UVB Help

[Z33]

I have a lil over a year, female, veiled chamelelon. I currently have a reptile combo dome lamp and a zoo-med reptisun uvb bulb for my veiled chameleon. She's getting calcium from her meals, she eats every 3 days. I just don't know if she's getting enough. I feel like she's hardly getting anything from her bulb. I have a UVB testing sensor card and the bulb is working just fine, I just don't know if she's really getting much of what she needs from it. Sould I upgrade her to a uvb hood with a longer uvb bulb to cover whole cage? Or will that be too much, too hot, or too strong? I dont want to overdo it either. I emailed her vet and asked all of this as well but, have yet to hear back.

 

[Z33]

Also! In her fecal, I see a good small amount of white so I know from what she eats she's getting that calcium.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Hi and welcome! If it’s a combo dome with screw in bulbs, you are right, she is not getting enough uvb! You need the long linear bulbs that can go on top of your enclosure and fit the width of it. You also need a T5HO fixture to put the bulb in. Most here use either a reptisun 5.0 long linear or the Arcadia 6%. The Arcadia’s are generally good for a year but the reptisun need to be changed more often than that. The fixture and bulb need to be at least 8-9 inches above your basking branch to get the correct uvb level. If you need more advice or info just ask. There are many knowledgeable and ready to help people here. We all are dedicated to keeping our chams in the best conditions possible. You can also fill out the how to ask for help form pinned in the health forum and someone can give you a husbandry review if you like just to make sure your Cham has the best environment possible. There’s a lot of bad information out there. Even pet stores give misinformation about Cham care.

 

[Lindasjackson]

The white in her fecal is the urate, not calcium. Chams don’t pee in the traditional sense, they send out their urate in a thicker form that’s attached to their feces. The whiter the unrate the better hydrated she is. Now since she’s over a year old, do you have a laying bin in her enclosure? Female veileds can and will lay eggs even if not ever having contact with a male. They also need a pretty strict diet and temp control so they don’t lay too many eggs at a time which shortens their lifespan and can lead to egg binding.

 

[Lindasjackson]

I’m going to tag a couple people in who know more about veileds than I do so they can help.
@Beman @kinyonga

 

[kinyonga]

Please post some recent photos of you chameleon and the cage lights included.

You said she gets calcium from her diet? What SPECIFIC do they include D3, prEformed vitamin A, calcium, phos) supplements do you use and how often do you dust the insects with each?

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I have a lil over a year, female, veiled chamelelon. I currently have a reptile combo dome lamp and a zoo-med reptisun uvb bulb for my veiled chameleon.

Reptisun makes different kinds of UVB bulb. Compact bulbs (spiral or U-shaped) are not suitable for chameleons; you need a linear T5 HO UVB, either Reptisun 5.0 or Arcadia 6%. Both will fit in the same fixtures.

The Arcadia’s are generally good for a year but the reptisun need to be changed more often than that.

I'm sorry, but this just isn't true. BOTH mfrs are good for 1 year, and both are warrantied for one year.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/at-a-loss-for-what-is-wrong.181811/#post-1655766

She's getting calcium from her meals, she eats every 3 days. I just don't know if she's getting enough.

If you are dusting every meal with calcium without phosphorus or D3, she should be getting enough.
Calcium with D3 and Multivitamins should be given (dusted) twice per month ea. alternating weeks.
I give supplements on Sundays because I can mark my calendar so I don't confuse/forget which to give when.

I feel like she's hardly getting anything from her bulb. I have a UVB testing sensor card and the bulb is working just fine, I just don't know if she's really getting much of what she needs from it.

She may not be if it's a compact bulb. The testing cards are virtually useless for this application. The best way to tell for sure is with a UVI meter, such as a Solarmeter 6.5X or DIY version.
Short of that, linear T5 HO UVB running the entire width of the enclosure, and replaced annually.

Sould I upgrade her to a uvb hood with a longer uvb bulb to cover whole cage? Or will that be too much, too hot, or too strong? I dont want to overdo it either. I emailed her vet and asked all of this as well but, have yet to hear back.

Yes. No. Some vets are very good with this; some may be going by outdated information. It partly depends on whether they're experienced with chameleons, where they get their information, and how old it is.

 

[Beman]

Hi there. If you could fill out this form in detail and just copy paste it into your response plus add pics of your girl and her enclosure we can give you much more thorough info. Yes you need the T5HO fixture with the 5.0 or 6% linear bulb and then you want 8-9 inches between the bottom of the fixture and the basking branch that is closest below it for the correct UVI level.

Chameleon Info:

• Your Chameleon - The species, sex, and age of your chameleon. How long has it been in your care?
• Handling - How often do you handle your chameleon?
• Feeding - What are you feeding your cham? What amount? What is the schedule? How are you gut-loading your feeders?
• Supplements - What brand and type of calcium and vitamin products are you dusting your feeders with and what is the schedule?
• Watering - What kind of watering technique do you use? How often and how long to you mist? Do you see your chameleon drinking?
• Fecal Description - Briefly note colors and consistency from recent droppings. Has this chameleon ever been tested for parasites?
• History - Any previous information about your cham that might be useful to others when trying to help you.

Cage Info:

• Cage Type - Describe your cage (Glass, Screen, Combo?) What are the dimensions?
• Lighting - What brand, model, and types of lighting are you using? What is your daily lighting schedule?
• Temperature - What temp range have you created (cage floor to basking spot)? Lowest overnight temp? How do you measure these temps?
• Humidity - What are your humidity levels? How are you creating and maintaining these levels? What do you use to measure humidity?
• Plants - Are you using live plants? If so, what kind?
• Placement - Where is your cage located? Is it near any fans, air vents, or high traffic areas? At what height is the top of the cage relative to your room floor?
• Location - Where are you geographically located?

Current Problem - The current problem you are concerned about.

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Please Note:

1. The more details you provide the better and more accurate help you will receive.
2. Photos can be very helpful.