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Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 T5-Ho Uvb Fluorescent Lamp - 24 w - 22"?
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Oh, I though it had something to do with the strength of the bulb. I was thinking of getting this. Is this the right bulb?
That’s not the bulb you use for uvb, in the picture I see it’s a dome hood, which means that it is a compact uvb, the uvb you need is a t5 5.0
Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 T5-Ho Uvb Fluorescent Lamp - 24 w - 22" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQU8GF0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glc_fabc_E-J4Fb3NST3C6
These span across the whole cage and will allow her constant access to uvb. Also she may be gravid, you might want to prepare a lay bin.
https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptisun-T5-Ho-Fluorescent/dp/B00AQU8GF0/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?crid=VUI71JP1HJ4J&keywords=reptisun+5.0+uvb&qid=1671033994&sprefix=reptisun%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-8 that one would be best but you could try this one if you prefer the dome lamps https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiSun-Compact-Fluorescent/dp/B00061V4PI/ref=mp_s_a_1_5?crid=VUI71JP1HJ4J&keywords=reptisun+5.0+uvb&qid=1671033994&sprefix=reptisun%2Caps%2C217&sr=8-5
Hey everyone, please find pictures of my Cham from both sides as well as his full enclosure here: https://imgur.com/a/OzCrOj5
For lighting, I use a Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 T5-Ho Uvb Fluorescent Lamp - 24 w - 22" as well as a Zoo-Med 75W 120V basking bulb.
For feeding, I am moving to mainly Dumbia roaches and silkworms with some crickets while before he was being fed mostly meal worms, wax worms, and the occasional crickets + Dumbia roaches for the first few months I had him. I also use a calcium supplement without D3 on the worms and roaches.
BACKGROUND: Some backstory on the boy Diego, I am a first time reptile owner and only took him in on a temporary basis from someone who did not have any idea about how to take care of a Cham. He is now fully mine, and I want to make sure I'm giving him the best care possible. As I understand it, he is ~ a 5 year old adult male veiled Cham.
I've slowly taken out the fake plants, added live plants, gotten the correct UVB lighting, changed his diet etc. For the longest time I misted his cage manually since that's how he always liked to drink water (right off the side of the cage). I added a water glass a month or so ago and I think he's using it, but I'm going to setup a camera to confirm. Sometimes I've sprayed the spot on his cage that he likes to drink from and he'll immediately come over. I don't know if he's just been trained this way but I want to strike a balance of keeping him properly hydrated while encouraging the drinking glass (I'm going to add a second glass this weekend in the back part of the cage).
The setup still needs work...the basking light is going to be moved up because it's too close to the cage and his basking temp is too hot. I'm also going to bring in some real wooden sticks (after treating them) in exchange for the fake vines. The bottom of the cage is bare but in the pictures there's a towel underneath which was just there while I cleaned his enclosure.
THE PROBLEM: I hope that's enough background, the real issue has popped up within the last week or two where I noticed a small bump in between his eyes. I've seen others call this type of thing a sinus infection? I'm trying to find an NYC/Brooklyn based vet to help here as well since I have not taken him to the vet before. All of a sudden one day I saw him rubbing his right eye on one of the black vines. I checked, and low and behold his bump has grown and spread to his right eye. I'd starting to worry and want to try and resolve this ASAPP.
Please keep in mind that this Cham has likely not received proper care for most of his life, I'm doing my best to keep updating his enclosure little by little with what I can afford.
Hi friend! Congrats on your new little! Leo’s are amazing!
So my advice is first, you can ditch the spotlight, it’ll hurt his little eyes & doesn’t do anything for his temperature. You can get a strip (the coil ones are trash and don’t put out any uvb that the animal can absorb) 5.0 UVB bulb (ZooMed or Arcadia are best) to replicate the sun if you want tho. Definitely switch the main heat source (uvb won’t give you heat, just light) to a heat mat on the bottom of the tank. (Leo’s absorb heat through their bellies. It helps them digest. 🙂) Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 T5-Ho Uvb Fluorescent Lamp - 24 w - 22" https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AQU8GF0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_1DX9YG1XXH8CZ9MWS0WW. DBDPet Zoomed ReptiTherm 30-40 Gallon (8x12) Heat Mat - Includes Attached Pro-Tip Guide - Reptile Heat Mat… https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BDH2GBB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_7M0S46NMAN1T8GC2GV1H
Get a timer to keep your uvb on (I have my girls’ each set to 9am-9pm the lights are on, then it switches off for me. I got the regular ZooMed green power strip. Zoo Med Repticare Day Night Reptile Timer: https://app.chewy.com/HuwtPCgBWlb) and a thermostat to keep your mat from overheating. (Set the ideal temp to around 88 degrees F) I got this one from Amazon and my girls love it. VIVOHOME 40-108°F Temperature Digital LED Heat Mat Thermostat Controller for Seed Germination Reptiles and Brewing https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FD1K5WH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_GN04KXMDJ5W23G9QS1PZ
I can’t see much of what’s inside but definitely make sure you have a hide with moss that you’re misting down every day, at least. (My moss dries out because of the low humidity in my house, so I do it 2x/day) (Helps with their shedding! ☺️ Although my one girl will rip it off and eat it before it has the chance to fall off. 🤣 That is normal, btw. There’s a lot of vitamins and nutrients in the shed apparently. My crested geckos do it too.)
You can keep a shallow dish of water in there for him. I got these from Etsy since my girls drink a lot of water and they have a built in safety feature so they can’t accidentally fall in and drown. https://etsy.me/2oaNIHJ
A small dish of calcium powder is also super important. It’s super important for their bones and development if it’s a baby.
Great job on the decor, my bearded dragon has the same thing and she adores it! Definitely keep the substrate to carpet (I think that’s what you have in there), paper towels or you can do contact paper from the dollar store. Do not use sand.
Overall, once you upgrade the tank size and get a heat mat, you’re pretty golden! Thanks for wanting the best for your new little baby! Feel free to DM me if you have any more questions! (I’ve worked closely with an exotic vet and a reptile rescue, so I know too much about animals. 😂) Hoped this helped and welcome home little Shrimp! ❤️
I apologize for being the bearer of bad news but the advice I'm about to give you is in no way a slight to you at all, just recommendations to keep your chameleon alive and happy for as long as naturally possible.
The lighting from the chameleon kit (if it's the same that I'm thinking of) is not suitable for a chameleon's needs. Remember that in their natural environment chameleons live in the trees and have plenty of fresh air and UVB from the sunlight. The bulb that seems to do the trick is called a "T5 5.0". It looks a lot like a fluorescent light you see in an office building, but it emits UVB, a spectrum of light that chameleons absolutely need to survive. Here are a few options that chameleon keepers enjoy: https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Reptisun-T5-Ho-Fluorescent/dp/B00AQU8GF0
https://www.pangeareptile.com/store/arcadia-6-uvb-t5-reptile-bulb.html
Luckily they're really not all that expensive. You just have to get one that matches the size of your enclosure as well as getting a hood for it (maybe another 35-55 bucks).
In addition to this light, I'd recommend a second light for heat. A light that can produce heat up to (but not over!) 85 degrees Fahrenheit would be fantastic. I'd heartily recommend getting one that's dimmable as well as a lamp for the bulb that includes a dimmer switch so that you can adjust the temperature depending on the time of year.
Also, keep in mind that when they are too hot in their natural environment, they venture back into the thick leaves a tree provides to cool off. Most of their life is spent regulating their temperature and eating, honestly. You must give your chameleon options to regulate their temperature or you will have a sick animal. Imagine yourself in that enclosure. If you were too hot, where would you go? Could you cool off?
I understand that the enclosure you have for him now may seem large but believe me that is the space required to house such an animal. They grow quick and need the space!
A t5 5.0 is easier to find and also less costly than a t8, so hanging it about 6-8in over the top of your enclosure (and not directly on the mesh screen) is a great idea. Should put the UVB gradient in the proper range for basking safely. All of the big box pet stores/chains have the linear lights in stock. Here is one available on amazon with the matching hood. You’ll have to get creative to diy your own suspension from the ceiling or a stand that rests on the top edges of your enclosure. I still would recommend a t8, especially for a panther cham, but if you can get it set up right, a t5 should be just fine!
Back to the issue at hand though. Any chance you were able to get a photo of the sperm sacs in his stool? Has he been closing his eye more at all today? What lights do you currently have since you are looking for new ones (that would likely explain the eye closing)?
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