UVB questions

[xxzmmorexx]

hey everyone! long time no post. I haven't stopped the hobby just kinda fell away from the forums and forgot how much help they are....then I forgot my password hahaha. Anyways this, in my case, doesn't pertain to just chameleons but I live up North in northern Indiana and in winter I want to know if the sun gives off enough UVB for reptiles. Specifically my iguana I recently received. My veileds just have their cages so I never worry but I was curious even if I sat my chams in the big windows if the sun coming through gives off enough UVB to just turn the bulbs off and let them get some naturual sun. Sorry about asking for the iguana in the cham forums I just figured it could go both ways, and since he is 5ft long i give him his own room and he has a space heater and powersun uvb/heat bulbs but he'd rather sit in the window. Thanks in advance, and I hope everyone is doing good! haha

-Zack

 

[nightanole]

They need very little real sun. A reptisun 5.0 puts out a uv index of like .3. A sunny day is about 3.5 UVI. So 1 hour outside is like basking all day under the bulb.

Unfortunate all windows filter out 100% uvb and over half of the uva. So unless you have $$$ special uv plastic windows, putting the lizards in the window will do nothing.

 

[xxzmmorexx]

I figured it was something like that, I will just keep my chams on them then. As for the big boy, I will have to find a way to get him to bask in his lamps more. Maybe I will just construct a big screen cage for him. Currently I have different basking spots set up for him with plants everywhere. Thanks for the response, I appreciate it.