Whats the best type of heating for a chameleon setup???

[martindean32]

I have a reptisun 5% uv bulb in the wooden bit between the outside mesh screen on the top and the wooden lid. So all the reptile radiator would be for was to provide a heat source for it hence thats why I am asking can I use a reptile radiator alongside the reptisun 5% uv bulb????

 

[Texas Panther Man]

Does the reptile radiator provide uva? Personally i would go with a tried and proven method of husbandry. I just dont like taking chances with my animals. It may be a pain in the a-- initially to retrofit your cage but in the long run its only going to benefit the animal and reduce the chance of a prob down the road. Jmpo

 

[martindean32]

The reptisun uva/uvb florescent tube provides all its uva/uvb requirements as spotlight bulbs here dont provide uva in them!!! So wouldnt it be just the same by using a reptile radiator???

 

[jamncristian]

you can get the splash proof bulb in the UK here
http://www.theonlinepetstore.co.uk/prod_show.asp?prodid=1246

 

[martindean32]

I was thinking about using the splash proof bulb but how would u go about setting it up so it fitting in the space between the roof of the exoterra mesh lid and my wooden roof????? Thats where I need the help!!!

 

[draetish]

I was thinking about using the splash proof bulb but how would u go about setting it up so it fitting in the space between the roof of the exoterra mesh lid and my wooden roof????? Thats where I need the help!!!

You're going to have to make a decision on whether or not to use the wooden roof. It seems to be making your lighting situation harder than it should be.

 

[Monkeykungphu]

First time I've seen a reptile radiator, so don't much about them. However, I can tell you that thousands of chameleon keepers all agree that for heat purposes, you just need a simple incandescant bulb & dome fixture.

I'm not sure what your magical reptile radiator cost, but I imagine it's much more costly than a simple bulb & dome fixture. As others have said, just modify your top a little to situate a lamp above. Use a thermometer to check your temps in your basking area to see if it's where it needs to be. If it's too hold/cold adjust by changing your bulb wattage or possibly the distance of your bulb from the basking spot.

Pretty simple really...

 

[martindean32]

The thing is if I dont use the wooden lid I dunno if the mesh can handle the uv light and fittings as the person who gave me the viv has used a strange unit for powering the uv light!!! Ill take a piccy of it for you so you can decide whether I should unscrew the uv light fitting from the wood and place it onto the mesh at the top? Would that be the best next step u reckon? Doing this piccy???

 

[Carlton]

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Anyone????? AS I really need to know if my idea would work or would it be ok to use the UV as a light source and the heatpad as the heat source????
Its the way the person gave it to me as they aint reptile light bulbs just normal spotlight bulbs!!!!! And there are two in the pointed diagonally from each side!!!!
So I dunno what to do??? Do I use my way and can have complete control of the heat or use them two normal spotbulbs????

We've been suggesting in various ways that your idea to use the heat pad won't be best for any chameleon. They are drawn to light as a source of basking heat. A normal spotlight bulb will work just fine if you also use the UVB tube light to extend the spectrum of UV they require. Your cham will position itself in the cage depending on what temp or humidity it needs at the time. This gradient is important and something that heat pads don't provide as well. The heat also needs to be turned off at night unless your room is going to get below 50 F. You are going to have to modify the cage you were given to incorporate the incandescent light bulb. Not that big a problem. The way I see it, after listening to this thread is that you have 3 choices:

Trust the suggestions offered by experienced chameleon keepers. It's why we are here, we care about your cham, and we wouldn't offer ideas that don't work.
Realize that you need to modify your solid topped cage or build a new one for the cham.
If you really don't want to change your plans or the equipment, use the setup for a different type of lizard.

If you decide to stick to your original idea you will probably run into problems fairly soon. Be certain that you have an experienced herp vet close by.

 

[draetish]

The thing is if I dont use the wooden lid I dunno if the mesh can handle the uv light and fittings as the person who gave me the viv has used a strange unit for powering the uv light!!! Ill take a piccy of it for you so you can decide whether I should unscrew the uv light fitting from the wood and place it onto the mesh at the top? Would that be the best next step u reckon? Doing this piccy???

Yes do that and show us the underneath of the wooden top

 

[martindean32]

Just eating my tea and Ill do that ok????? Thats no problem to me whatsoever!!! I am listening to what you lot are saying!!! Another thing will the 90 watt splash proof light be strong enougth to heat it you reckon????

 

[Monkeykungphu]

Just eating my tea and Ill do that ok????? Thats no problem to me whatsoever!!! I am listening to what you lot are saying!!! Another thing will the 90 watt splash proof light be strong enougth to heat it you reckon????

Is eating tea an English expression? Not familiar with that one...

As others have said, unless you're dumping water on your bulb, it most likely won't break from you misting your plants beneath it... And, if it does happen to break, they're really cheap, get two just in case.

90 watts will most likely be too hot. Most people use under 75 watts for chameleon basking. I've got a 40 watt & it's provides plenty of heat for my baby panther. A 60 watt would most likely be sufficient for an older cham. Make your temps are correct in any case with a thermometer & adjust from there...

 

[jamncristian]

it depends on your temps over there

because someone in UK might need
a higher wattage bulb than someone in texas

 

[Carlton]

it depends on your temps over there

because someone in UK might need
a higher wattage bulb than someone in texas

The best and safest way to determine what watt basking spot your particular cage will need is to set it all up first and check the resulting temperature of the basking perch arrangement while the light is on. If the temp is too high for your particular cham species you can move the bulb farther away or use a smaller watt bulb. It's hard for us to suggest a particular watt bulb because we don't know all the variables of your particular room, house climate, etc.

It is usually better to err on the lower watt side. Your cham can safely bask a bit longer each day to warm up. If the bulb is too hot you'll end up with burns...and no one wants that! Remember, chams actually don't have all that many heat sensors in their skin. They can and do get burned under indoor lighting.

 

[martindean32]

The only problem I will have (As I can keep the wooden lid on and fit the lights on the outside of the top of the viv) is that the basking light will be actually touching the mesh on the outside of the top of the viv! Will that be ok????? As if it will be then I can go ahead on paying for the splash proof lights!!! Plus There will be one bulb diagonally on each side as shown in the piccy below so what wattage for the bulbs whould you suggest I use??? Ill be using two bulbs you see in each viv which is shown in the picture below:

So what wattage bulb would you use you reckon????

 

[martindean32]

one Im sorry im late but Ive had a mite of trouble doing all this!!!

 

[draetish]

I see now what you are talking about. You don't want the bulbs inside the viv, that's for sure. Your cham "will" burn itself so you have to figure out a way to place them on the outside. What if you got a skill saw and cut out the wood top and leave about an inch on all sides so you can rest your linear light fixture and mount the basking light so it's not touching the mesh?

 

[martindean32]

I can fit them on the outside of the top of the mesh but the basking light will be touching the mesh on the outside, does that matter??? If not I can just fit a splashproof bulb in, if so I can leave the top completly and just get new fittings for the uv and put them in a reflector. I can then just buy a normal dome holder and place that on top of the mesh!!! Which way would you go about it???

 

[draetish]

I can fit them on the outside of the top of the mesh but the basking light will be touching the mesh on the outside, does that matter???Go to the hardware store and buy a dome fixture with a clip on it to put a regular bulb in for basking. Then you can clip it up above the mesh so it's not touching. If not I can just fit a splashproof bulb in, if so I can leave the top completly and just get new fittings for the uv and put them in a reflector. I can then just buy a normal dome holder and place that on top of the mesh!!! Which way would you go about it???

the dome fixture is the way to go. The bulb will be far enough inside the fixture so the actual bulb is not touching the mesh but the fixture will.

 

[martindean32]

But ill still go ahead and get them splashproof lights as they sound fiab with a chameleon setup dont they????