Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I use to keep Jacksons years ago, and have just recently started to renew my passion in herps again. I could definately see a cham or two in my future. Well here is the question, as far as basking lights go, where are all of you placing the lights (overhead or on the side) When I used to keep chams 11 years ago,
The practice was to give them light from the side as chams are laterally compressed, seems a more efficent way to deliver heat to them. I don't hear this mentioned, or see this put into practice on the websites I have visited. Any thoughts or feedback would be appreciated. Thanx, Clint

On all mine I keep at the top, and have a branch a few inches under it. They always turn slightly to get more heat on them. Also using bendable branched allows me to have differnt heights depending on how warm the want to be,meaning if they are really cool they go higher, cooler stay lower.

Clint,
I have a cage now that has a light on the side, and it seems to work as well as being on the top. I have the cage inder a shelf that won't fit a spotlight fixture on top of it. I prefer it on the top, since it'll sit there by itself without a clamp, and it also lights up more of the cage, but the spotlight on the side still gets used for basking.
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Tyler Stewart
Las Vegas NV
www.BLUEBEASTREPTILE.com

As long as the basking spot is the right temp, reachable, and near the top of the cage (chams naturally tend to climb upward to bask) I don't think it makes much difference. I've put basking lights in various places depending on my cage, free range setup, and other stuff in the room.