Exoterra "Glow Light"

[Tygerr]

Exoterra makes a porcelain clamp-lamp that has a luminous reflective coating that allows it to glow softly after the light goes off.

When I first set up my cage, I dismissed this product, as I knew that chameleons don't need any light (moonlight, soft glow or otherwise) at night.

However, after monitoring my cham for a while now, I'm wondering whether there might be some merit to this product.

One of the things that I've noticed is that Zim (my Veiled cham) likes to sleep in the same spot mostly. However, the lights go off on a timer, and I think sometimes this catches him by surprise when he is prowling around in another part of the cage, so he seems to just go to sleep where he is (I once came home late from work and found him asleep on the mesh on the side of the cage, and almost black in colour - he didn't seem happy about being on the mesh in the dark. I turned the lights on, and he made his way to the tree, then went back to his bright green colours).

Anyway, the Exoterra brochure advertises that the glowing fixture allows some light for the reptiles to find their way around in the dark (without emitting heat). Maybe this would help the chameleon get to sleep better? In the wild, they'd have the whole process of dusk to warn them of impending darkness. In our cages, the lights just go off suddenly...

Has anyone used this product? Would anyone?

Here is the link: http://www.exo-terra.com/EN/products/glow_light_i.html

 

[wow]

how long does the light glow

 

[Zerah Morris]

I am not sure of the benefit of this product, but I have seen it as well.

The more important point needing to be addressed is why are you not providing cues of darkness to your chameleon. It is a necessary part of their environment. I try and face cages towards open windows. In addition I reset my timers ever 2-3 months to catch up with the natural sun set, sun rise times as published on meteorological web sites. This has the added benefit of mimiking season in light duration; I also try and provide cooling, warming, dry and humid seasons as best possible in my climate. In addition I have my fluorescents come on about 2 hours before my spots and reverse for sunset. This again gives the chameleon some warning that the lights are coming on or going off, and also a natural cooling off in the evening and warming up in the morning. You should rethink your husbandry and not worry about glow in the dark fixtures in my opinion.

 

[Will Hayward]

All my heat lamps are in these fixtures. Wouldn't have it any other way.

Also, if you want to cue "dusk" set your florescent bulbs (If you use this UV method) on different timers than your healt lamps, so that the heat goes off first, and then some short time later the Florescents follow.

 

[Will Hayward]

And... I just now realised I just repeated what Zerah said before me. Woops, missed your post somehow.

 

[Dave Weldon]

Howdy,

I have the lamps on top of the enclosures turn off first and then about 30 minutes later, the lamps that light-up the entire room turn off. My three critters seem to be all set on their branches as the sequencing begins.

 

[Jordan]

They are kind of cool. They glow like those glow in the dark stars stickers. They stay lit up good for about 30 minutes. I do something similiar to what Zerah said. There is only an hour difference in mine.

 

[Tygerr]

Thanks for the advice guys.

Despite reading countless care sheets and internet articles, I've never come across the tip about setting the lights on different timers.

And yet it makes perfect sense. It's not necessarily the light that informs them of the impending night time - it's more likely the drop in temperature that coincides with the sun setting that lets them know it's nighttime. Their bodies' metabolism will naturally slow down as they cool off, getting them ready for sleep.

I'll be setting up the separate timers today. Thanks for the help.

 

[Lgustave]

doubts about lighting

I'm still in the "research of all the possible veiled chameleon needs before buying one" and from this thread i learned stuff and also got some doubts. because of my family not liking reptiles that much i intended to have my chameleon on my room, which would make the whole "turn off all the lights at a certain hour" proces kind of hard because I don't have a specific hour, specially not that early. I am very interested in the whole different hour timers thing, it is an interesting factor I hadn't considered, so you first turn off the basking lamp, or the UV lamp? well also any suggestions about my room lights situation would be appreciated
-this has nothing to do with this topic, but repti-glo 5.0 UVB lamps work ook? Where I live i didn't find the reptisun, on my next trip I plan to get some, but for now I've purchased an exo terra repti glo 5.0 of 24in

 

[Will Hayward]

so you first turn off the basking lamp, or the UV lamp?
-this has nothing to do with this topic, but repti-glo 5.0 UVB lamps work ook? Where I live i didn't find the reptisun, on my next trip I plan to get some, but for now I've purchased an exo terra repti glo 5.0 of 24in

Yes, first the basking bulb. This allows the cage to cool off while still providing light, ie sunset.

Reptiglos should be OK. You can order Reptisuns online from www.bigappleherp.com

 

[Jordan]

Lgustave you can munipulate the hours that their lights turn on to suit you schedule a little bit. Leaving the main light in the room could disturb their sleep if left on for awhile I suppose. I have lamps. They really do not project light that well out into the room and never bother them. Once they get older it is pretty hard to wake up a chameleon or at least in my experience. Really only if I directly mess with them will they wake up.

 

[Lgustave]

i guess i could do something

Oh, ok, thanks for the replies, so they are not that sensitive to the change in light? For example, my room has an "upper part" where I usually do stuff when it's late, my desk is there, so, it wouldn't disturb them if I leave the general lights off, but the upper lamps on for example? (the chameleon would be in the lower part, no direct light would be pointed at him, just the general glow from the upper section)

 

[Jordan]

Yes. That would work good. Even if you flip on the over head light it may not bother them depending on there position in the cage and what kind of cage they are in. I have noticed that both of mine sleep at the back of the cages. I do come in a lot at night so they may have just adjusted to me.