Cold vivarium temperatures? (uk)

[zekethefirelizard]

I recently changed the bulb wattage from 160w to 120w as my cham was getting too hot and gaping. Now at 120w I'm wondering if he's too cold.

My cham's viv ambient temperature is 21 celsius and the basking spot is 23 celsius


Does anyone (maybe with experience of keeping cham in england over winter) have any suggestions?

Should I consider a heat mat or get a 160 watt bulb just for winter? (would a heat mat raise the basking spot temperature?)

 

[kinyonga]

For a panther chameleon your basking temperature should be around 29C.
Are you using an all screen cage?

 

[zekethefirelizard]

yes i know it's too cold I dont know why I said I'm wondering if he is and it is all screen apart from a section at the bottom is glass. i just dont know whether to get a higher wattage bulb that makes him too hot? is that better than a heat mat?

 

[Chameleon-Scotland]

We currently have a vailed in an exo terra 45x45x45 glass terrarium we use a 60watt bulb and he's getting 32 in the basking spot and high 20s everywhere else you tried using shower curtains and stuff to hold the heat in ?

 

[kinyonga]

The heat pad won't likely be of any use. You can cover three sides of the cage with plastic and use a higher wattage basking light. Just make sure that the light is outside the cage and that it's not hot enough to burn him. I live in Canada and for years have used exo Terra glass cages with the vents just below the door and screen lid because it's hard to keep screen cages warm and humid enough in the winter.