Best for letting light in: aluminum screen, glass, or plexi-glass

[SonRunner]

I’m looking to get my first chameleon, and am considering building my own cage. My locale affords climate such that I can keep the chameleon outdoors, which I was thinking would provide good natural lighting.
I would like to cricket-proof the cage so most of it will be aluminum screen. I thought that aluminum screen may block some of the sun’s beneficial lighting, by creating a degree of screen shadowing. So then I was considering a glass or plexi-glass roof. However, does glass or plexi-glass block some of the beneficial lighting, and hence making aluminum screen preferred?

So I guess I'm wondering what would be best interms of allowing natural lighting in the cage, aluminum screen, glass, or plexi-glass?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

UVB cannot cross glass or plastic, so a roof of such would eliminate the rays your cham needs.

 

[carol5208]

First of all where do you live? I live in Florida and my chameleon spends a great deal of his time outside. I do not leave him outside at night though. Just too paranoid about that. I have a large outdoor cage. It is constructed of wood and a sturdy chicken wire like material. I have alot of hawks in the area and found one sitting on top fo the cage one day. If it would have been regular screen he probably would have torn it wide open either with his claws or beak. Just a though about predators. I will post a pic of my cage for you to get an idea.

 

[carol5208]

Here are a couple of pics of my outdoor cage to give you an idea.

[

 

[Hoj]

thats really nice Carol, i would love to be able to do something like that but being up here in Canada dosent really work out. to many cold days

 

[carol5208]

Thanks Hoj!!! My cham spends the majority of the day out there soaking up the sun. It will be getting very hot down here pretty soon so I will have to be careful.

 

[SonRunner]

UVB cannot cross glass or plastic, so a roof of such would eliminate the rays your cham needs.

Okay, that is what I thought I read else where on this forum.

Carol5208: Your set up is awesome. I was thinking of something similar (but mine would probably be a little smallter).

 

[sandrachameleon]

UVB does pass through many types of Plexiglass

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

UVB does pass through many types of Plexiglass

Oh really? I've always been told the opposite...will have to do some research on this.

 

[sandrachameleon]

look up the properties of real plexiglass poly-methyl-meth-acrylate
and also Clear poly-styrene plastic
thickness also plays a role.

If you've ever been to a tanning salon, you'll know they use a type of plastic in their beds, between the person and the bulbs. The UV that causes a tan passes through quite efficiently.

 

[Midnighthwk]

look up the properties of real plexiglass poly-methyl-meth-acrylate
and also Clear poly-styrene plastic
thickness also plays a role.

If you've ever been to a tanning salon, you'll know they use a type of plastic in their beds, between the person and the bulbs. The UV that causes a tan passes through quite efficiently.

and they also use umteen of them bulbs and u are a few inches away.

but uvb does pass though glass/plastic but its not enough to want to use that over a screen.

u ever get a sunburn from driving from oregon to south cali non stop, only getting out to get gas and have the windows up? i have

 

[sandrachameleon]

Glass and plexiglass and plastic are not all three the same things
UVB DOES pass through most plexiglass - easily
look it up!

 

[fluxlizard]

NVM- sorry for post - I searched using your brand terms and found the info.
Thanks!

 

[sandrachameleon]

CONTRARY to my comments above, a member (laurie) has tested some plexi and found that the UVB did not penetrate. It seems not all plexi is created equal! I recommend not using plexi between the cham and the UVB bulbs, just to be safe.
see: https://www.chameleonforums.com/plexiglass-58986/#post552057