not project the benificial uvb ray very far.

I agree completely about the UVB.

I think i'm the odd man out about the heat lamp though. I've always kept mine on top of the screen and never had a burning issue, nor did i find the chameleons liking a light angled more than on the screen. (I tried it for awhile)

 

[Hoj]

I agree completely about the UVB.

I think i'm the odd man out about the heat lamp though. I've always kept mine on top of the screen and never had a burning issue, nor did i find the chameleons liking a light angled more than on the screen. (I tried it for awhile)

Oh not a old man...I have some right on top

 

[Sticktongue]

Oh not a old man...I have some right on top

Question, why do you put some right on top, and some on an angle? Does that mean you dont have a preference? Depend on Montane or lowland?

Sorry, not trying to hijack..

 

[BeBoSON]

Oh not a old man...I have some right on top

I raised mine after I noticed a small burn on top my chams head. Just happy I caught it before it got to bad.

 

[Hoj]

Yes it is more of a montane/veiled and panther thing.
The veileds and panther have high wattage bulbs that are hott enought to really heat the screen as well as being physically bigger and right at the end of the dome.
For the montanes I use a much lower wattage bulb which does not seem able to heat the screen alot and as is alot smaller, meaning it sits alot further back in the dome.
I also change from flat to angled ( sometimes just the degree of the angle ) on some when the ambient room temp is between a bulb wattage change.
Hope that makes sence

 

[Sticktongue]

Yes it is more of a montane/veiled and panther thing.
The veileds and panther have high wattage bulbs that are hott enought to really heat the screen as well as being physically bigger and right at the end of the dome.
For the montanes I use a much lower wattage bulb which does not seem able to heat the screen alot and as is alot smaller, meaning it sits alot further back in the dome.
I also change from flat to angled ( sometimes just the degree of the angle ) on some when the ambient room temp is between a bulb wattage change.
Hope that makes sence

Perfectly. Thats what i figured, but wanted to know for sure. I noticed that as well. My panther screens got much hotter than the montanes. Only reason i didn't worry about it with the panthers was that they never ever climbed on the screen, and the branches were designed to be 8 and more inches away form the screen.

Thanks Hoj

 

[Hoj]

Thank you good sir

 

[Chris Jury]

...the cfls do not project the benificial uvb ray very far.

For a given total UVB output, power compacts are a much more 'concentrated' source. Therefore, the light is concentrated over a smaller area at a given distance, making for higher intensities. Linear tubes are a more diffuse source, therefore spreading the UVB over a larger area and producing lower intensity at a given distance.

Of course if one is using lower wattage CFLs they'll tend to produce less UVB. Also, some brands (e.g., Arcadia, Exo Terra) tend to produce less UVB across the board as compared to some other brands. Then again, these companies may have reformulated their bulbs over the past couple of years as well...

Regardless, for similar total UVB output coiled lamps will produce a more concentrated beam of light whereas linear tubes will produce a more diffuse light field.