What UVB Lighting should I use for my Veild?

[eulaliesmom]

Hello everyone I am very new to all this as it is my first cham to own and I have questions on the type of UVB lighting I should be using. As of now, I have a 75W bulb and I rigged my lamp up with coat hangers so that it's not scorching my little girl, however I would like to have something where it doesn't get as hot and gives her more of a designated basking area and more room for ambiance temps. So my question is, what UVB bulb and/or heating source do you use for your basking area? I need something more direct and something that doesn't get as hot as this one but I'm thinking online is the on;y place I'll really find that.
Thanks in advance

 

[Virgil1972]

UVB lights or florescent and don't put off heat. How hot is the basking spot now? Can you post a picture of what you are using now?

 

[JoeVet]

You will need separate UVB and heat bulbs. Most feel the tube type UVB are the best as compared to the compact fluorescent. Arcadia tubes are especially good. Most UVB bulbs need changing every six months but the arcadia ones can last a year. Arcadia are found at one of the sponsors' sights (light your reptiles). For a heat source a regular incandescent bulb is fine. Just replace the 75 watt with a lower watt bulb till you reach the appropriate temperature. You should be measuring the basking spot with a good thermometer.

 

[Jquick8039]

I need to know if the uvb light will affect my chameleon from opening up his eyes or why he won't open them

 

[Virgil1972]

I need to know if the uvb light will affect my chameleon from opening up his eyes or why he won't open them

If your cham wont open his eyes you should go to the health section and start your own thread. Read the how to ask for help thread in the health section first.

 

[eulaliesmom]

totally meant infrared bulb lmao! the basking area got up to 95-100 when i tested it out without her in there, and it heated the entire tank to around 85-90 degrees which is way too hot. the bulb is aprox 3" -3.5" in diameter. I will take a picture

 

[Virgil1972]

totally meant infrared bulb lmao! the basking area got up to 95-100 when i tested it out without her in there, and it heated the entire tank to around 85-90 degrees which is way too hot. the bulb is aprox 3" -3.5" in diameter. I will take a picture

Yes that is to hot. You can ether get a smaller bulb or move the light you have know farther away. Getting a new bulb would probably be easier.

 

[Decadancin]

How big is the enclosure that she is in? Also, do you know how old she is? If you are not sure of her age you can post a few pictures and we can estimate her age. As for lighting, you will, as said, need a regular incandescent bulb (wattage can vary, start with a 60 watt and test the temp at the basking site and adjust the height or increase the wattage until you reach the desired temp) and a UVB bulb. Generally speaking the tube type bulbs are the best for enclosures because they will reach more areas of the living space. Arcadia Bulbs are great, and the T5 High Output versions do last at least a year, but if you have a small enclosure and not enough foliage you may not want to use the 6% or 12% UVB's.

I noticed that you said the tank got too hot. Is she in a glass enclosure? If so, there can be issues with overheating and moisture buildup if there isn't enough ventilation. Although many do keep chameleons in glass enclosures, it is not necessarily the preferred method. If you post a few pictures of the enclosure we could offer some tips .

By the way,

Welcome to the Forums!!!

 

[Decadancin]

I need to know if the uvb light will affect my chameleon from opening up his eyes or why he won't open them

We would need a bit more information to properly answer this question. What type of bulb, size of enclosure, amount of plants, age and type of chameleon, pictures, etc. As suggested, if you go to the Health Forum you could start a new thread and likely get more specific answers. Also, search in the Health Forum for "eyes closed" and see what comes up.