Help please....

[kirstxblue]

Hi people, I've been readin different threads since I joined up and am now so confused about the best way to look after Calvin, our little cham
Nearly everythin the shop people told us is almost opposite to the info on here.... to feed hoppers because crickets are too quick and bite, we were told to have a red lamp in there for baskin, set on a thermostat to 31 degrees celsius, a uv B5 lamp to have on for 12 hrs a day. The red bulb seems to be on and off alot, how far should the thermostat be from the bulb?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance )

 

[laurie]

Hello welcome to the forum. It will help if you tell us what kind of cham, how old it is, and what king of enclosure. Light wise most of us use a 12 on 12 off schedule, or something near that. I use a white bulb for heat. I don't use a red light at all. If it gets cold at night I use a heat emitter because it does not produce any light, just heat. Chams need darkness to sleep.

As soon as I get more info I will try to answer your other questions.

 

[kirstxblue]

Its a veiled, they said about 3 months, I'll try and put up a photo. He's in a tank wiv net across the front where the glass was before. It' not that warm over here so was advised against a flexarium for that reason. They also said chams couldn't see the red light

 

[Miss Lily]

The reason we don't use red lights is that the normal household bulb (appropriate wattage for required temps) is that the 'white' light imitates the sun and chams like to bask in the sunlight. What shape bulb is your UV? It should preferrably be a tube/linear one rather than a twisty 'compact' one. Babies should be kept in the very low 80's until about 6 months for a male. Females can be kept in the low 80's for life. Chams need darkness to sleep like Laurie has already said but they also benefit from a drop in temperature at night too.

 

[kirstxblue]

It's a twisty one....how low should i change the thermostat to for the night?

 

[kirstxblue]

If I use a normal house bulb instead of the red lamp, how would it work with gettin too hot because it can't be on a thermostat and a timer at the same time....

 

[Solid Snake]

You will not need a thermostat, but a timer. You will need a thermometer to make shure the temp is appropriate. To acheive this, play around with different watt bulbs, and distances, from the basking spot. Uvb will not go through glass fyi. Your basking bulb, as well as uvb will should be on a 12/12 schedule. Post pics of Calvins house, and fill out the "how to ask for help form" and the wonderfully helpful people here will have you on perfect track in no time!

 

[Miss Lily]

It's a twisty one....how low should i change the thermostat to for the night?

You don't need any heat at night and certainly no night lighting. Ceramic bulbs (that don't give off light, just heat) can be used if required. I have never provided night heat for any of mine. I just have all my lights on timers - on at 7am and off at 7pm in the winter. I adjust times in the summer to give them a longer daytime too. I also have my UV come on about quarter of an hour before the heat lamps as this helps to simulate what the sun does - ie light appears before the heat as the sun rises.

 

[kirstxblue]

Ok thanks everyone, I'll try and get some pics up tomorrow. We've been thinkin about a reptibreeze but can't work out how it'd keep the temp up??

 

[laurie]

Ok thanks everyone, I'll try and get some pics up tomorrow. We've been thinkin about a reptibreeze but can't work out how it'd keep the temp up??

Where are you located? In most locations you can control the temp up useing heat lights, and if it gets very cold at night use the ceramic (heat emitter) bulb. We can help adjust what you need for your location.

 

[UrbanChameleon]

Hi people, I've been readin different threads since I joined up and am now so confused about the best way to look after Calvin, our little cham
Nearly everythin the shop people told us is almost opposite to the info on here.... to feed hoppers because crickets are too quick and bite, we were told to have a red lamp in there for baskin, set on a thermostat to 31 degrees celsius, a uv B5 lamp to have on for 12 hrs a day. The red bulb seems to be on and off alot, how far should the thermostat be from the bulb?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance )

I'm sure you feel pretty crappy about the situation. You learn to not listen to a thing Pet Shop's say after a while. I was in that position when I purchased my first reptile years ago. They tell you to buy a bunch of crap you don't need. Then they tell you they will only do "store credit" and they don't have what you actually need. I'm sorry about that. You almost feel a little duped and then that turns to anger after you try to return the items. Hopefully it all works out for you.

 

[kirstxblue]

I'm in England in the uk, it's pretty cold here at the moment, especially at night!!
Yeah I'm pretty pee'd off to be honest, just wanna make sure we get it right cuz we don't wanna cause Calvin to get ill or not look after him properly n I'm really worried we're gonna do just that cuz of the crap info we were given!
Does his house have to be a certain temp all the time or just the baskin spot?

 

[blondekiss]

Iam in England too and I do use a red bulb at nite. Both my chams no when that red lite comes on its bedtime. They both sleep till mornin. It mite not b wots "rite" but it works for us n our chams. Ive found that's the best way to keep the temps up at nite.

 

[Miss Lily]

I am also in the UK and have never had the need for any heat at night at all. All of my chams have always been fine. It wasn't till I was setting up and running more in depth temp checks before getting my Jackson, that I realised I actually have more of a night drop than I had thought. Chams (including Veileds) actually benefit from a drop in temps at night. Babies should be kept in the very low 80's (82 at most) at the hottest part of the cage, then from 6 months you can increase temps gradually for a male but leave a female's highest temp in the low 80's. Even when it snows and we get a really cold snap never heat the cham room at night - we don't have any heating in the house at night as we don't like it! If temps are in the low 80's at the top, then it's likely you'll have a natural thermal gradient within the lower cage area so the cham can move into a cooler space if it requires. Having said that, they are not very clever when it comes to over heating. My first female would love being out in the garden in her basking cage and even though she had shade and a cooler area to move into she would stubbornly sit and bask with her mouth open (indicating that she was too hot) but she would NOT move herself - I had to physically move the cage somewhere cooler for her!

The best thing for night heat (any light at night disturbs their sleep) is a ceramic 'bulb' that requires a thermostat, which just gives off heat without light. I remember reading on one of the forums a while ago that someone's Panther seemed ill and eventually he discovered that the light had been going on and off via the thermostat all night, so the poor cham was really confused and couldn't sleep properly.

 

[DavidBuchan]

Here's a simple caresheet which will give you all the basic info you need - https://www.chameleonforums.com/blogs/chameleonsinmyhouse/395-veiled-chameleon-care-sheet.html

 

[blondekiss]

Yeah wit the red bulb the temps r from 60-70 at nite. I don't have the heating on in my house at all. Just a little lecy heater in my front room in the day, nothin at nite. I was told by pet shop to have red bulb at nite. Its part of their routine now n very sweet to c them gettin comfy for the nite as soon as the red bulb comes on. Oh my man works nite shift so iam up most the nite that's how I no they asleep lol

 

[boondyke69]

If you are up at night you will get to see some of the odd sleeping positions they can get into. Gets pretty funny, search for sleeping positions here & you will get a chuckle at the pics.

& we would love to see pics of your little one!!

 

[kirstxblue]

Thanks everyone. We really appreciate all your help and advice! This forum has become my bible lately, it's great! I'm def gonna be ringing the place we got him from to have a moan!!