Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I know that UVB is a very important element of a veiled chameleon's environment. I use ZooMed's iguana light with 5.0 UVB. However, I have heard reports that the UVB rays only get about 12 inches away from the tube before the dissapete completely. Is this true? Am I completely wasting my money buying expensive UVB bulbs?

As I understand it flourescent UV tubes, like the ZooMed ReptiSun 5.0, are pretty much only effective within 12-24 inches of the bulb. I still use a couple, though. Won't hurt any. Helps alot. And yes, they do a lot of good, actually.

I've started using the ZooMed ReptiSun Mercury Vapor bulbs (which is supposedly effective up to 4 feet or so) and that works great. My chameleon looks better (probably my imagination, though. lol) and it also really helps with my plants, which was a little suprising the effect it had on them. It produces exceptional amounts of both UVA and UVB, and is also a basking bulb. I'd recommend it. I use it along with two 24" Flourescent Repti Sun tubes. Other people make and sell these bulbs, like BigAppleHerp.com has their own, T-Rex as well. But I've heard The ZooMed ne is the most effective.

Watch out, though, these suckers get ridiculously hot, so keep them a safe distance away from the enclosure, and definitely don't set it directly on it. Bad things, man. lol

If I were you, I'd go for a mercury vapor bulb in combination with the flourescent tubes. I've also used the ESU Super Coil UV Bulbs in the past, and those seemed to do pretty good as well. I think they do just a little bit better then the tubes, but not 100% on that.

It's true that the fluorescent tube light is only good within about 18 inches, but that is easily dealt with. Put your cham's basking perch in the same area so when the cham goes high up to bask he is automatically within that 18" range. Pretty simple, and yes, the light is worth it, especially if you keep species that don't want all the heat of a PowerSun type bulb.