Reminder about UVB light, heat, and D3

[buddhacham]

Yes he does, but towards the evening I always find him hanging out closer towards the other side of the enclosure(the just UV side). I assumed this would be good at recreating nature since at the end of daylight the heat decreases before the UV stops for the day. Makes me wish I had a way to change ambient temps throughout the day to mimic a natural day's fluctuating temperatures.

P.S.- I was never trying to accomplish two entirely different sections(one heat, and another one uv). I was simply wondering how important it was. Like I said I'm offering my cham a place with both heat and uv, and another basking spot with just uv

Also, I'm just waiting another week, and letting my cham enjoy the nice natural sunlight(with plenty of shade of course)

 

[dodolah]

Yes he does, but towards the evening I always find him hanging out closer towards the other side of the enclosure(the just UV side). I assumed this would be good at recreating nature since at the end of daylight the heat decreases before the UV stops for the day. Makes me wish I had a way to change ambient temps throughout the day to mimic a natural day's fluctuating temperatures.

I think it goes the other way around in nature... UVB actually dissipates before the heat stops for the day. So, if I was to imitate nature, I would turn off UVB earlier than the heat lamp.

Anyone correct me if i am wrong (Dave? Kevin?)..

 

[summoner12]

I think it goes the other way around in nature... UVB actually dissipates before the heat stops for the day. So, if I was to imitate nature, I would turn off UVB earlier than the heat lamp.

Anyone correct me if i am wrong (Dave? Kevin?)..

In my experience UVB drops with heat, if not sooner. UVB has VERY low levels as the sun sets and I assume as it rises... (haven't been up in the early AM to measure)

I think what people need to remember is that when we provide low levels of UVB alllll day, it sorta levels out the amount of UVB that a wild animal might see during it's daily activities. In the morning they might warm up in direct sun with not a ton of UVB, but once warm enough start patrolling their territory. Maybe mid day the animal feels like some sun and goes out to warm up in direct mid day sun? he'll be getting at least 300micro watts of UVB. I can't imagine the animal will sit out for very long because at that time of day I am sure they can reach a comfy temp in a matter of minutes (if ambient temp wasn't enough). Maybe as the day cools the cham goes back out to bask in the late afternoon sun? But in the morning and afternoon it has been noted when chams tend to bask. I can't remember but I think on the UV Guide there is a part that talks about the best UVB to be found on earth is in the morning hours...... Maybe I am remembering that wrong?

This is just something to check out... UVB Swings

The video in that link isn't really conclusive of anything... but just shows how UVB during the day can move up and down completely dependent on the clouds. Now imagine being in a tree? The UVB and heat levels must be pretty low. I wonder if on a cloudy day the chams are higher in the trees searching out any bit of sun rays and as much UVB as they can get?

 

[xanthoman]

I think it goes the other way around in nature... UVB actually dissipates before the heat stops for the day. So, if I was to imitate nature, I would turn off UVB earlier than the heat lamp.

Anyone correct me if i am wrong (Dave? Kevin?)..

makes sense to me, on a hot day the heat is definitely around well after dark.

 

[pantherlover]

this is great for a rookie like me. please do post pics of how you have the heat lamp set up on the angle so the basking spot is under the uvb. same deal, ive got the heat lamp pushed up against the tube fixture, i know the cham is catching uv because when i shut off the heatlamp i can see where the uv light is reaching. i was wondering if he was catching enough of the uv light when he is in his basking spot though... thanks for the reminder. its great.

 

[Dave Weldon]

I think it goes the other way around in nature... UVB actually dissipates before the heat stops for the day. So, if I was to imitate nature, I would turn off UVB earlier than the heat lamp.

Anyone correct me if i am wrong (Dave? Kevin?)..

Howdy Frans,

Figure 4 shows a day-long (winter solstice) UVB curve at various locations around the globe (including Manhattan Beach ). Temperature will likely track those levels. http://www.uvguide.co.uk/uvinnature.htm

In artificial environments, we certainly have less than ideal tools to work with in attempting to simulate natural heat and UVB cycles . I'm still stuck with mostly having a ~6am-6pm daily cycle with the heat and UVB sources aimed downward at the basking area. I do have a second light source for the entire room that goes on ~15 minutes before the basking area turns on and ~15 minutes after the basking area turns off. I've convinced (deluded) myself that they take that light pre-cycle to know when it is time to get-up or, more important, bedtime .

 

[draetish]

I too, turn on a light in the room prior to the lights in the enclosure to give the cham time to "wake up". Also prior to their bedtime their cage lights go off and the room light left on to give them time to bed down.

 

[buddhacham]

I think it goes the other way around in nature... UVB actually dissipates before the heat stops for the day. So, if I was to imitate nature, I would turn off UVB earlier than the heat lamp.

Anyone correct me if i am wrong (Dave? Kevin?)..

Sorry sorry, you're right. I had previously read somewhere on CF that it's good to turn off the heat lamp about 30 minutes before the UV.I was thinking along the lines that UV hangs around longer than light, or at least can permeate clouds better. Or am I mistaken about that as well? I mean UV is still present on a cloudy day, the visible light just isn't 'energetic' enough to pass through the clouds.

 

[summoner12]

In the cham room the lights are staggered for two reasons... save on electric bill and to sorta simulate sun rise and sun set.

Now in the room where I have the EcoZone operating I have the heat and UVB turning on/off over a 45 minute ramp. This seems to work pretty well for the chams. when the light starts to dim I notice the chams moving to a sleeping spot. I kinda wanna slow down the ramp and make it 60 or 90 minutes...

 

[luevelvet]

Without any official experiments conducted, I am pretty sure senegalensis can detect UVB over heat. We free ranged our male during a cage transition and he was sure to let us know the bulb wasn't close enough. He would bask for heat and bask for UVB throughout the day. I once found him across the room crunched under one of the fixtures over our panther cages. He liked to sneak away from his free range and taunt the male panther through the cage. It made sense, it was the only rack with a raised fixture so he didn't have to squeeze to get his precious UVB.

Anecdotal, yes, but it happened with our female too, and I can't help but to feel it's related.

Luis

 

[summoner12]

Without any official experiments conducted, I am pretty sure senegalensis can detect UVB over heat. We free ranged our male during a cage transition and he was sure to let us know the bulb wasn't close enough. He would bask for heat and bask for UVB throughout the day. I once found him across the room crunched under one of the fixtures over our panther cages. He liked to sneak away from his free range and taunt the male panther through the cage. It made sense, it was the only rack with a raised fixture so he didn't have to squeeze to get his precious UVB.

Anecdotal, yes, but it happened with our female too, and I can't help but to feel it's related.

Luis

The trick with a free range is that a cham won't leave unless the range is lacking something the cham needs. As you pointed out, the cham was telling you something wasn't right, and finding it somewhere else.

 

[withlime]

Sorry sorry, you're right. I had previously read somewhere on CF that it's good to turn off the heat lamp about 30 minutes before the UV.I was thinking along the lines that UV hangs around longer than light, or at least can permeate clouds better. Or am I mistaken about that as well? I mean UV is still present on a cloudy day, the visible light just isn't 'energetic' enough to pass through the clouds.

I know that I have set up my timers to turn off the heat light before the the UV light, but I did that so the temperatures would cool down as they do in the afternoon. If I had a dimmable ballast for my UV light, such as the one that EcoZone sells, I would also dim the UV light. UVB does not linger in the air after the visible light goes away.

 

[dodolah]

Sorry sorry, you're right. I had previously read somewhere on CF that it's good to turn off the heat lamp about 30 minutes before the UV.I was thinking along the lines that UV hangs around longer than light, or at least can permeate clouds better. Or am I mistaken about that as well? I mean UV is still present on a cloudy day, the visible light just isn't 'energetic' enough to pass through the clouds.

UV has a LOT to do with the angle of the sun. When the sun sets, its position close to the horizon causing the light to be obstructed by thicker layer of atmosphere...
That means the UVB strength of the light become less and less powerful as the sun changes its position.

So, it is to my understanding that UVB actually diminish before the heat does. Not the other way around.
You have to realize as well that heat and visible light, although it is associated as one, is actually a different component of light.

Also, Dave gave a very excellent graphic of the UVB concentration during the time of the day. You will see that the graph shows that the UV goes from a very low level in the morning, reach at the highest peak at noon to 1 pm, and reduce again to the low level at 6.30 pm.
Read the interview link I gave. Frances Baines actually summarized the components of sunlight there.

 

[Thomas Bower]

Petsmart has a combination UVB light and incandescent. The 48 inch has a place for 1 tube and four incandescents. The 36 and 30 inch allow one tube and three incandescents. These combos are available on-line only. NOT in stores. They also take up less space and weight on the top of cages.

 

[Wykd]

I don't see it a problem to put the basking spot under the uvb reach. I angle the light used to generate my basking spot slightly toward the uvb fixture. If using a wide mouth clamp light the heat cone is wider and allows it to sit at the optimal temperature in a spot illuminated by the uvb and heat lamp.

I try to use the 2 light sources as a fixed reference point and once they are in place I then establish my basking spot. I will put it up in temporary state and check temps for a few days until I find a spot that that has the temperature range I like under both lights. By doing this, the cham can move to a cooler spot still under the uvb if that is what he feels is needed and can hit the hot spot also if needed.

 

[Skyebound]

Very informative. I had been wondering that lately. Thanks for posting.