best heat light

Theveiled

Avid Member
Hey guys!
I was just wondering what you use to heat your chameleons? I was using the daylight blue but it only lasted me 2 months. I have a 7 month old veiled chameleon. Should I just stick to what I have or do you guys have a recommendation for a light?
 
I think that it is pretty much hit or miss with heat bulbs. Incandescent bulbs in general. I've had some last one month and others last almost 7. These were also the exact same bulb, the 100 watt daylight blue bulbs. There may be a better option out there that I don't know about but for how cheap incandescent bulbs are I would not be too worried about it.
 
Hey guys!
I was just wondering what you use to heat your chameleons? I was using the daylight blue but it only lasted me 2 months. I have a 7 month old veiled chameleon. Should I just stick to what I have or do you guys have a recommendation for a light?
I'm getting everything all set up, but for my heat source, I have a ceramic heat bulb thats plugged into a thermostat...had this left over from when I had snakes.
 
I use zoo med repti basking spot lamp bulbs. Reflector incandecants, in 50 for summer since it can get hot up here, and 75 for winter. They usually last a decent while and can find them in double packs (which I searched all over at the reptile show for yesterday). I have tried those daylight blue before, they didnt last long and just didnt seem as bright and as warming for the same wattage as these. I know petco usually has them...need to make a run there later to see what kind of hanging fake plants they have.
 
I got the zoo med halogen 150 watt, and it was a mistake. It got so hot it melted a nylon rope, and I mean burned a hole it in. Using their basking light, works great.
 
I recommend not using the daylight blue bulbs. Those can irratate their eyes or simply be useless. The zoo med basking bulbs are great! I had a 75 watt I use on my free range and it still can hit temps of mid 80's when over a foot away! Anyone who tells you a normal incandescent house bulb will do the same, is wrong. I've tried them over and over. While they do put out heat, they definitely don't do the same job. And they're super bright and give off a yellow unnatural looking light. Use the Zoo Med you'll like them!
 
Like 007, I use the dome w/ ceramic and dimmer. I just use an incandescent bulb. Can't justify the cost of Zoomed bulbs when I've got the correct wattage sitting in my cupboard. Adjust with dimmer and go from there. I'm sure the Zoomed lights make it look better, but......
 
All a basking bulb needs to do is provide heat (unless you are trying to use a combination UV heat type bulb). I have used run-of-the-mill GE halogen exterior porch lights for years. Get them at most hardware stores. Start off with a lower watt bulb to see if that will provide the proper temps. I think most of mine were 60 watts. I don't bother with any of the specialty herp "basking" bulbs. Waste of money unless you are trying to combine the heat with UV.
 
You could also try the quad system from lightyourreptiles.com. It provide heat in a larger surface area. Rather than a single small hit area.
 
Actually if you're referring to the t5 light quad then no it won't put out the kind of heat needed unfortunately, just uv and daylight basically. That's what's nice about the t5s they don't get super hot and are effective. But,they will not provide a heat coverage as you were saying,heat bulb is needed there.
 
That said I recommend the t5 setups from light your reptiles. :)
And I use a ge halogen flood style light 35w keeps the upper area of my enclosure at a nice 85 or so.
 
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