Help please lighting

hzliedmond

Established Member
Hello I just brought a 18x18x36 reptibreeze lights came with is junk I believe it's t5 5.0 12 inch I rescued a veild chameleon I believe he's 3 months and petsmart didn't really know the age. Now I feel very confused do I get the arcadia 12 % 24inch light or the zoo med 5.0 or 10.0 24inch I feel very lost and confused please help
 

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Hi and welcome. :) The current standard for uvb lighting is a T5 with either a 5.0 or 6% bulb. The fixture needs to be long enough to span the width of the enclosure. Since the enclosure you have is a bit small and will need to be upgraded to at least the minimum 2x2x4’, I advise getting a 24” long light. If the chameleon you have is a baby or young one, you’ll want to elevate your lights off the screen top to prevent burns when little one is walking upside down along the top. Just a couple of inches is enough. Then, you’ll want to set up your basking branch about 8-9” below the lights.
I’m very glad that you included a pic as the ivy plant that you have is toxic. A much better plant is pothos. Veiled chams will eat their plants, so it’s important that they be safe, real and washed of any chemicals. You’ll want to set up a nice network of branches and vines for your cham to travel. It is a challenge to attach things to screen. You’ll want to set up and create either a little scaffolding type thing, using the frame to bear the weight and make attachments to. Another good option is a small garden trellis, again, attached to the frame. When you upgrade, these are incredible and can handle plants and just so much weight.
Rather than talk your ears (eyes?) off, let me give you some links that will help you get the basics down. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/ If you prefer video, check out Neptune the chameleon on YouTube. Neptune has partnered with Pangea reptile and created a correct chameleon kit and the price is amazing! You’ll spend so much more than that buying things individually.
We love helping new keepers get everything as perfect as possible for their amazing new scaled friend, so ask whatever other questions you may have, share your ‘journey’ or just whatever you’re comfortable with. I’m very glad that you found your way here. :)
 
Hi there. Welcome to the forum. I second everything @MissSkittles has told you. Pull the Ivy asap.

Your light is fine for that cage but you do not have the basking branches close enough. They need to be 8-9 inches below the UVB fixture for the correct exposure. You will need to upgrade the cage size to the 24x24x48 inch. With that change you need the 24 inch T5HO fixture and either a 5.0 or 6% UVB bulb distance to branches with the fixture on top would again be 8-9 inches.
 
Took it out caught him or her eating a tiny damn leaf . And placed a order for the 24 inch 5.0 light. This has been the most stressful . I've had reef tanks but nothing like this lol they took the other guy back when I took him to the petco vet for eye issues so I went to a reptile store and brought him or her lol . I'm done stressing over everything 😪
 

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Hi and welcome. :) The current standard for uvb lighting is a T5 with either a 5.0 or 6% bulb. The fixture needs to be long enough to span the width of the enclosure. Since the enclosure you have is a bit small and will need to be upgraded to at least the minimum 2x2x4’, I advise getting a 24” long light. If the chameleon you have is a baby or young one, you’ll want to elevate your lights off the screen top to prevent burns when little one is walking upside down along the top. Just a couple of inches is enough. Then, you’ll want to set up your basking branch about 8-9” below the lights.
I’m very glad that you included a pic as the ivy plant that you have is toxic. A much better plant is pothos. Veiled chams will eat their plants, so it’s important that they be safe, real and washed of any chemicals. You’ll want to set up a nice network of branches and vines for your cham to travel. It is a challenge to attach things to screen. You’ll want to set up and create either a little scaffolding type thing, using the frame to bear the weight and make attachments to. Another good option is a small garden trellis, again, attached to the frame. When you upgrade, these are incredible and can handle plants and just so much weight.
Rather than talk your ears (eyes?) off, let me give you some links that will help you get the basics down. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/ If you prefer video, check out Neptune the chameleon on YouTube. Neptune has partnered with Pangea reptile and created a correct chameleon kit and the price is amazing! You’ll spend so much more than that buying things individually.
We love helping new keepers get everything as perfect as possible for their amazing new scaled friend, so ask whatever other questions you may have, share your ‘journey’ or just whatever you’re comfortable with. I’m very glad that you found your way here. :)
Took it out caught him or her eating a tiny damn leaf . And placed a order for the 24 inch 5.0 light. This has been the most stressful . I've had reef tanks but nothing like this lol they took the other guy back when I took him to the petco vet for eye issues so I went to a reptile store and brought him or her lol . I'm done stressing over everything 😪
 

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Also if you have a little girl, your stress has just begun. You will need to prepare for when she is a big girl…. Laybin preparation.
 
Took it out caught him or her eating a tiny damn leaf . And placed a order for the 24 inch 5.0 light. This has been the most stressful . I've had reef tanks but nothing like this lol they took the other guy back when I took him to the petco vet for eye issues so I went to a reptile store and brought him or her lol . I'm done stressing over everything 😪
Hello and welcome!! This is a VERY unique hobby. I can say it was/still is stressful for me. I've been doing it for about a year and a half now with 3 lovely chameleons in my care. I absolutely love my babies with all my heart but man alive is it like jumping into the deep end of the pool and learning how to swim.

Just know that you are not alone, we all started new and freaked out over everything as well. This forum is a fantastic place to be to gain knowledge and support. Some other great places are Chameleon Academy, youtube and podcast and Neptune the Chameleon youtube.

I hope you stick around and please ask as many questions as you need :)
 
Hi and welcome. :) The current standard for uvb lighting is a T5 with either a 5.0 or 6% bulb. The fixture needs to be long enough to span the width of the enclosure. Since the enclosure you have is a bit small and will need to be upgraded to at least the minimum 2x2x4’, I advise getting a 24” long light. If the chameleon you have is a baby or young one, you’ll want to elevate your lights off the screen top to prevent burns when little one is walking upside down along the top. Just a couple of inches is enough. Then, you’ll want to set up your basking branch about 8-9” below the lights.
I’m very glad that you included a pic as the ivy plant that you have is toxic. A much better plant is pothos. Veiled chams will eat their plants, so it’s important that they be safe, real and washed of any chemicals. You’ll want to set up a nice network of branches and vines for your cham to travel. It is a challenge to attach things to screen. You’ll want to set up and create either a little scaffolding type thing, using the frame to bear the weight and make attachments to. Another good option is a small garden trellis, again, attached to the frame. When you upgrade, these are incredible and can handle plants and just so much weight.
Rather than talk your ears (eyes?) off, let me give you some links that will help you get the basics down. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/ If you prefer video, check out Neptune the chameleon on YouTube. Neptune has partnered with Pangea reptile and created a correct chameleon kit and the price is amazing! You’ll spend so much more than that buying things individually.
We love helping new keepers get everything as perfect as possible for their amazing new scaled friend, so ask whatever other questions you may have, share your ‘journey’ or just whatever you’re comfortable with. I’m very glad that you found your way here. :)
Just my baby is 6 months old why r they saying 10.0 for veild chameleons ? I'm just going to get the 24inch 5.0 for now and if later I need the 10.0 I'll get the 10.0 I'm done worrying about this
 
Just my baby is 6 months old why r they saying 10.0 for veild chameleons ? I'm just going to get the 24inch 5.0 for now and if later I need the 10.0 I'll get the 10.0 I'm done worrying about this
There’s so very much outdated or just incorrect info on chameleon husbandry out there. It’s hard to know what to do or believe. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/ is the most accurate and up to date source for husbandry standards. If you listen to some of the podcasts, you’ll get a bit of an idea of how the standards were chosen and how, as we learn more and technology advances, the standards change too.
My eyes see a tiny nub in the one pic, but @elizaann2 or @MissSkittles may be able to tell a bit better, I’m still rather new myself.
I had to look super close. You appear to have a cute little girl. Because she will lay eggs (infertile) eventually and sooner than you’d think, it’s super important to make sure all of your husbandry is as perfect as possible to prevent any egg laying problems.
 
There’s so very much outdated or just incorrect info on chameleon husbandry out there. It’s hard to know what to do or believe. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/ is the most accurate and up to date source for husbandry standards. If you listen to some of the podcasts, you’ll get a bit of an idea of how the standards were chosen and how, as we learn more and technology advances, the standards change too.

I had to look super close. You appear to have a cute little girl. Because she will lay eggs (infertile) eventually and sooner than you’d think, it’s super important to make sure all of your husbandry is as perfect as possible to prevent any egg laying problems.
@Beman has given you some great advice. I have a female veiled chameleon myself and this is the care sheet I follow for my girl from the Chameleon Academy.
 
There’s so very much outdated or just incorrect info on chameleon husbandry out there. It’s hard to know what to do or believe. https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-basics/ is the most accurate and up to date source for husbandry standards. If you listen to some of the podcasts, you’ll get a bit of an idea of how the standards were chosen and how, as we learn more and technology advances, the standards change too.

I had to look super close. You appear to have a cute little girl. Because she will lay eggs (infertile) eventually and sooner than you’d think, it’s super important to make sure all of your husbandry is as perfect as possible to prevent any egg laying problems.
Thank u so much ! For ur help Jesus I'm out numbered lol a wife a daughter and girl dog and now a girl chameleon lol
 
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