Almost finished what ya think

[JamesB88]

Almost done with my veileds new setup all I have to do is install his mistking. I already put him in it to get use to it and he loves it, what do you guys think.

 

[Angelwolf]

If I were a veiled, I would love it too! Do you turn off the LED lights, at night? And how did you get your pots suspended like that?

 

[JamesB88]

If I were a veiled, I would love it too! Do you turn off the LED lights, at night? And how did you get your pots suspended like that?

It turn all lights off at night except one led and it's a blue led that helps plant growth at night, for the heavier plants I use 50lb fishing line through the top of the cage tied to a 1x2 price of wood and the smaller plants I just used zip ties. This link here is exactly how I set my cage up http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2012/04/my-chameleon-room-cages.html?m=1

 

[Angelwolf]

I know having any light source at night can be disruptive to your cham. Just sharing what I have learned, and not telling you what to do, in any way! Your screen doesn't rip out from all of the weight on it? That's what I'm afraid of.

 

[JamesB88]

Yeah my cham doesn't mind the blue light, it's actual made for night time as it is suppose to create lunar effect for plant growth as I have all live plants in my set up and the only weight I have on my screen is his basking bulb everything else sits across the frame of the cage so there's maybe 2lbs max on the screen.

 

[brownie64]

Looks really good!

 

[JamesB88]

Looks really good!

Thanks I was going for easy clean, spacious and all live plants!

 

[brownie64]

Thanks I was going for easy clean, spacious and all live plants!

Well I'd say mission accomplished. Your cham should be right happy there.

 

[Alexander1]

Looks great once that pothos starts growing it's gonna fill out nicely

 

[JamesB88]

Looks great once that pothos starts growing it's gonna fill out nicely

Yeah I'm patiently waiting for it to grow but yeah can't wait for it to fill out a little more.

 

[Peachypink]

Yeah my cham doesn't mind the blue light, it's actual made for night time as it is suppose to create lunar effect for plant growth as I have all live plants in my set up and the only weight I have on my screen is his basking bulb everything else sits across the frame of the cage so there's maybe 2lbs max on the screen.

He may not seem to mind it but it will in the long run cause health problems. Chameleon's set their internal clocks by their day/night schedule and they need the night to be completely dark. They have a perietal eye or "third eye" that is photoreceptive and associated with the pineal gland that regulates circadian rhythmiciry and hormone levels. They can see red and blue light at night and it will disrupt their sleep. Basically it affects them on a cellular level and though it may not seem to be affecting them it will eventually manifest in some way down the road.

 

[JamesB88]

He may not seem to mind it but it will in the long run cause health problems. Chameleon's set their internal clocks by their day/night schedule and they need the night to be completely dark. They have a perietal eye or "third eye" that is photoreceptive and associated with the pineal gland that regulates circadian rhythmiciry and hormone levels. They can see red and blue light at night and it will disrupt their sleep. Basically it affects them on a cellular level and though it may not seem to be affecting them it will eventually manifest in some way down the road.

So even though my veiled hides in his pothos plant in complete cover from the blue lights your saying it affects him? Lol then why does the product come with blue lights or why do they make red bulbs for heating at night if this is such an issue? I'm not trying to be rude I'm just curious as to why so many Cham keepers have red bulbs on for night time heat or even as I do blue leds. Seems if it was a problem so many people wouldn't do it. Also where did you find this information I'd like to read it from the source if possible

 

[Peachypink]

So even though my veiled hides in his pothos plant in complete cover from the blue lights your saying it affects him? Lol then why does the product come with blue lights or why do they make red bulbs for heating at night if this is such an issue? I'm not trying to be rude I'm just curious as to why so many Cham keepers have red bulbs on for night time heat or even as I do blue leds. Seems if it was a problem so many people wouldn't do it. Also where did you find this information I'd like to read it from the source if possible

Because there is a lot of misinformation out there that has been passed down from pet stores or one person heard it so they are telling everyone else and it snowballs. I will definitely get you some links once I have time later today. Sorry I don't have time right now.

 

[JamesB88]

Because there is a lot of misinformation out there that has been passed down from pet stores or one person heard it so they are telling everyone else and it snowballs. I will definitely get you some links once I have time later today. Sorry I don't have time right now.

Not a problem, and thank you I would greatly appreciate those links.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

Lol then why does the product come with blue lights or why do they make red bulbs for heating at night if this is such an issue?

Other reptiles can use lights at night but it WILL disrupt a chameleon's sleep patterns and affect the overall health in the long-run. You may not notice it right away, but it will have effects down the road from now. You said "So even though my veiled hides in his pothos plant in complete cover from the blue lights your saying it affects him?" ...... Have you ever thought that maybe your chameleon is hiding because the light IS disrupting him and he is trying to hide from it? My chameleon sleeps out in the open lots of the times and never has the need to hide in a plant because I never have any lights on at night to bug him. Your chameleon should never feel "the need" to hide in a plant in order to get out of the light at night.

That light fixture you have is the LED hood kit from Zoo Med I'm pretty sure. That's what it looks like at first glance, and if not, then it is one very similar. That light fixture can be used on top of all sorts of different cages as it is not made SPECIFICALLY for any one certain animal. It can be used for many different kinds of animals, but that doesn't mean it is GOOD for all those animals. Putting a red heat light over a snake cage or a scorpion cage at night would be okay, but for chameleons, then pitch black at night is what they need to sleep properly. Chameleons can stand temperature drops at night down to the low 60's or high 50's so no heat at night is needed for them. The blue and red LED lights in your fixture give off no heat though anyways, so lights on at night are literally providing no benefit to the chameleon. As for the blue LED lights "promoting your lunar plant growth", your plants are not benefiting from the blue light at night either. That blue light does not promote plant growth as it does not provide the proper wavelengths for plants to grow. Plants need specific light intensities as well as specific wavelengths to grow and the blue LED lights provide none of that. They are simply for a nice show moonlight effect you can have before your lights go out all the way. As long as your plants get proper lighting during the day then they will thrive. The blue light is doing absolutely nothing for them if you turn it on at night.

Seems if it was a problem so many people wouldn't do it.

The only people who use lights at night for their chameleons are the ones who are new to the hobby and haven't fully read into it about the problems it can cause down the road.

Also where did you find this information I'd like to read it from the source if possible

@Venutus1 - time for you to chime in here buddy. You eat, poop, breathe, and live lights. You are in the lighting industry and do it for a living. Please explain the exact science behind it for this lad please? I too, can find links and good sources of information for him to read, but it's best to hear straight from you, as you are a pro in the business of reptile lighting, and words from your mouth mean more than words any of the rest of us can say.

 

[JamesB88]

Other reptiles can use lights at night but it WILL disrupt a chameleon's sleep patterns and affect the overall health in the long-run. You may not notice it right away, but it will have effects down the road from now. You said "So even though my veiled hides in his pothos plant in complete cover from the blue lights your saying it affects him?" ...... Have you ever thought that maybe your chameleon is hiding because the light IS disrupting him and he is trying to hide from it? My chameleon sleeps out in the open lots of the times and never has the need to hide in a plant because I never have any lights on at night to bug him. You chameleon should never feel "the need" to hide in a plant in order to get out of the light at night.

That light fixture you have is the LED hood kit from Zoo Med I'm pretty sure. That's what it looks like at first glance, and if not, then it is one very similar. That light fixture can be used on top of all sorts of different cages as it is not made SPECIFICALLY for any one certain animal. It can be used for many different kinds of animals, but that doesn't mean it is GOOD for all those animals. Putting a red heat light over a snake cage or a scorpion cage at night would be okay, but for chameleons, then pitch black at night is what they need to sleep properly. Chameleons can stand temperature drops at night down to the low 60's or high 50's so no heat at night is needed for them. The blue and red LED lights in your fixture give off no heat though anyways, so lights on at night are literally providing no benefit to the chameleon. As for the blue LED lights "promoting your lunar plant growth", your plants are not benefiting from the blue light at night either. That blue light does not promote plant growth as it does not provide the proper wavelengths for plants to grow. Plants need specific light intensities as well as specific wavelengths to grow and the blue LED lights provide none of that. They are simply for a nice show moonlight effect you can have before your lights go out all the way.



The only people who use lights at night for their chameleons are the ones who are new to the hobby and haven't fully read into it about the problems it can cause down the road.



@Venutus1 - time for you to chime in here buddy. You eat, poop, breathe, and live lights. You are in the lighting industry and do it for a living. Please explain the exact science behind it for this lad please? I too, can find links and good sources of information for him to read, but it's best to hear straight from you, as you are a pro in the business of reptile lighting, and words from your mouth mean more than words any of the rest of us can say.

Very helpful, and yes it is a reptisun led uvb fixture. Even before I had these lights he would often hide his head behind a pothos leaf so I don't think these lights started that trend for my veiled I'd say it'd be my tv but I'm only up for another hour after he's sleeping then all lights are off and it's completely black in the room before I got the new light. I guess from now on I'm just going to make sure when it's bedtime for him it's completely dark, maybe I'll use a sheet, towel, cardboard something to cover the cage from any outside light. I'm just curious as to what side effects are caused by lighting at night ?

 

[JamesB88]

And yes I am new to this so all of this info is greatly appreciated from everyone thanks guys.

 

[Goose502]

So I used LED "moonlighting" for awhile when I started. The whole plant growth thing is BS. I'm not completely opposed to the lights at night, (mine auto dimmed to near non-existent), chameleons have to deal with moonlight naturally. I too noticed my chameleon would simply bury itself in the foliage. My habitat was pretty mature before I placed an animal though. Long story short, I ended up replacing my really nice auto-dimming LED strip for one of Todd's quad tropic blaze t5's. As much as I hate fluorescent lighting, this fixture has really exploded my plant growth, and it provides a good deal of heat! I have not noticed any behavioral changes since ditching the moonlight, but that's not to say it was ever a good thing. BTW, your setup looks good. Once those plants get established, it will be great.

 

[JamesB88]

So I used LED "moonlighting" for awhile when I started. The whole plant growth thing is BS. I'm not completely opposed to the lights at night, (mine auto dimmed to near non-existent), chameleons have to deal with moonlight naturally. I too noticed my chameleon would simply bury itself in the foliage. My habitat was pretty mature before I placed an animal though. Long story short, I ended up replacing my really nice auto-dimming LED strip for one of Todd's quad tropic blaze t5's. As much as I hate fluorescent lighting, this fixture has really exploded my plant growth, and it provides a good deal of heat! I have not noticed any behavioral changes since ditching the moonlight, but that's not to say it was ever a good thing. BTW, your setup looks good. Once those plants get established, it will be great.

Yeah the blue leds put off very little light almost like you said they barely visible. And thank you I can't wait for that pothos to take over either

 

[trickedoutbiker]

I'm just curious as to what side effects are caused by lighting at night ?

It leads to stress within the chameleon most of all, and stress is the #1 leading cause of death in chameleons because it can lead to so many other imbalances for the cham. For example, it can make them not want to eat or drink, it can make them act lethargic all day, or it can make them begin sleeping during the day, which are all things that can lead to terrible outcomes if not promptly corrected.

one of Todd's quad tropic blaze t5's

Same quad fixture I have. In it, I use two Zoo Med T5 High Output Ultra Sun Super Daylight 6500k bulbs, one Arcadia Plant Pro bulb to balance the wavelengths and also promote flowering, and one Reptisun T5 High Output UVB 10.0 bulb. I also have an Arcadia Jungle Dawn Mega Spot Grow Light on my cage as well to push some light all the way to the bottom of my cage for a couple of plants that are down there, as my cage is pretty heavily planted. I've been meaning to do my enclosure thread for quite a few months now since I got done with the new cage in June, I just haven't had a whole lot of time between work and school. I have 18 days off for Christmas coming up here though and I will surely get it done then. When I think about it, I guess waiting so long was really a good thing because it allowed the new plants to fill out a bit more. Keep an eye out here in a couple weeks for the thread!