Am I going crazy?!

[herbiethechameleon]

Yes because your UVB bulb also produces UVA. UVA light wavelengths regulate everything from appetite to activity and mating behaviors. UVB wavelengths allows for natural D3 synthesis in the body. When this is off their body will actually pull calcium from the bones to try to compensate. You can see this also when supplementation is wrong. So having the UVI at a 3ish level is what you are looking for. UVI is the index measurement of the bulb pertaining to the UVB output.

If your distance is too far away he is not able to get close enough to get what he needs. This includes if your highest basking branches are covered by plants so that they block the light he gets on the branch. This lighting does not penetrate through plants the same. The plants reduce the output. So in a cage top basking needs to be unobstructed then as they move down into the plants the UVI reduces naturally the same way it does in the wild.

Then if UVI is too high you can have health issues as well. So this is where stronger bulbs can be a major health risk if the distance to the branch is not adjusted to reduce exposure levels.

Alright here are the updated branch levels, and I have shower curtains on all sides as well as on the front panel I have like a window plastic sealant (realized I didn’t answer that question previously)

 

[herbiethechameleon]

Alright here are the updated branch levels, and I have shower curtains on all sides as well as on the front panel I have like a window plastic sealant (realized I didn’t answer that question previously)

May need to move that one stick a little higher up, trying to find my measuring tape, but I also decreased the temp in the studio so it’s about 69 degrees ambient. I really appreciate all the help, I knew in my gut it was probably more of a husbandry issue so I’m glad I reached out here instead of take him to the vet for another blood draw. But if he continues to decline over the next couple of days I will schedule a visit