Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hello everybody,I have a jackson and I have had him for a few months.I was using a 100 watt repti sun/heat bulb and now that the spring is here I have notice the temp is way to high and his mouth is gaping alot.I went to just a 75 watt light bulb,but as of today I do not have a artificial uv source.How long can I go without until I run into problems? Can I wait until the weekend? Thanks in advance Matt

You need to get a good UV tube on him immediately.

Your ambient temperature should be in the mid 70s with an 82-85 degree basking spot, tops. He is gaping because he is burning up.

I recommend at least one Zoo Med Reptisun 5.0 UV flourescent tube, and maybe a 40 or 50 watt basking bulb. You can just use a plant grow light for the basking bulb.

I use two Reptisun bulbs in combination with 3 regular flourescent tubes, so the cage is very bright, but not all UV light.

If the room where you keep him is higher than the mid 70s, then don't even use a basking bulb.

you can wait to the weekend but i wouldn't wait longer than a month.
since you had a uvb light (i think you siad) on him before he should be fine for a while with not imediant changes. but the longer you wait the higher the risk of a problem developing.

if the temps outside are above 65 take him outside for a few hours. they can tolerate cool temps down to the mid 50s at night but they need to get their body up to about mid/high 70's during some part of the day and the sun will give him the uvb....much more than any light will.

if you have reptarium most people use two reptisun bulbs(give the uvB) and common 40-60 watt incandesant light bulb(gives the heat and uvA)

Right, I said immediately but I guess I meant as soon as possible. He won't keel over before the weekend. The sooner the better. Light is very important.

Yes, it can wait until the weekend (as others have said). But there's something else bothering me about your post. Those bulbs aren't that hot compared to other, comparable halogen or regular inandescent bulbs. This suggets to me that you had the MV very close to your cham. The manufacturers usually recommend a distance of 12-18 inches at a minimum. In other words, your cham was getting way too much UVB. And I'm curious: why do you need to swich bulbs? Why can't you simply increase the distance between the MV bulb & the basking spot? I'm not saying it's a bad idea to switch to a Reptisun 5.0. Actually, it's probably a good idea for any season. But why can't you just raise your MV bulb away from the cage??????
Ed

Does the recommended distance go for the Reptisun's as well? I hope not...I've been having mine sit on top of all my cages. It seems that lots of the other people I've talked to do this as well. My hubby would kick me out if I went drilling holes and such in the walls to suspend my UV lights.

So, is this just for the combo lights?

Thanks
Kristen
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1.1 pygmy leaf (r. brev)
1.1 carpet chameleon (f. lateralis)
0.1 quadricornis
0.0.3 red eared sliders

The Flouorescent bulbs like the Reptisun and the Reptiglo do not emit any heat (well, they do but it's very slight) so there is no danger of burning your cham. That is why you can rest them on top of the cage without damage to the cage or animal.

The regular basking bulbs (Get a regular house light bulb in 40-60w...dont waste your money on the pet store basking bulbs)emit heat and light so they can burn your cham and the cage. An easy way to check, if you turn a bulb for a while and then touch it, if it burns YOU it will burn your cham as well so keep a safe distance from the cage and the cham.

Combo bulbs emit heat and light (UVB and UVA) so they can burn your animal. I use a 4ft fixture from HomeDepot with 1 4ft Retiglo bulb and 1 regular old fluorescent (I buy the grow light for my plants but you dont need it if you dont have a lot)for the second slot and that provides my UVB and UVA. MY Jacksons dont get a basking bulb but my tortoises and Panthers do. The room they are all in stays warms all winter long so the Jacksons dont need the extra heat. Jacksons arent baskers like Panthers, theyre wanderers. LOL!

Hope this helps.
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Raf

1.2 Jacksons Adults (Frank, Patty 2, Lucille)
0.0.2 Jackson's baby
1.1 Nosy Be's (Mars and Roja)
1.1 Adult Sulcattas (POOPIE and George)
0.0.2 Baby Sulcattas (frick and frack)
1.0 Home's Hingeback Tortoise (SPEEDY)
0.0.3 Red ear slider babies (Hingis, Dingis and Dorkus)
0.0.1 Gulf Coast Box Turtle (Booger Jr)
1.0 Yellow Footed Tortoise (Alfred)
1.0 Red Siberian Husky (Harley)
0.1 Black Lab (Krissy)
0.1 English Bulldog (Alice)
0.1 Blue Merle Great Dane (Wednesday)
Saltwater Fish and Inverts too

Thanks for the reply, Raf...and I was thinking he might be saying this because of the possibility that the cham can get burned...but Ed mentioned something about too much UV from the bulbs being too close...didn't he?

Thanks
Kristen
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1.1 pygmy leaf (r. brev)
1.1 carpet chameleon (f. lateralis)
0.1 quadricornis
0.0.3 red eared sliders

Only the MV bulbs need to be so far away. Reptisuns and similar bulbs should be within about 6 inches.
Ed

Thanks Ed...I was worried when I saw the "too much UV" mentioned. Just making sure...

Kristen
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1.1 pygmy leaf (r. brev)
1.1 carpet chameleon (f. lateralis)
0.1 quadricornis
0.0.3 red eared sliders