Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well, it looks like we are in a MV frame of mind! My questions:

1 - is ZooMed Power Sun a flood as opposed to a spot?
2 - opinion: ZooMEd vs. T-Rex?
3 - how large a fixture do I need? I have a ceramic fixture that was formerly a desk lamp. It has a 7" diameter and about 5" from rim to socket.

thanks

lele
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Lele-

1. The Zoomed PowerSun MV bulbs are a flood.
2. I have had no issues with the Zoomed PowerSun MV bulbs. The T-rex I have but they were replaced with no problem through the manufacture.
3. It is recommended to use ONLY the 10" porcelain socket domes.

Hope this helps!
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John W. Lucas

CHAMELEON PARADISE

CHAMELEONS ONLINE E-ZINE AUTHOR

Feeding Baby Chameleons
Caging Baby Chameleons

got SILKWORMS!

Photo © Chameleon Paradise 2003

>>Lele-
>>
>>1. The Zoomed PowerSun MV bulbs are a flood.
>>2. I have had no issues with the Zoomed PowerSun MV bulbs. The T-rex I have but they were replaced with no problem through the manufacture.
>>3. It is recommended to use ONLY the 10" porcelain socket domes.
>>
>>Hope this helps!
>>-----
>>John W. Lucas
>>
>>CHAMELEON PARADISE
>>
>>CHAMELEONS ONLINE E-ZINE AUTHOR
>>
>>Feeding Baby Chameleons
>>Caging Baby Chameleons
>>
>>got SILKWORMS!
>>
>>
>>Photo © Chameleon Paradise 2003
-----
0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Jumping in again...

We stopped using MV bulbs for most of our chameleon colony. The reason is that we had reproduction drop off with our pardalis colony, and then found this article:

The Effects of Artificial Ultraviolet Light Exposure on Reproductive Success of the Female Panther Chameleon (Furcifer pardalis) in Captivity. Zoo Biology 21:525-537. Ferguson, G.W., Gehrmann, W.H., Chen, T.C., Dierenfeld, E.S. and Holick, M.F. 2002.

Chris Anderson just posted about this too - once you read this article, you will most likely change your mind about using Mercury Vapor lighting. We have offered repeatedly to email the article (in PDF format- 13 pages) to any who request it.

We use the remaining few MV bulbs we have over the largest enclosures in our warehouse - for the mellers and some of the male calyptratus. These enclosures are 7ft tall and 4-6ft wide. The bulbs are mounted against the ceiling (8 ft) in the warehouse.

Another note... these bulbs WILL melt regular light fixture sockets. Use the ceramic socket fixtures.

I sure hope you folks are making use of this available information - that is what research is for!
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Morgana,

My reason for using a MV is for the stronger UVB (as Luna's signs seem to be early MBD) - so low reproduction isn't at issue for me - and maybe it would be a good thing? I found the abstract for the article but would like you to email me the full text: leleishka@netscape.net. thank you

I would not be using the MV as the only light/heat source and it was suggested to me to have it come on intermittently for a total of 6-8 hours and the repti-sun the rest.

Since I will NOT be breeding Luna are their other reasons I should not be using this bulb? thanks!

lele
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

Lele,

The publication copy is on it's way to you.

Not only reproduction problems - but eye irritations seem to happen more frequently as well. The UVB is so strong.

One thing that most folks don't consider is the natural habitat and how much "full sun" the chams get. In rain forests like Madagascar, the canopy can be as high as 100 ft. The canopy refers to the tops of the trees. Chameleons are not found that high - otherwise they could not be collected easily. Also, since there is a lot of rain - that means clouds.

Therefore, you have to consider that they spend most of their time in filtered sunlight. How much actually UVB can be measured at the height that they dwell, I am not sure.

When we put them outside here - it is always recommended that they have some shade to get into.... I think they know just how much full sun they need. It is also believed that occassional full sun benefits can be carried over with chams. In otherwords - if they get ample summer sunlight, the benefits can last them all year.

Being under intense UVB from the MV lights doesn't give them a break, so we are just not convinced that it is all that good for them. Instead, we fear that it is ultimately harmful - like the sun tanning craze - now folks know about skin cancers. Perhaps chameleons don't live long enough to see the long-term detrimental effects from too much UVB.

If you have been advised to use MV by a herp specialty vet, then by all means - do it. I certainly wouldn't claim to know more than they - but perhaps they haven't read the Ferguson research.

I remember you saying you had no intention to breed your gal - but I also recall that she is a veiled. The natural habitat of veileds has less areas with high canopy coverage - so they get more unfiltered sunlight as a rule. Perhaps the higher concentration of UVB will help with the offset of MBD. Have you tried oral liquid calcium therapy?
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Thanks for the info and I'll read the article when it arrives (haven't checked mail yet.). I think the note about veiled's being from Yemen and, therefore receiving more sunlight, is a good point, but so is your point about tanning, cancer, etc.

Maybe I can just look at the MV as short term "remedy" and use it intermittently, as suggested, thru the day and once I know she is OK use it ocassionally during the year. The recommnedation was from an experienced cham keeper, but not a "professional." I will probably bring her to my vet for a dx, but I did spaek to him yesterday to ask what dose of neo-calglucon to use. She is being stubborn but got some watered down into her yesterday. Today I have been unsuccessful to even get her to drink straight water.

I wonder how much of this is due to her getting ready to lay. Her sister, who Sonia (anson) has, just laid a last week. Luna is smaller and developing a bit slower but is showing receptive colors. I put a place to lay in her cage today and placed her on it. She didn't hang around but she knows it's there. She has made no signs of digging or even going to the bottom of the cage yet, but wanted to be prepared.

lele
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 green anoles Jaida & Jetta
0.1 brown anole - Jamaica
0.2 house geckos - Gaia & Tia
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta

It is really not for all day usage! It should be used only up to 8 hours a day as a remedy or prevention of MBD. It should also not be installed too close to the animal. I use mine only 4 hours a day and then the timer shuts it off and another timer clicks on my reptisun 5.0
I also have only been using them for my Veileds as they are more "Sun Loving" than the Panthers and will seek out basking in full sun more often in the wild.
I am also seeing more people post about MBD with them. Maybe they are just more prone to it and need higher UVB levels than Panthers.