Playground Lights

[StarCham]

I have my Cham in a beautiful full of plants, right temp and humidity, The enclosure is elevated so he is always higher than anyone else in the house. But when he sees me, he BEGS to come out and since I put the enclosure near a window and my couch, I made a little playground with some trees on the ground and hanging photos and this and that. He gets grumpy when it's time to go in and it's not hard to put him back, I just have to place the whole plant he's in inside. I like giving him some enrichment by providing this new place. I have no idea why he wants to go out, his cage should be great (if it was me, I probably wouldn't even attempt to leave my house).

Anyway, my question is regarding UVB. The playground is by a window so he gets some sun but as we know the UVB is filtered. And I am concerned he is not receiving the proper amount of UVB if he doesn't spend enough time in his cage or if I want to let him hang out outside a little longer. I do have a basking light because at times the window gets cold, so he can have a temperature gradient. It's in a clamp so I can place it wherever I want.

Now comes the question about UVB. I don't want to use a compact UVB bulb because we all know how much they suck. But I can't quite imagine how to put a tube fixture. Any ideas? Could the compact be ok for a provisory set up or I shouldn't even bother?

 

[Corey210]

Pics ???

 

[AnamCara]

You'll want a linear uvb on top of the enclosure. You can raise it off the enclosure a few ways, but in the past I have used blocks of wood to raise it up.

Be careful keeping the enclosure by the window. It can heat up the enclosure in summer time and make it cold in winter (depending on where you live). Mind the temps.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I have my Cham in a beautiful full of plants, right temp and humidity, The enclosure is elevated so he is always higher than anyone else in the house. But when he sees me, he BEGS to come out and since I put the enclosure near a window and my couch, I made a little playground with some trees on the ground and hanging photos and this and that. He gets grumpy when it's time to go in and it's not hard to put him back, I just have to place the whole plant he's in inside.

My face hurts from laughing so hard.

I like giving him some enrichment by providing this new place. I have no idea why he wants to go out, his cage should be great (if it was me, I probably wouldn't even attempt to leave my house).

It's simple, really...

How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm After They've Seen Paree?

Anyway, my question is regarding UVB. The playground is by a window so he gets some sun but as we know the UVB is filtered. And I am concerned he is not receiving the proper amount of UVB if he doesn't spend enough time in his cage or if I want to let him hang out outside a little longer. I do have a basking light because at times the window gets cold, so he can have a temperature gradient. It's in a clamp so I can place it wherever I want.

Now comes the question about UVB. I don't want to use a compact UVB bulb because we all know how much they suck. But I can't quite imagine how to put a tube fixture. Any ideas? Could the compact be ok for a provisory set up or I shouldn't even bother?

I wouldn't bother. They don't spend 100% of their time under the UVB in their enclosures, anyway.
MBD takes weeks to months to develop. Unless your cham is spending every waking hour every day for that long, he should be fine. How much time is he spending away from his UVB?

I have a very similar situation. I let mine out 2 days a week onto the Missus plant table, and invariably, he spends most of the time climbing to the highest spot he can, and plays 'gargoyle'.

 

[StarCham]

Pics ???

I'm in the living room and the phone is on my room, charging, but later on (if I don't forget xD) I will show pics

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

They do get grumpy when it's time to go back in. If you need help with this, drop me a PM

 

[StarCham]

You'll want a linear uvb on top of the enclosure. You can raise it off the enclosure a few ways, but in the past I have used blocks of wood to raise it up.

Be careful keeping the enclosure by the window. It can heat up the enclosure in summer time and make it cold in winter (depending on where you live). Mind the temps.

It's not the enclosure, I do have that with the enclosure, but this is an outside playground. I was thinking of something already made like from Home Depot that I could attach and detach and maybe or maybe something like a tripod but I don't know, that's why I was trying to see if someone already came up with ideas

 

[StarCham]

My face hurts from laughing so hard.


It's simple, really...

How Ya Gonna Keep 'em Down on the Farm After They've Seen Paree?


I wouldn't bother. They don't spend 100% of their time under the UVB in their enclosures, anyway.
MBD takes weeks to months to develop. Unless your cham is spending every waking hour every day for that long, he should be fine. How much time is he spending away from his UVB?

I have a very similar situation. I let mine out 2 days a week onto the Missus plant table, and invariably, he spends most of the time climbing to the highest spot he can, and plays 'gargoyle'.

View attachment 314155

I have to do that because he never gets annoyed, except when I want to move him from the playground. And like, it's dark, or cold, but he still wants to stay there. He goes all annoyed colors, until I show him a hornworm and he forget immediately what he was annoyed at.

During the day, he spends like half an hour a little before the lights go off. During the weekend, when I can spend more time watching him (I never leave him unsupervised) I'd like to give him more time and not have to worry if I'm jeopardizing his health. Normally I'd be like "Well, his enclosure is fine, he should stay there" but he is SUCH A COOL DUDE that it breaks my heart not letting him go out when he literally jumps in my hand every time I open the enclosure.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

I have to do that because he never gets annoyed, except when I want to move him from the playground. And like, it's dark, or cold, but he still wants to stay there. He goes all annoyed colors, until I show him a hornworm and he forget immediately what he was annoyed at.

That's actually very good. Distraction. If you can get him to expect a reward when he gets put back in, that could be enough. I wouldn't use hornworms every time, though.

During the day, he spends like half an hour a little before the lights go off. During the weekend, when I can spend more time watching him (I never leave him unsupervised) I'd like to give him more time and not have to worry if I'm jeopardizing his health. Normally I'd be like "Well, his enclosure is fine, he should stay there" but he is SUCH A COOL DUDE that it breaks my heart not letting him go out when he literally jumps in my hand every time I open the enclosure.

I know the feeling; it can be the same with any pet, however if you want a lizard who will chill with you on a regular basis, I'd get a bearded dragon. I have one, and he's the charmer—he even won my Missus over (to reptiles).

I couldn't tell you off the top of my head exactly how much UVB they need to stave off MBD, but that's partly why we give them supplements.