summoner12
Avid Member
Oops... I added a foil reflector... this is why I get such a strong reading with my lights.
My Phelsuma and chameleon room
- Thread starter Joery
- Start date
Joery
New Member
You should check a few posts back to see my rearranged setup. I don't use 2.0's for UVB output, i use them to give light to my setup. My source of UVB is my t-rex uv flood 100watt at a range of 60-70cm which is one of the best solutions for natural UVB output. And on the other hand i have chameleon species that are no sun basking animals, so they need less UVB then other species.
B
blackbetty
Guest
Joey: I apologize if you answered but what species of cham is that? Sounds very intriguing.
This free range thing has always freaked me out.. I would be scared it would get out and I wouldnt find it or my dog would...I know there is a box or border..this one seems low. and most chams that dont require as much UV seem to be more ground dwellers. Hmm.
This free range thing has always freaked me out.. I would be scared it would get out and I wouldnt find it or my dog would...I know there is a box or border..this one seems low. and most chams that dont require as much UV seem to be more ground dwellers. Hmm.
SliK JiM
New Member
You should check a few posts back to see my rearranged setup. I don't use 2.0's for UVB output, i use them to give light to my setup. My source of UVB is my t-rex uv flood 100watt at a range of 60-70cm which is one of the best solutions for natural UVB output. And on the other hand i have chameleon species that are no sun basking animals, so they need less UVB then other species.
Only just noticed the 'substrate' you have in the bottom of these enclosures! What is it? I'm guessing sphagnum moss on top, but what else do you use? Also, do you drain the water out of it after misting or something?
Sorry if someone has already asked that, but I'm intrigued to know, as it may prove really helpful to me!
eisentrauti
Avid Member
I think it's normal moss just from the woods - I would never understand people buying spaghnum moss, they probably have too much money
Joery
New Member
It's chamaeleo cristatus (don't bask much) and chamaeleo sternfeldi (bask a lot).
In my opinion, people tend to overexpose their animals to all sorts of commercial high uv-b output bulbs. Animals, and chameleons more specific, need UV-B to produce vit d3 and be able to uptake calcium for bone construction (since bone is a living and renewing tissue/material). Though constant (12-14h) exposure to UVB is just not natural since rainforest animals (such as most chamaeleons (excluding ch namaquensis), phelsuma's, ...) don't bask 12-14h each day. They have their periods to warm up in the morning (less bright sun, less uvb and heat) and dwell around in dense vegetation during the hotter part of the day. A nice story from my friend Emmanuel Van Heygen regarding phelsuma klemmeri, is that you can only observe these daygecko's in madagascar during very specific hours, if you are 10 minutes too late, you will not find any of these animals basking, if you are there at the correct time, you will find a lot of them. It is also the case that animals can store vit d3 (fat solluble vitamin) for a certain period of time
Joery
New Member
It is indeed moss from the woods, which works out perfect. The substrate consists of 1 bottom layer of hydro marbles (5cm) to retain water, on top of that you have 5 cm of normal plant soil, but to the middle you have around 25-30cm of soil to digg holes and lay eggs for females, the top layer is just normal moss from the woods which has nice little nude snails and some other small invertebrates in it to clean up the soil from waste material
best regards
Joery
SliK JiM
New Member
Well, I don't know where the nearest woods are that I'd be able to find enough moss!
But, my local garden center sells a massive bag of sphagnum moss for £5 (so I'll save myself the time and hassle of driving somewhere! If it's ok to use that is?Ok, so none of the water drains out then? If thats the case, what is your base made out of? It looks wooden, but how have you sealed it/protected it? Also, when you say plant soil do you mean fertilizer? And normal soil, just stuff out the garden? Sorry for all the questions, but I'd be really interested in doing something like this in my current build.
Thanks
eisentrauti
Avid Member
Well, I don't know where the nearest woods are that I'd be able to find enough moss!
Thanks
It's not my money, do with it what you want
SliK JiM
New Member
It's not my money, do with it what you want
It was more is the sphagnum moss was ok to use!?
But thank you for letting me know I was free to waste my own money!
eisentrauti
Avid Member
It's no problem using spaghnum moss
SliK JiM
New Member
Will it matter if he eats it? I wouldn't put it passed my guy!
chequepoint
New Member
I think in his situation, its not an issue. In your average caged setup, I'm still an advocate of bare bottomed enclosures.
ciafardo 4
New Member
love the floors wish i could do that just to much water though gotta stick to concretebeautiful collection
beautiful collection
summoner12
Avid Member
Right, chameleons don't bask 12-14 hours a day. They bask during the time of day when UVB levels are not as intense as mid day. This is why you expose your cham to low levels of UVB all day, to provide a good 'average'. I use 10.0 Reptisuns because I want the UVB to reach my chameleon where she spends most of her time. at 21" the UVB level is 37μW/cm². This is a decent average for all day exposure. It is a little on the higher end, but not harmful. Lenny can also move to other parts of her range to 'escape' the UVB if she felt the need.
MV lamps as you can see from the link I provided do not have very consistent beam shapes or outputs. Without a meter it can be difficult to assume one has it setup properly. If you follow the manufacturers instructions, you'll be headed in the right direction.
cushcameleon
New Member
Holy...! That is awesome, I wish I had a "hobby" room like that.
! That is awesome, I wish I had a "hobby" room like that.
Joery
New Member
37 uW/cm² is indeed a good and natural UV average, I have +/- the same at 28-30inch (= 65-70cm), i have +/- 40uW/cm² (which is the closest basking point for the chamaeleons), further away is less UVB.
More info on the pattern of UVB distribution of my uv mercury vapor bulb you can find here:
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/mercvapournarrowfloods.htm#uvheatnewflood
The UVB output from the 2.0 reptiglo's is discardable since the distance between the bulb and the basking point is more then 15cm, so they just serve as source of natural light, not as UVB source
best regards,
Joery
More info on the pattern of UVB distribution of my uv mercury vapor bulb you can find here:
http://www.uvguide.co.uk/mercvapournarrowfloods.htm#uvheatnewflood
The UVB output from the 2.0 reptiglo's is discardable since the distance between the bulb and the basking point is more then 15cm, so they just serve as source of natural light, not as UVB source
best regards,
Joery
summoner12
Avid Member
You really want to have the lights projecting downward. Imagine driving down the street in your car with the sun in setting dead ahead of you..... but you have no sun visor to block the light..... pretty hard to see?
You said above you have 2.0 CFL lamps. These are worthless for providing UVB to a chameleon unless at CLOSE range.
You also said you have a MV lamp from T-Rex?
Give this a read: Link
This is my free range for Lenny, my female Melleri:
Lighting: two 36" 10.0 Zoo Med Reptisun lamps with a 100W heat lamp for heat. at 22" I get a very strong UVB reading in most areas of the range. The lamps are also 7 months old.
Yes, that is the link I posted earlier
I might have missed this... but have you moved the light to be projecting down onto the chameleons or are they still on that light stand projecting from the side?
