Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have recently upgraded from a 65 gallon reptarium to a 2x2x4 screen enclosure and am pretty sure I need to upgrade my lighting. I am currently using a repti glo 5.0 UVB 18 inch light at the top of the cage which worked fine for my previous enclosure. My pothos plant is not doing to well in the new cage as its been a week and has been wilting considerably. I have been watering several times a week and was wondering if lighting is my most likely culprit? Any reccomendations on an appropriate replacement/additional light would be appreciated. (btw I have a 8 month old female veiled.)
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0.1 Veiled Chameleon (Lola)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Cleo)
1.0 Great Dane (Hercules)

If the cham can still bask within 12" of your UV light she is getting some, but the light won't penetrate very far down into the larger cage. Also, check that plant to see if it is rootbound. If there are roots growing out of the bottom of the pot or out over the sides, it needs a bigger pot. The plant can wilt because most of the pot is root, not soil, and it will seem to dry out every day or so. In a larger cage I usually use either a double fluorescent fixture or a longer single at the top near the basking bulb so the cham can get both heat and a dose of UV at the same time. To keep plants happier farther down into the cage you can easily put a fluorescent tube vertically in one corner to give more light. It's easy to use an "old" ReptiSun 5.0 or a regular grow light for this. I don't think the ReptiGlo is a great UV light. Many "reptile" bulbs on the market claim to provide full spectrum UVA and B, but most don't actually produce much. A tried and true safer bulb would be a ReptiSun 5.0 and change it every 4-6 months.

Thanks Carlton.
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0.1 Veiled Chameleon (Lola)
0.1 Leopard Gecko (Cleo)
1.0 Great Dane (Hercules)