What's the difference between T5 & T8? I am in Saskatchewan Canada and having trouble finding a T5 high output.

[Peachey]

What's the difference between T5 & T8? I am in Saskatchewan Canada and having trouble finding a T5 high output. Amazon.ca sells the bulbs but I can't seem to find the right fixture. I don't know what to do. I am a new chameleon owner and I currently have a compact UVB, but I want to get the right one for her asap. The store here sells T8 Arcadia reptile bulbs and fixtures.

I've had her for about 2 weeks, she is an 11 month old female Panther chameleon.

 

[Beman]

The difference is the output distance...

With a T5HO fixture and a 5.0 or 6% bulb you need to have a 8-9 inch distance between where the fixture bottom sits on the cage screen and the branches below it. This gives an approximate 3 uvi level where the cham rises up off the branch.

With a T8 fixture you have to use the stronger uvb bulbs. So with a 10.0 or 12% bulb you need to have a 7 inch distance between where the fixture bottom sits on the cage screen and the branches below it. This gives an approximate 3 uvi level where the cham rises up off the branch. You do not want to use anything other than this bulb strength or the cham has to sit much too close to the screen top... Keep in mind you still want to raise up heat fixtures especially with a T8 because you do not want a cham sitting too close to a heat bulb or a thermal burn is high risk.


Either of these will work they just have differences in what is needed and done to achieve the same UVI level at the branch. Let me know if you have any questions.