I hardly see my chameleon basking?

[Nosyparker]

I very very very rarely see my nosy faly male panther cham bask, the basking spot is averaging 86 with ambient 70 but he spends most of his time either at the far left, ambient side or a little forward of his basking spot on the right? Is this normal behaviour? He's quite dark when he's in the viv and i noticed earlier when he moved his arm his armpit was a much lighter colour to that on show to the UV.
He gets to be quite an active fella in the evening, it was just my understanding that chameleons bask in the early hours for a little bit and then move in and out of the heat to regulate their temperature! I'm probably missing him going back forth haha.

Details of my set up;
Your Chameleon - Nosy Faly, male, 6-8 months (I'm thinking closer to 6 months) He's been in my care since Sunday the 22nd June.
Handling - I have handled him once, a few days ago, for less than a minute!
Feeding - Mixture of black crickets, silent crickets and hoppers between 10 and 20 a day, with the occasional waxworm treat. Lights on at 10am Mist: 11am, fed around the same time and mist and feed again at 3pm, mist again at 7pm, Lights top 10pm. Feeders are gutloaded on prorep bug grub (I have the feeling this isn't a very high quality gutload so I'm going to use what's remaining and upgrade) with watercress, carrot and bug gel for hydration
Supplements - Vetark calcium dust, Vetark nutrobal, repashy SuperCal LoD
Calcium- every day
Nurtobal- every 2 weeks
Repashy SuperCal LoD- every 2 weeks
I've bought some hoppers to use for free roaming as they're a lot easier to spot and catch for taking out of an evening. I intend to buy a variety of bugs, I just need find a place to keep them!
Watering - Currently only misting (usually when the Viv looks as if it has dried) For maybe a minute or so 3-4 times a day. Dripper up in front left corner.
Fecal Description - White urate, lots of decent poop with very digested bugs.
History - Bought from Doncaster Show from a German dude (Christoph Fritz I'm thinking?)

Cage Info:
Cage Type - Komodo easy assemble chameleon terrarium, glass sliding doors with mesh sides and roof. 76x46x91cm
Lighting - Exo terra 75w basking lamp, one arcadia desert T5 12% 22" D3+ with the capacity for another to be fitted if need be. Lights on at 10am, off at 10pm- I've suspended the T5 about 6 inches above the cage and I'm waiting for my 6% T5 to arrive
Temperature - Not sure about cage floor but the ambient thermometer is situated halfway up the cage at around 70. Basking spot is 86. Lowest overnight temp- 69. Using thermo-hygrometer deluxe pro. Using a microclimate ministat 100 and the probe is wrapped in the plant at the back left.
Humidity - Drops to 50%, up 80% after misting. Currently only using a hand mister. Using thermo-hygrometer deluxe pro to measure temps and humidty.
Plants - Live plants; I'm not sure of the type of plants, both were bought at Doncaster show. I think one could be a Dracaena and the other maybe Pachira but I will post a photo. There are artificial plants around basking spot for more privacy. Waiting for my other plants to arrive in the post
Placement - Cage is located behind my bedroom door, away from fans, air vents and windows. Top of the cage measures 5'7" from the floor, the bottom is 2'9"
Location - UK, midlands

I've circled Parker sitting up by his dripper in the top left

 

[carol5208]

Why is your uvb light so high up?? The screen will diminish some of its effectiveness and putting that high up will do so even more. As far as your chameleon not basking, it is hard to say. He seems to be eating a lot and pooping and as long as his food is digested, I don't think I would worry too much. I think he will bask when he needs to. You have the branch or vine going almost straight up to the light on a vertical angle or so it appears in the picture. Your chameleon could get burned as he will be able to get close. It is more ideal to have a branch or vine sit horizontally beneath the light about 8 inches down or so. It can be a little closer, just be careful that none of his body can touch the hot screen when he does bask. Edit: I see why you have it suspended. Sorry I did not read all the details!

 

[Rodcham]

I find when my ambient temps are higher then they don't bask as much. Now in winter they love basking.

 

[Nosyparker]

Why is your uvb light so high up?? The screen will diminish some of its effectiveness and putting that high up will do so even more. As far as your chameleon not basking, it is hard to say. He seems to be eating a lot and pooping and as long as his food is digested, I don't think I would worry too much. I think he will bask when he needs to. You have the branch or vine going almost straight up to the light on a vertical angle or so it appears in the picture. Your chameleon could get burned as he will be able to get close. It is more ideal to have a branch or vine sit vertically beneath the light about 8 inches down or so. It can be a little closer, just be careful that none of his body can touch the hot screen when he does bask. Edit: I see why you have it suspended. Sorry I did not read all the details!

That's what I'm worried about, I don't want him to get burnt but I've positioned the basking lamp so it's little further back from the vine that's going all the way up to the top of the mesh, he can still sit directly under it if he wants to but he's at a safe(ish) distance when he's on that vine. I think I'm gonna try and rearrange it so he has a vertical dowel or branch so there's no risk of him getting burnt as I have seen him hanging on the top of the mesh before!
It's so strange, earlier I came to check on him and he was positioned sideways to the basking lamp, jet black and almost completely flat! Chameleons are such awesome creatures ^_^

Thank you both for setting my mind at ease! Am I thinking that in winter months if I need a bulb at night it's best to use a ceramic heat emitter so they can't detect any light?

 

[carol5208]

oops! I made a mistake and went back in to correct just now. I meant to say have a branch that sits horizontally below the basking so he does not have to cling to a branch vertically to bask. This way they can flatten out easier to absorb the heat if they want to. And yes, on the ceramic heater.

 

[Nosyparker]

oops! I made a mistake and went back in to correct just now. I meant to say have a branch that sits horizontally below the basking so he does not have to cling to a branch vertically to bask. This way they can flatten out easier to absorb the heat if they want to. And yes, on the ceramic heater.

So with the d3 forest lamp is the positioning okay like this rather than suspended? I've just put a horizontal vine across but I'm going to try and fit a decent branch in there instead tomorrow .
The vertical branch at the front right of the viv is actually in front of his basking spot so he can sit directly under the basking spot if he wants or a little forward out of the direct heat but still warm, he does tend to sit there quite a lot!

 

[carol5208]

Yes, the majority of us do not suspend our uvb lights, but lay them right across the screen top.