higher watts?

[rmallory1991]

My veiled is constantly basking almost every time I look into his cage he is under the basking lamp. Right now I have a 60 watt house clear bulb in there and the basking temp is around 85. I was wondering if I should get a bigger watt because the only time it seems like he doesn't bask is while eating and of course at night. Also he is almost always a dark green to gray while basking. I'm not sure how old he is, but I know he's not that old, but I've had him about a month and got him from a local reptile store.
Thank you in advance.

 

[tdotcham]

To my knowledge adult veild's can have a bit higher of a basking temperature compared to panthers. How far is his perch from the heat lamp??? It may be easier for you to control the distance from the lamp to find a happy medium for him rather upping to a higher watt bulb which could up the temperature too high.

in terms of colour, I know my guy also displays dark when he is sun bathing the majority of the time.

 

[rmallory1991]

To my knowledge adult veild's can have a bit higher of a basking temperature compared to panthers. How far is his perch from the heat lamp??? It may be easier for you to control the distance from the lamp to find a happy medium for him rather upping to a higher watt bulb which could up the temperature too high.

in terms of colour, I know my guy also displays dark when he is sun bathing the majority of the time.

The perch is about 8 or 9 inches from the screen top, which the basking lamp is on.

 

[gerhartrx]

Try filling this out: https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

This will help everyone to analyze what's going on with a clear picture. It could be how much he is eating, not enough space to walk around, something else or it could be nothing. Include a picture of the enclosure too.

 

[rmallory1991]

Try filling this out: https://www.chameleonforums.com/how-ask-help-66/

This will help everyone to analyze what's going on with a clear picture. It could be how much he is eating, not enough space to walk around, something else or it could be nothing. Include a picture of the enclosure too.

I'm on my phone so I can't fill that out completely but ....
I'm not sure of age as previously stated
he's a vieled, and eats about 10 crickets a day, fed at about 9 am. And I feed him about 5 mealwarms a week.
screen mesh cage that is 2 feet by 2 feet by 4 feet tall.
use reptisun 5.0 and the household basking bulb.
I mist three times a day and drip 12 hrs a day

I guess a better question is, is it normal for a juvenile/young veiled to bask most of its day?

 

[cloverthechameleon]

maybe the ambient temps in the rest of his cage is to low?

 

[rmallory1991]

maybe the ambient temps in the rest of his cage is to low?

Ambient temps are high 70s to about 68 at very bottom (where he never goes). This could be a possibility. How would I go about raising the ambient temps?

 

[cloverthechameleon]

humidity and a higher baskin lamp, but if you increase the watts for the basking lamp make sure its about 8-10 inches off the screen

 

[gerhartrx]

cloverthechameleon makes a good point. Which is why you have your question about increasing your temps. It is really hard to tell or give you and educated guess. What are some of the temps throughout your viv? For example bottom, middle and top.

 

[rmallory1991]

Humidity stays around 60%
Basking is 83 to 85
Ambient top is around 78
Ambient middle about 75
and very bottom will get as low as 67.

The reason I asked is because he basks almost all the time.

 

[gerhartrx]

Post a pic of him when you get some time that will help to estimate age and dictate temp. I would guess to raise the temp but cant without knowing the age.

 

[ShortStack]

Deff too low. O

 

[rmallory1991]

I'm in complete agreement that my temps should be higher and I want to be able to get them higher but I want to go about it in the right way.
If I was to put some type of heat resistant material, such as a plastic sheet or acrylic to just two of the sides and keeping the mesh on two, would that help keep the temps up? Or am I going about this wrong?

 

[gerhartrx]

I would try a higher wattage bulb on the top. Remember chams take in heat from the top of their body. You could try going to a fabric store (JoAnne's or Michael's) and get some plastic sheets (sold like fabric by the yard) and wrapping a couple of the sides to keep the heat in. I did that and it helped me to regulate the heat and humidity. Hope this helps.

 

[fluxlizard]

I would perhaps cover some of the cage like you are saying, but I would probably add a secondary basking light first. Spread the heat around a bit more.

 

[xandrewjosephx]

What does viv stand for?

 

[camimom]

What does viv stand for?

Vivarium. the cage.

 

[rmallory1991]

I would perhaps cover some of the cage like you are saying, but I would probably add a secondary basking light first. Spread the heat around a bit more.

so the secondary basking light... where would i place it in comparison to the basking light now, next to it, at the other corner?

 

[fluxlizard]

Just depends on your situation. Probably not right next to it, but probably not all the way on the opposite end of the cage either. Observe your lizard to see how it responds.