UVB vs screened cage in front of window?

[jezzie]

Which is better and why?

 

[ferretinmyshoes]

UVB bulb because a glass window blocks over 98% of natural UVB. Even if the window was open, unless that window gets direct sunlight through it for 6-8 hours a day (impossible) it would not be sufficient for your chameleon.

Learn more about lighting here: Chameleon Care Resources - Lighting

 

[Richard van Rijswijk]

UVB is better because glass block UVB rays

 

[jezzie]

Even really old, like 100 yr old poured single pane glass windows?

I ask because Dudes cage is near a window that gets sun for at least 5 hours and he always moves to the corner of the cage near the sun away from the UVB bulb lol.

 

[deadhd5]

Chameleons love them some sun, even if it is filtered through the glass. I have a big window in my cham room that gives my buddies a few hours a day of direct sunlight, and they eat up every second of it.

However, they are not getting any UVB. If I were you I would move your UVB light over top of where they typically bask in the filtered sun rays. That way they can soak up the natural sun and simultaneously get their required UVB.

Edit: Yes, even really old glass will break up the light spectrum and block the UVB. The only glass that does not is silica glass, which is very expensive. I looked into it for my room (because that would be awesome) but it was cost preventative.

 

[jezzie]

He thinks he's human, eats from cups I have to hold and drinks from the tap lol. Never though thought to moving the UVB lol.

 

[Venutus1]

Even though everyone has just about said it all...


I have to chime in because there is HUGE miss-understandings out there on this topic.

I hear this daily that people think their animals are getting UV because they get "Natural Sun" in front of a window.

As Ferretinmyshoes said right off the bat....

Glass filters out practically ALL UV B.

So any lizard getting natural sun by a window is in GRAVE DANGER of getting MBD if no source of UV B is provided.

REPEAT:

NO UVB is Getting to Chameleons through a glass window*.

no matter how thin the glass is

Just hitting this home 'cause I care.

Thanks!
Todd

*PS
UVB DOES go through ultra pure Quartz Glass.

(since that is the kind of glass they make the UV bulbs from and the UV has to go through the glass to get "out" of the bulbs.)

But if you had quartz glass as your window panes...
err... well.....
you would have to be rich.
Oprah or Bill Gates rich. LOL

I would love a Starphire glass heated greenhouse for herps... but that is about a ga-zillion Arcadia bulbs and Jungle Dawn™ LEDs away.
LOL!!

 

[Decadancin]

I would love a Starphire glass heated greenhouse for herps... but that is about a ga-zillion Arcadia bulbs and Jungle Dawn™ LEDs away.
LOL!!

...and we're waiting for pictures!!!

 

[Rayzilla]

I hope it is not a problem that I am reviving this old thread. The 'glass blocking most UVB' question has been asked frequently and I was interested in it myself because I am thinking about putting the vivarium in front of a sliding glass door. Here in Hong Kong it is very rare to see double pane windows or sliding glass doors. So I thought that I might be lucky because our sliding glass door is just a single pane but no luck, it blocks out the UVB just the same.

So if I do put it here, I still have the option to open the sliding glass door where the vivarium would go. But then I have to remove the locking mechanism that is screwed to the base of the door. Here are some pictures of the planned location of the vivarium. The distance between the glass door and the television is 37". The other picture is the locking mechanism that I will have to remove to slide that door. The picture of the greenery is the view from my flat.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

^^ You're gonna need a UVB bulb. Sorry. That location looks very shady. You can't keep a window shut because as stated, UVB will NOT go through a window. And opening the door, it still doesn't look like the sun would hit the location enough. It just isn't smart. A bulb is like $20 USD or less.... a single bulb fixture isn't too much more than that. Save yourself the hassle of a possible dead chameleon and just invest in a UVB bulb. Then you can be worry free.

 

[Rayzilla]

Oh sorry, I should have been more clear. It was never my intention to use the sunshine as the only source of UVB, just the chance that he would love to lay in the sunshine. I would never rely on just the sun, especially because of the cold winter days when it wouldn't be possible to open the sliding glass door. But thanks for your tip nonetheless.

 

[trickedoutbiker]

Oh sorry, I should have been more clear. It was never my intention to use the sunshine as the only source of UVB, just the chance that he would love to lay in the sunshine. I would never rely on just the sun, especially because of the cold winter days when it wouldn't be possible to open the sliding glass door. But thanks for your tip nonetheless.

Oh my bad, yea, I totally misunderstood what you were trying to say. Yes, being next to the window for him to enjoy the sunshine would be okay then yes because you would have a bulb giving the essential UVB rays. The chameleon will love the extra rays of sunshine though, I'm sure of it. Great idea!

My bad for the misunderstanding buddy!

 

[Rayzilla]

Oh my bad, yea, I totally misunderstood what you were trying to say. Yes, being next to the window for him to enjoy the sunshine would be okay then yes because you would have a bulb giving the essential UVB rays. The chameleon will love the extra rays of sunshine though, I'm sure of it. Great idea!

My bad for the misunderstanding buddy!

No problem my friend.

I thought it was important to revive this thread to inform other new members that may not be aware of this and thus, not provide their chams with the necessary UVB. This came to my attention when I was reading another thread where a member was not aware that glass blocks out most of the necessary UVB that the chams need. His viv was set up beside a window and his UVB bulb was set up on the opposite side of the viv. But he said that his cham would always go to the window side to absorb the sunshine, thus he would end up getting less UVB from the bulb, which is the only real source of UVB that he can get. So another very knowledgeable member recommended that he place the UVB bulb on the same side as the window so that the cham would receive as much UVB from the bulb as possible. I thought this was great advice. I wanted to attach a link to that post here but I just tried searching for it and I couldn't find it. So hopefully this will be useful to others whose cham may be in a similar situation.

If I come across that thread again, I will post a link to it in this thread.

BTW, is that a juvenile Ambanja Panther in your avatar?

 

[trickedoutbiker]

That's good advice for sure about placing the UVB on the same side as the real sun rays because they will head for the real sunlight before they will sit under an artificial light.

is that a juvenile Ambanja Panther in your avatar

It's actually an Ambilobe BB Panther Chameleon. That pic is from January.... he was about 6 months old or so around then, yea. I have a few more-up-to-date pics in my albums, but I've been meaning to post even more up to date photos, just haven't found a good time to do it yet I guess. In due time. I've about to post a thread that reviews my whole enclosure as well that I've been meaning to do for a while, but I was waiting for my plants to grow out a little more so it all looks really nice when I go to take pics. It's lookin great, so that is soon to come as well!

 

[Carlton]

One other thing to consider when placing his cage near your glass door. Some chams can get agitated if they have the urge to reach all the large "real" trees they see from the window. If you notice he spends time pawing at that side of the cage and seems fixed and preoccupied with the view, it might be kinder to block the view so he's less frustrated. Just have to watch and see.

 

[Rayzilla]

That's good advice for sure about placing the UVB on the same side as the real sun rays because they will head for the real sunlight before they will sit under an artificial light.



It's actually an Ambilobe BB Panther Chameleon. That pic is from January.... he was about 6 months old or so around then, yea. I have a few more-up-to-date pics in my albums, but I've been meaning to post even more up to date photos, just haven't found a good time to do it yet I guess. In due time. I've about to post a thread that reviews my whole enclosure as well that I've been meaning to do for a while, but I was waiting for my plants to grow out a little more so it all looks really nice when I go to take pics. It's lookin great, so that is soon to come as well!

Thanks for your reply. I look forward to seeing your thread and reading/seeing pics of your new enclosure and the gradual changes in his colours.

One other thing to consider when placing his cage near your glass door. Some chams can get agitated if they have the urge to reach all the large "real" trees they see from the window. If you notice he spends time pawing at that side of the cage and seems fixed and preoccupied with the view, it might be kinder to block the view so he's less frustrated. Just have to watch and see.

That is such an interesting thought that I never would have considered. I tell you, you never stop learning things on here. Thanks!