No uvb for a long time???
- Thread starter New2chamz
- Start date
almalitabonita
New Member
Make sure you get the right UVB bulb ASAP, your chameleon might be ok but you for sure don't want to go with out the light any longer. Keep and eye on your chameleons behavior
Chameleon Creator
New Member
Make sure the UVB bulb is NOT a cfl (twisty looking bulbs). You need to get a long tube shaped UVB. The twisty looking bulbs are too bright for your chameleon and will cause eye issues and possibly blindness.
Deevo
New Member
That is not true. Just make sure you get a UVB bulb made for use with reptiles. And if you do go the compact bulb root like I did then be sure to get a reflective lamp
FlChamMom
Avid Member
I would post some pics of your chameleon- if he does have the beginnings of MBD you can get advice on treatment. I have a Reptisun 5.0 and an Acadia T5HO. The Reptisun bulbs and fixtures you can get at Petsmart or Petco. The A rcadia lights are sold by Light Your Reptiles, a forum sponsor. I like the A rcadia better, but you need one now. Have you been dusting with calcium w/ d3 2x a month and without d3 at every feeding? I am sorry you got bad advice at the pet store- but you did do research on your own and that is great!
I'm not sure of your location, but you can offer some time out in natural sunlight until you get the proper lighting. (I'd say in general only if it in the 70's or more.)
Chameleons kept outside do not need UVB bulbs. If you have your cham outdoors, just make sure to keep an eye out for wildlife that may threaten, and make sure that there are shady places that they can get out of the light if needed. (Also, don't do this in a glass enclosure
. First, you can make it way too hot for them, and secondly, UVB is greatly reduced through glass or plastic.)
I would definitely get the UVB as soon as possible. Here is a thread about what may happen if propper lighting is not used.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/wha...ase-mbd-looks-like-how-happens-how-fix-95071/
Chameleons kept outside do not need UVB bulbs. If you have your cham outdoors, just make sure to keep an eye out for wildlife that may threaten, and make sure that there are shady places that they can get out of the light if needed. (Also, don't do this in a glass enclosure
. First, you can make it way too hot for them, and secondly, UVB is greatly reduced through glass or plastic.)I would definitely get the UVB as soon as possible. Here is a thread about what may happen if propper lighting is not used.
https://www.chameleonforums.com/wha...ase-mbd-looks-like-how-happens-how-fix-95071/
Psychobunny
Avid Member
The manufacturers of these bulbs corrected this issue years ago.
The main problem with them is they do not provide good coverage.
A tube bulb, the width of the cage, covers the whole area.
Psychobunny
Avid Member
Over a month with no UV is not good.
You may want to take him to a vet who knows something about chams, and tell him/her about this.
They may want to do a blood test to check him out.
Thanks for all the replys he looks extremly healthy & eats 15large crickets a day that i dust with calcium with d3 & but then i started thinking he might be eating that much cause he is lacking propery nutriants i have the exo terra 2.0 uvb in a dual lamp with a 100w basking bulb but the people were @ persmart have no clue about anything almost everything ive learned has been from tgis forum
Gibboltd
New Member
Shouldn't calcium with d3 be used every 2 weeks and same with multivitamins? This is what I've always done. Dusting with d3 every week is too much.
Dusting the feeders is important, and of course a good gutload for the bugs, but with insufficient UVB your chameleon will not be able to synthesize the calcium. The result could easily be broken of cracked and brittle bones that will likely lead to future health issues. This will get quite costly and greatly reduce the quality of life if not corrected.
I would suggest the tube type of UVB bulb as well, and depending on the screen that filters the light you want at least a 5.0. I use an Arcadia 6% T5HO for my veiled, and have no complaints.
As a general rule for veiled's, dust feeders with calcium without D3 every feeding, calcium with D3 twice a month and a multivitamin twice a month as well. Of course, there is no one absolute answer, and I know some that do not follow this method and are quite successful. The key is great overall care and husbandry.
If you could post a picture of your cham and the enclosure we can possibly see if there is anything to be concerned with.
I would suggest the tube type of UVB bulb as well, and depending on the screen that filters the light you want at least a 5.0. I use an Arcadia 6% T5HO for my veiled, and have no complaints.
As a general rule for veiled's, dust feeders with calcium without D3 every feeding, calcium with D3 twice a month and a multivitamin twice a month as well. Of course, there is no one absolute answer, and I know some that do not follow this method and are quite successful. The key is great overall care and husbandry.
If you could post a picture of your cham and the enclosure we can possibly see if there is anything to be concerned with.
camimom
New Member
This is not true.
CFLS used to have an issue, they dont know.
Many members use them on their smaller cages, and have no issues.
Please do not give advise unless you are sure of what you are saying.
CFLS can be used, and are often used with smaller cages, smaller chams, etc. SO long as you make sure it is not too close to the cham, or inside the cage, they are fine.
The tube types are recommended more becuase they provide more coverage on bigger cages.
Olimpia
Biologist & Ecologist
Hi, I'm sorry that the pet store didn't give you the proper info.
A few things I've heard you say that I would correct and why:
1. You don't want to give calcium with D3 daily. Chameleons produce D3 naturally in their skin when exposed to UV, either from the sun or a bulb, and are capable of producing what they need. However, the D3 you give via diet is not as well regulated, and you can end up over-dosing your chameleon with too much. And if there is too much D3 it will actually interfere with calcium absorbtion, and you'll end up with problems. That's why #1 priority is to have a good UVB bulb, and then use supplements as supplements, to fill in small gaps if they are there.
So depending on brand, yes, you should only use D3 a small handful of times throughout the month. Most formulas are strong enough to use only once every 2 weeks or so.
2. You want to get a stronger bulb than that. Reptisun brand either 5.0 or 10.0 (I prefer the 10) or something much better, like Arcadia 6% for example. The 2.0 is too little. Don't be alarmed if the box for bulbs like the 10.0 have a desert theme on there, that's just a marketing lie, the levels aren't anywhere near desert intensity lol.
A few things I've heard you say that I would correct and why:
1. You don't want to give calcium with D3 daily. Chameleons produce D3 naturally in their skin when exposed to UV, either from the sun or a bulb, and are capable of producing what they need. However, the D3 you give via diet is not as well regulated, and you can end up over-dosing your chameleon with too much. And if there is too much D3 it will actually interfere with calcium absorbtion, and you'll end up with problems. That's why #1 priority is to have a good UVB bulb, and then use supplements as supplements, to fill in small gaps if they are there.
So depending on brand, yes, you should only use D3 a small handful of times throughout the month. Most formulas are strong enough to use only once every 2 weeks or so.
2. You want to get a stronger bulb than that. Reptisun brand either 5.0 or 10.0 (I prefer the 10) or something much better, like Arcadia 6% for example. The 2.0 is too little. Don't be alarmed if the box for bulbs like the 10.0 have a desert theme on there, that's just a marketing lie, the levels aren't anywhere near desert intensity lol.
Psychobunny
Avid Member
Maybe one of our vet's will chime in, but if I were you, I would dust your
feeders every other day with the calcium + D3 for a week or so, just to get
the D3 levels up.
But I think you should get advise from a pro before doing that.
See if the pet store has the high output UV. You would need to get a fixture also.
They produce higher % UV then the regular bulbs as measured threw the screen.
When I measured the standard reptisun bulb at 6'' threw the screen, it was only 3%, but w/o
the screen, 5%.
When I measure the HO bulbs (Solormeter) I find no loss of UV due to being filtered threw
the screen of the cage.
feeders every other day with the calcium + D3 for a week or so, just to get
the D3 levels up.
But I think you should get advise from a pro before doing that.
See if the pet store has the high output UV. You would need to get a fixture also.
They produce higher % UV then the regular bulbs as measured threw the screen.
When I measured the standard reptisun bulb at 6'' threw the screen, it was only 3%, but w/o
the screen, 5%.
When I measure the HO bulbs (Solormeter) I find no loss of UV due to being filtered threw
the screen of the cage.
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