Are LEDs safe for chams?

[Jennyontheblock]

Already have 5.0 linear UVB basking, and 6500k.

Plants need better lighting, not sure LEDs are safe for their eyes. Anyone use these long term? I searched forums and didnt see anything.

 

[Jennyontheblock]

 

[SharpShooter]

Gorgeous setup. Take a look at the Arcadia Jungle Dawn range.

 

[absolutbill]

Leds won't produce the heat needed for them, so we use incandescent bulbs instead. Great setup, but I'd add a vine or 2 along some of those top branches for his sense of security.

 

[celeste_knitter]

LED plant lights are great, just dont use all red ones...use all/majority white

 

[Jennyontheblock]

Thanks for the input. I dont need heat or uvb, its simply for the plants. I'm working on adding branches since I will never use the bendy vine again..he nearly died after eating it. Got my mistking system set up today. More branches and a few more orchids to mount and I can sit back and enjoy.

 

[Jennyontheblock]

Leds won't produce the heat needed for them, so we use incandescent bulbs instead. Great setup, but I'd add a vine or 2 along some of those top branches for his sense of security.

I'm adding more pothos and branches up top.

 

[Thehippie]

nice setup!!!!

 

[Rontti]

Your setup looks amazing!!

 

[celeste_knitter]

@dshuld knows a ton about LED plant lights! Even how to build your own setup!

 

[dshuld]

@dshuld knows a ton about LED plant lights! Even how to build your own setup!

I didn't the notification for the tag again sorry.

Leds won't produce the heat needed for them, so we use incandescent bulbs instead. Great setup, but I'd add a vine or 2 along some of those top branches for his sense of security.

After finding the pool bulbs I kind of chuckle when I see people say led don't produce the heat needed. The four I have certainly do produce basking temps. The massive old 50w outdoor flood i have does too lol.

@Jennyontheblock look on Amazon for these. Just keep in mind you will need to adjust height. I have mine so the bulbs are 2 to 3 inches above the screen. If you search https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/lolas-cage-build.165203/ and https://www.chameleonforums.com/threads/with-this-budget-what-setup-would-you-get.166078/ you'll find most of the info I've shared on them with the site.

 

[Jennyontheblock]

Thanks so much for the info and a link!

 

[dshuld]

Thanks so much for the info and a link!

You're welcome. Love the enclosure too, forgot to put that in my first post lol.

 

[Jennyontheblock]

Thanks! How long have you been using led? I haven seen many using with chams, worry how bright they are.

 

[celeste_knitter]

I've been using them for a bit - you don't have to worry about brightness - thing about where your chameleon originated. The brightness of the sun in the jungle top of Madagascar is SUPER bright...more than we can recreate in captivity.

 

[dshuld]

Thanks! How long have you been using led? I haven seen many using with chams, worry how bright they are.

Many here have been using led longer then I have via the jungle dawn spot lights as far as cham keeping. It's been around for 3.5ish years I think. Most of my led experience comes from a different hobby. To put it into some perspective though, the sun puts out 100,000 lumens per sq meter or 10,000 lumens per square foot of surface. I'll gve you one guess as to what is always recommended as the best light source for chams lol.

Essentially the sun is dumping ~40,000 lumens into the top of a reptibreeze xl alone. A 36x36 would be ~90,000 lumens. I can tell you the 3 of my chams that have experienced the pool bulbs have no problems with them. I'm working on various things with those bulbs so I'll leave it as they are safe and will grow high light needing plants like your broms no problem.

 

[Jennyontheblock]

Appreciate the response. This is his new setup and I want to check before I end up doing something wrong. He has had issue w eye closing. Everyone said to take off a light I had horizontally mounted on cage...but sun can come from the side not just above. I removed it anyway but need better lighting for my plants. I dont think that was it. Vet said nothing in eye, eye was healthy, fecal clear. Did the vitamin drop on cricket at that time, just noticed him rubbing it again and closed after a while of seeming ok. Ugh!

 

[dshuld]

Appreciate the response. This is his new setup and I want to check before I end up doing something wrong. He has had issue w eye closing. Everyone said to take off a light I had horizontally mounted on cage...but sun can come from the side not just above. I removed it anyway but need better lighting for my plants. I dont think that was it. Vet said nothing in eye, eye was healthy, fecal clear. Did the vitamin drop on cricket at that time, just noticed him rubbing it again and closed after a while of seeming ok. Ugh!

What's your husbandry routine?

 

[Jennyontheblock]

I just moved him to 36 x 18 x 36 bioactive and got the 6% Arcadia. Working on mist schedule to keep humidity in check...otherwise its accurate.

 

[dshuld]

I just moved him to 36 x 18 x 36 bioactive and got the 6% Arcadia. Working on mist schedule to keep humidity in check...otherwise its accurate.

Are you using regular calcium plus or calcium plus lo d every feeding? If that was asked in the thread and I missed it I apologize. Also go with reptivite instead of herptivite.