Crusader14
Member
ok then i can definitely see why using linear bulbs for uvb and plant lights is better, but what about for heat? is it better to use a dome lamp in that case?
Plant lighting + other questions.
- Thread starter Crusader14
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Kaizen
Chameleon Enthusiast
Yup, @AnamCara is spot on here: if you’re going to use fluorescents for plants, t5’s are the way. The dome light thing is really just a play-project. Having grown tropical bonsai indoors for 20 years, I can definitely advise that t5s, LEDS and metal halides are the way to plants. Since the latter is really not appropriate for chams (there’s exceptions to this, but in most cases...) the former two are the best. Personally I’d look into the LEDS.
AnamCara
Chameleon Enthusiast
That's a good question and the short answer is for now, yes. Some use incandescent or plant bulbs as their basking spot. I use a Ceramic Heat Emitter attached to a thermostat control.
Kaizen
Chameleon Enthusiast
Heat is a different story. I have found it pretty easy to hit my basking temps in the mid 80’s with a 40-60 watt incandescent bulb.
Kaizen
Chameleon Enthusiast
Crusader14
Member
What’s the best plant light bulb for a t5ho fixture?
Kaizen
Chameleon Enthusiast
6500k daylight fluorescent; alternatively, they make strip LEDs in 6500k for regular T5 fixtures.
Crusader14
Member
so about humidity, does it need to be constantly the same humidity, or can it drop for a certain amount of time? how long can the humidity be allowed to stay low?
Kaizen
Chameleon Enthusiast
So there’s a lot of literature about that. Generally, humidity it at nearly 100% just before dawn, and slowly decreases throughout the day, until sunset when it slowly increases again. Keep in mind though: humidity is a function of both air moisture and temperature.
Crusader14
Member
should i get additional plants first or better lighting? i kind of want to get more plants first because rn all i have is fake pothos and that tiny ficus tree i was talking about earlier, but it feels pointless without proper lighting. so should i get the better lighting first or get the plants first so that he has proper vegetation, shade and hiding places? bc if i got the plants first, i may or may not be able to afford the lighting until a couple weeks from this friday...
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
Pothos are very forgiving of poor lighting and are imo one of the best plants for chameleons.
I have a son with medical needs. He used to be G-tube fed, but he's not anymore. That has left us with an ABUNDANCE of bags and tubes. We give them away to people who are short, but still have tons. If this is a desirable option for people to make DIY drippers, I would be glad to donate plenty to the Cham community.I didn’t like the scrap wood and then my dripper broke. I’m a nurse so I thought of medical supplies lol. Bought an enteral feeding bag and an IV pole.It worked.
MissSkittles
Chameleon Enthusiast
It worked really well when I had a smaller and lower enclosure. Once I upgraded to larger enclosure, it was too high to use. I also wonder about cleanliness. When used for enteral feeding, the bag is changed daily, but that is different than just running water thru it. I have plastic containers, oxygen tubing and kept the enteral bag. One of these days I’m going to play around with it all and see what I can come up with. It’s mainly the roller clamp that’s better at regulating the drip rate than the commercial dripper. If you have a bunch of bags and tubing, play around and see what you can devise.
Glad your son is off the GT.
Crusader14
Member
Okay well I was also thinking of money trees, Areca palm trees, hibiscus, cortan plant, bromeliads and dragon trees. Would any of these be suitable for poor lighting or would it be necessary to get proper lighting for some of these.
Crusader14
Member
where do i place my plants in my cage? i got a ficus, croton and some pothos. i know pothos can go literally anywhere and itll be fine, and the croton should be placed in view of the light so itll be colorful but what of the ficus? should i move the sticks so the light shines on the plants and i can just place them on the floor or what?
BabyYoda
New Member
I have a small greenhouse with a wide variety of plants, including a Ficus Tree for my Cham's enclosure. I have many of these exact lights attached in the picture below with phenomenal success. I only use one for the Ficus and it is clamped on the outside of the bottom half of the enclosure facing the Ficus. It is on the same light schedule as my Cham, and Ficus trees thrive in the conditions that we create for our little friends as well. The bulbs are cheap and work wonders for 40+ plants for myself. Best of luck to ya!
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JuniorC
Avid Member
2 questions on these, would they work as a basking light? And around how long do they last?
