I can't get it hot enough

[arkist]

I was told to go with a 40 watt halogen bulb to create a basking spot for my chameleon. I ended up with a 50 watt, but watching the temp today I thought my gauge was broken untill I stuck my hand into the basking spot. There was almost no difference in temperature.

I put a 100 watt incendsicent bulb but after a half hour the temp has not gone up at all. Should I go with a 100 watt halogen? Forgive my in experience, would that be hotter then a 100 watt incendsicent?

Here is a pic of the encloser top. The highest branch is about 6" away from the light. I can move it closer, but there is litterally no temp change untill you are right up against the mesh. The cage is a 2'x2'x4' aluminum messh from LLLreptile

 

[Brad Ramsey]

What type of chameleon and what is the temperature you are getting?

-Brad

 

[arkist]

Jackson, I'm guessing about six months old.

The temp is 70 degrees ambient, according to my gauge, the basking area is not going above that.

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I don't keep Jackson's, but I don't think you want any temps a whole lot hotter than what you have for a montane species.
They like it cool.

What is your humidity reading?

-Brad

 

[arkist]

Yea I'm not looking for a whole lot more in the way of temepture, just getting frustrated that it is not going up at all.

Humidity is currently at 70 percent. I'm picking up some thin plastic sheets today to cover two sides of the almuminum mesh in an effort to increase that number. Also the pump for my auto mist system should have been here by now, that will do a better job then I'm doing.

Now he has been closing his eyes so I attempted to take him in the shower, he put up one hell of a fight, he did not like that at all. But I later read that they will settle down, so I took him again. He settled down and started bulging his eyes out for about two minutes. Then he closed both his eyes and went to sleep while in the shower. Is this bad? He turned bright green and tilted his head up so he looked like he was enjoying it.

 

[Justin Carl]

The little 9$ temp gauges are almost useless in my opinion.
A better buy would be a lazer temp gun.
Can you get uour hands on one?
If not you can buy them for around 20$.

With the temp gun you can get much more accurate readings.
Like body temp when basking, ambient temps around the cage, etc.
You will be surprised what the body temperature of your chameleon will be under a 50 or 60 watt bulb.
They can reach 100 degrees in no time.

Try doing a search on temp gun and see what you come up with.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/ir-thermometer-10724/

-Good luck

 

[arkist]

Justin, Brad, Thank you for your input. I have a 90 watt halogen that will be here in an hour so I'm going to give that at try. I can always move it off the cage with the clamp if its too much heat. And I will look into an IR temp gun, obviously I wasn't looking for a huge amount of accuracy with these gauges but at this point I'm disapionted with them, even with my low expectations.

Any thoughts on what it means if my cham sleeps while in the shower?

 

[arkist]

Well since my last post I've gone through two halogen bulbs, one 90 watt with a glass covering, the other 100 watt zoomed, neither of which have raised the temp at basking spot by more then five degrees.

Any thoughts?

 

[Brad Ramsey]

I'm still thinking you don't even need a basking spot for this animal.
If the temps are in the 70 to 80 degree range you should be good.
I have heard from others who successfully keep montanes, that they don't use a basking light at all.
Humidity and cool temps seem to be the rule with them.

He's not keeping his eyes closed at other times during the day is he?
Was it only in the shower?
Sometimes I want to go to sleep in the shower.

-Brad

 

[Sepioteuthis]

I have always provided my jackson's with a heat lamp, even if it's just for a few hours in the morning. He doesn't bask often, but I do think he benefits from being able to warm up after a long misting or a cold night.
I agree with Justin that a tempgun is the way to go. You'll probably see that your chameleon can warm up quite a bit under a relatively low wattage bulb.

About sleeping in the shower: As long as it's just in the shower it's perfectly normal.

 

[dodolah]

your basking lamp should b enough for Jackson.
Are you sure that your thermometer accurate?

 

[arkist]

Humidity is definatly my primary goal, keeping it up that is. from what your guys are saying it sounds like the 5-7 degree gradient at the top of his encloser should be enough?

The first day I get him (sunday/monday) he closed his eyes and slept during the day quite a bit. Since then I have showered him twice, he "slept" both times. And I have not seen him closing his eyes during the day since the first shower.

He has been shedding since I got. Eating 3-5 gutloaded calcium dusted crix a day.

I have not seen him drink once either in his encloser or in the shower. And have not seen any fecial matter. I guess hydration is my only real concern now.

 

[arkist]

The 100 watt zoomed halogen I put in yesterday just burned out This could be why it put out so little heat.

I put back in my original 50 watt zoomed halogen.

 

[Trace]

Are you sure those measurements are correct?

I use those undercabinet halogen lights/pucks (example: http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/p...7783000245&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true) for basking spots on all my cages. They are 12v, 20watt and are PLENTY hot enough for my montanes. In fact I just took a current reading and it was 84.3F in the basking spot.

I find it hard to believe a 50 or 100 watt halogen or 100watt incandescent are only giving you a reading of 70F. Temps guns can be a bit pricey, but there are cheaper indoor/outdoor thermometers you can get at your local hardware store for about $10. (example: http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/p...7783000245&assortment=primary&fromSearch=true or slightly fancier: http://www.canadiantire.ca/browse/p...d=1408474396672678&subctgrid=1408474396672706)

High temperatures can also be lethal to montanes. I hate to see you burn your little guy too.

Cheers,
t

 

[arkist]

I'm sure they are inaccurate, but I can't feel a tempature chagne untill I have my hand right under the bulb.

His basking spot is about 6" from the bulb, thats as close as he can get to the bulb, and he spends most of his time at about the middle of the encloser. If I felt that there was any chance he would get burned I would move it immediatly. I do appreciate your concern.

I intent to get a more accurate gauge before worrying about this more. It has been sitting at 70 degrees most of the time, which is the ambient tempature in the room. I have been able to get the gauge to move to extremes by placing it the fridge and on top of the heating lamp so it is "working", but I have significant doubts as to its accuracy.

 

[Dankmeleon]

my jackson's tend to seek the sun outdoors in 85 degree weather and below, during the hottest parts of the day they come inside, starting in the summer.

even when outdoors in the hot summer, they tend to seek basking for extended periods of time before they start to open there mouth and vent i guess. in my opinion this is a good indication that a 40 or 50 watt light would be perfect in there, my ambients are around 78 and i use a 30 watt light and thats too hot without a fan, on a good size cage.

keep in mind if your basking area is high you won't need a high wattage light you'll probably even be overkill. so the best ways to tune intensity and heat are a. wattage and b. basking height. try exoterra probe thermometer,works like a charm, not so sure about the hygrometer though accurate at best, precise no

 

[summoner12]

Do you have your temp guage sitting directly in the light?

And yes, you will mostly see a change in temp when your hand is directly under that lamp, that is why it is a basking spot. I get 85 degrees with a 60watt lamp sitting 10-12 inches from the basking spot. It isn't a spot lamp either, just a blue zoomed daytime lamp.

Let us know how it goes when you find a better temp guage.

Edit: also if your cham is sitting mid cage level, it might have something to do with finding himself a good temp at that level.

 

[Trace]

Edit: also if your cham is sitting mid cage level, it might have something to do with finding himself a good temp at that level.

Exactly! It's all about the options!

Arkist; you've posted an excellent picture of the cage, now how about one of your new critter?

Cheers,
t

 

[arkist]

summoner: The gauge was sitting about 2 1/2'' above his basking spot.

I picked up a zoomed digital gage and replaced the 100 watt bulb that burned out. With a 100 watt halogen bulb about 6'' away from the highest point he can reach, the temp peaked at 88 degrees after a half hour. I will continue to monitor it him as he moves through the gradient (just trying to give him options) and if it goes above that I'll move the lamp off the top of the cage or put the 50 watt back in.

Trace: I actually plan on introducing him to the community with plenty of pictures just as soon as he stops shedding

 

[SaiyanFury]

even when outdoors in the hot summer, they tend to seek basking for extended periods of time before they start to open there mouth and vent i guess.

Yes you're right. This is a reptile behaviour commonly known as "gaping". I don't know if you knew that or not, I just thought I'd throw it out there. My bearded dragon does the same thing when she gets hot. Especially on hot Florida summer days where she's only outside in the sun for 20 minutes. She'll open her mouth all the way to more rapidly exchange hot internal temperatures for cooler ones outside. Of course I only bring her outside in the summer for a short time each afternoon as she gets too hot. My veiled chameleon has also performed s similar behaviour when he gets too hot. He'll start to gape for a few minutes, but since there's a wide temperature gradient in his enclosure he stops pretty fast.