screen cage lighting?

[Chameleon crazy]

Sorry for all the question lately

My uncle just built a beautiful screen cage for my cham! It's 24 x 24 x 46in. And so it's ready for my chams. transfer, what would be a proper lighting/heating setup?

Thank you!!!

 

[Kam808]

Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0 UVB and a 30-75 wat basking bulb depending on your ambient temps. Throw in a glow bulb if you have live indoor plants.

 

[Tygerr]

- http://www.chameleonsdish.com/heatlight.htm
- http://www.chameleonnews.com/year2002/nov2002/gradients/gradients.html

Make sure you have an accurate thermometer when setting up your cage lights.

 

[booshified]

Reptisun 5.0 or 10.0 UVB and a 30-75 wat basking bulb depending on your ambient temps. Throw in a glow bulb if you have live indoor plants.

Does the 5.0 or 10.0 not do enough for plants?

- http://www.chameleonsdish.com/heatlight.htm
- http://www.chameleonnews.com/year2002/nov2002/gradients/gradients.html

Make sure you have an accurate thermometer when setting up your cage lights.

Great articles.

 

[Tygerr]

Does the 5.0 or 10.0 not do enough for plants

It depends on the plants. Hibiscus certainly needs way more light than those bulbs provide. That's why hibiscus do so poorly in cham enclosures. I've replaced all the hibiscus plants in my cage with camellias, which seem to do better with less light situations, but also have pretty floral displays and good branch structure like hibiscus.

I also supplement the UVB lights with regular (i.e. household) flourescent bulbs. The flourescent bulbs put out a lot of light in the spectrum that the plants need, and they are also cool enough not to disturb the heat gradient in the cage.

Some plants tolerate low light much better though. Schefflera seems to do ok under UVB only, and most people seem to grow Pothos without any problems.

 

[booshified]

think im gonna get one of those dual fixtures. one spot for a 10.0 and one fore a normal florescent .