Uvb placement + tips

[chamalam]

Im currently away from home so I'll be able to answer all the questions better when I'm home but if the way I tried is going to overheat the uvb what should I do? I unfortunately can't seem figure out those clamps that lift the lights because last time I got those they didn't work. So where exactly do I put the heat lamp because I have a limited amount of vines until I get more

 

[chamalam]

Also where would I get chameleon same vines and branches?

 

[chamalam]

Late to the party, sorry (I either haven’t been receiving notifications when I get tagged or they come in a while after I’ve been tagged)! So his feeding amount should be 3 feeders 3 times a week (like Mon, Wed, Fri like you’ve been doing). Are you using mealworms as a staple or for variety/treats? Is your fogger a cool-mist or warm-mist fogger? Since you do have a homemade cage, you'll want to get a Solarmeter 6.5 to make sure the UVI levels in his cage are appropriate! For measuring basking temps, you'll need a digital thermometer with a probe, with the probe placed where the top of your cham's back is when he's on his basking branch. It should be 80-85*F there (preferably 80-82*F though). How long is each hand misting, and at what times of day are they? Is your hygrometer digital or analog, and where is it placed? What are your nighttime temps and humidity levels? You don't need to feed your veiled any plants, as they are insectivores. If they do eat plants, it'll be from the cage plants (which is why all plants in a veiled enclosure need to be veiled-tested), not from feeding them. Like others have said, your cage does need some work, and his supplement schedule should be calcium without D3 every feeding, except for one day every two weeks, when you'll use the Reptivite With D3.
Here's some helpful links!

• https://chameleonacademy.com/chameleon-husbandry-program-getting-started-with-chameleons/
• https://chameleonacademy.com/veiled-chameleon-care/
• https://chameleonacademy.com/setting-up-a-chameleon-cage/ (Great inspiration for your cage!)
• https://chameleonacademy.com/plants/ (Great plant list with veiled-tested plants on it!)
• http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/2012/04/how-to-set-up-proper-chameleon.html (Great inspiration for your cage!)
• https://www.chameleons.info/en/
• https://www.chameleonforums.com/care/external-resources/
• http://www.muchadoaboutchameleons.com/

-mealworms are variety/treats
-cool-mist fogger
-I usually handmist morning and afternoonish and i usually do it for 2 minutes
-digital hygrometer and in middle-ish of cage

 

[chamalam]

it would also be nice to someone could answer my question above because all the other things you guys suggested are very good but i need a solution that works for now because i only have a certain amount of equipment.

 

[Flick boy]

Hi branches from out door trees but not pine or high sap producing ones I have also used some wooden dowels from hardware store. ime avoid exo terra vines mine started falling apart in a short period of time I believe some on here recommend flukers. Sorry I can't recommend somewhere to get them being in the uk.so post#22exo terra light bracket. you said you don't like the clamps nor do I. But in post #36 this is a combination of an exoterra light bracket and a clamp bracket which is very secure and easily angled and moved side to side

 

[chamalam]

Hi branches from out door trees but not pine or high sap producing ones I have also used some wooden dowels from hardware store. ime avoid exo terra vines mine started falling apart in a short period of time I believe some on here recommend flukers. Sorry I can't recommend somewhere to get them being in the uk.so post#22exo terra light bracket. you said you don't like the clamps nor do I. But in post #36 this is a combination of an exoterra light bracket and a clamp bracket which is very secure and easily angled and moved side to side

good to know. I can't get any sort of bracket right now! I just want to know how can I make it so he can get heat and UVB at the same time with the stuff I have now. That's what I'm asking for right now. if that sounded passive-aggressive I'm not trying to be!

 

[Flick boy]

Look going back to your first post in your first picture light placement is slightly immaterial as there are no branches below your uv or heat as lindasjackon mentioned you will want this/ these running parallel with your lights and 8 to 9 inches below providing your using a5/6 %tube

 

[chamalam]

Look going back to your first post in your first picture light placement is slightly immaterial as there are no branches below your uv or heat as lindasjackon mentioned you will want this/ these running parallel with your lights and 8 to 9 inches below providing your using a5/6 %tube

uvb is currently parallel with basking branch, just dont know where to put heat lamp.

 

[Beman]

uvb is currently parallel with basking branch, just dont know where to put heat lamp.

Here are some older pics of a cage I had.... But your running the heat so that it is angled to your UVB branch.

Buy this https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/exo-terra-light-bracket-light-dome-support-fixture

You will modify the mounting plate. Needs to mount in a corner so that one side of the plate you drill 2 holes and then the top of the other side another. This will distribute the weight and fully mount it so it does not move. I found clamp lamps work best to get the angle. Then get 1/4 inch self tapping screws to drill the plate to the frame.

 

[chamalam]

Here are some older pics of a cage I had.... But your running the heat so that it is angled to your UVB branch.

Buy this https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/exo-terra-light-bracket-light-dome-support-fixture

You will modify the mounting plate. Needs to mount in a corner so that one side of the plate you drill 2 holes and then the top of the other side another. This will distribute the weight and fully mount it so it does not move. I found clamp lamps work best to get the angle. Then get 1/4 inch self tapping screws to drill the plate to the frame.

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good to know!! sorry havent check on here in a while. what im saying is that i cant afford/get anything to hold the light. i just want to know where on the screen i can place the heat lamp where he can also get uvb. no brackets or mounts right now i just want to know where i should put the heat lamp right now.

 

[Lindasjackson]

Just put it right next to the uvb for now. If there is a safe way to slightly prop one edge of the heat light receptacle so it shines under the uvb that is best.

 

[Klyde O'Scope]

.... what im saying is that i cant afford/get anything to hold the light. i just want to know where on the screen i can place the heat lamp where he can also get uvb. no brackets or mounts right now i just want to know where i should put the heat lamp right now.

What is the brightest light of the three (basking, UVB, plant) because that is where your chameleon is going to try to bask, whether it's the warmest spot or not. You want to aim the basking light to shine on the point under the brightest light where the chameleon is trying to bask. If the basking light is brightest, still aim it directly on the basking site.

That said, I cannot recommend putting ANY weight on a window screen enclosure top; they weren't designed or costructed to support weight. Weight+time= warp, sag, stretch, deform, tear, puncture, or worst case—pop or pull out of the spline (and I HATE repairing window screens ).

You don't need fancy brackets or mounts. Wooden slat scraps that can span the enclosure top (transferring the weight to the frame) will do. If the lights are lightweight enough, it can be done with wooden yardsticks (which some places still give away as advertising).

 

[Beman]

good to know!! sorry havent check on here in a while. what im saying is that i cant afford/get anything to hold the light. i just want to know where on the screen i can place the heat lamp where he can also get uvb. no brackets or mounts right now i just want to know where i should put the heat lamp right now.

Yep next to the UVB.... Double check your temps at basking. make sure their are more branches at the correct distance for the cham to pick where it wants to be.

 

[chamalam]

this is what i did! where he normally basks the light and uvb hits him. is this alright?

 

[Beman]

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this is what i did! where he normally basks the light and uvb hits him. is this alright?

Depends on how close he can get to that heat.... Thermal burn risk is high if they are right on the heat bulb. Adding more branches and vines horizontally at the correct distance is often better for them.

 

[Flick boy]

Hi @chamalam I would think about providing more options to get to and from basking areas . Dragon strand ledges, garden trelis up the sides ,back whatever, then running branches, side to side back to front, diagonally to give lots of options and utilise space and mental stimulation

 

[Pine Nut]

I totally agree with this. They will go under heat rather then UVB at the highest points.

That is exactly what my guy is doing.
I live in a studio, tons of windows. He gets proper basking temps via the window in ADDITION to his heat and UV lamp. But he follows the sun during the day and isn’t getting UV like he should.
He does go outside just about every day for a few hours in a smaller cage. His main cage is 48x36. How can I get him to stay under his bulbs vs travel like a sun dial ?

 

[kinyonga]

@Pine Nut said..."How can I get him to stay under his bulbs vs travel like a sun dial ?"...he should be able to npmove with the sun if he wants to and he should be able to move in and not if the UVB light too if he wants to. They do that in the wild.

 

[Pine Nut]

@Pine Nut said..."How can I get him to stay under his bulbs vs travel like a sun dial ?"...he should be able to npmove with the sun if he wants to and he should be able to move in and not if the UVB light too if he wants to. They do that in the wild.

Ty for the reply. I love when he climbs all over - he’s too cute. But when he climbs around, he’s too far away from his UVB. That’s ok ?
My second concern, if you don’t mind? I have a bay window, lots of sun. I know UVB doesn’t penetrate through glass but what if I opened the window and put him in front of the open window screen.
(and he does go outside for at least 3-4 hours 5-6 days a week. )
Thoughts plz plz plz

 

[Beman]

That is exactly what my guy is doing.
I live in a studio, tons of windows. He gets proper basking temps via the window in ADDITION to his heat and UV lamp. But he follows the sun during the day and isn’t getting UV like he should.
He does go outside just about every day for a few hours in a smaller cage. His main cage is 48x36. How can I get him to stay under his bulbs vs travel like a sun dial ?

Sounds like you have the cage positioned right next to a window. This can throw them off because they go after the sunlight rather then the lighting we provide.