Reptile & Amphibian Forums

So I have been researching getting a cham for quite a while now. Your posts have provided incredible info. Last weekend I finally placed my order for the supplies I needed (and others I probably didn't) through a supplier in CA. I also placed an order for a 3 m/o veiled cham with them. However, shortly after placing my order, I saw a thread on this website talking about experiences. (The thread has since been removed) So I called to cancel the order for the cham and find a local breeder, and to check the status of the order placed 5 days before. I was greeted by rude customer service and the advice of waiting a few more days. Well, those days have come and gone and no supplies. Today I call, and after being kept on hold for quite a while, I am given 2 tracking #s for my supplies, which when checked on the FedEx website, aren't located in the system. So they probably haven't even been mailed yet. Website says shipping in 1-5 business days, and we are nearly twice that now. Sorry to vent, but I had to get it out. The supplier is a major advertiser on Kingsnake.com, and I haven't mentioned their name because I don't want the post to be removed. But their name is on list of advertiser's above. I am very glad that I cancelled the Cham, because I can't imagine what would have happened. Thanks for all the help thus far, and I look forward to your advice in the future.

Hmmmm let me take a stab in the dark here as to who this may be, ok actually I dont need a stab in the dark, could the initials possibly be R D.

That they would. I can't believe they haven't shipped yet. I wanted to have my cage set up with the right temp and humidity, good basking spots, etc. And then introduce the cham a week or so later. So I have the plants and the feeders, but no setup.

As a side note - I purchased MV bulb (Powersun 100W) I have been reading really mixed reviews and wanted some people with experience either way. The cage is 24 x 24 x 36. I know that the UVB from fluorescents doesn't penetrate all that far, but now I am reading the MVBs are too powerful. Is there a happy medium, and does any one know of a place to get real cheap sockets for fluorescents?

You can get fluorescent fixtures from Lowes for about $9. I don't know exactly how good of a price that is as I've never looked elsewhere.

From what I understand about UV lights, fluorescents can only penetrate about a foot. If you cham basks at the top of the cage often, this should be fine. However, if he/she spends a lot of time in the lower part of the enclosure they may not receive enough UV.

MVBs should be kept a foot above the enclosure. Then I don't thnk you have to worry as much about them emitting too much UV or being too hot. They are more expensive but they last twice as long.

I use a MVB for my 24x24x48 screen cage.
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~Melissa
1.0 Ambanja Panther (Diesel)
0.1 African Hegdehog (Kaimah)

My PowerSun (100watt) says it "gives off no more UV-A and UV-B than is prsent from the noonday sun in the shade".

And if I'm reading this little chart right it gives off about 1 spectral radiance of UVB and 12 spectral radiances of UVA.
However, I have no idea what that means.
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~Melissa
1.0 Ambanja Panther (Diesel)
0.1 African Hegdehog (Kaimah)

>>My PowerSun (100watt) says it "gives off no more UV-A and UV-B than is prsent from the noonday sun in the shade".
>>
>>And if I'm reading this little chart right it gives off about 1 spectral radiance of UVB and 12 spectral radiances of UVA.
>>However, I have no idea what that means.
>>-----
>>~Melissa
>>1.0 Ambanja Panther (Diesel)
>>0.1 African Hegdehog (Kaimah)

According to Ferguson, prolonged exposure to intense high radience lighting can decrease the longevity of chams (discussed here www.chameleonnews.com/lighting1.html and here www.martinsreptiles.co.uk/ukchams/typesoflighting.htm#mercuryvapour). MV bulbs do not allow for the chameleon to escape UV radience and force prolonged high levels of exposure. I personally only use them in the largest of my enclosures (7' x 6' x 3ish') arranged so that a significant UV gradient is provided. It is important to provide such gradients in both lighting, temperature and humidity (www.chameleonnews.com/year2002/nov2002/gradients/gradients.html). Flourescent bulbs, in not being able to radiate light the entire cage height in smaller enclosures provide such a gradient vertically. In my large enclosures, by placing the MV bulb on one side of the cage, I create a gradient in the horizontal plane and make sure that the animal is able to get sufficient UV exposure which would be difficult in a cage this size under a short radience distance of flourescenct UV lighting.

Oz, sorry to hear about your troubles with this company, can't say I expected much less however. Glad you decided to be cautious about getting an animal from them!

Chris
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Chris Anderson
parsonii_hoehnelii@hotmail.com
Editor - Chameleons! Online E-zine: http://www.chameleonnews.com/
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Chris,
Thanks so much for your help thus far. I will send you some images of the setup when I finally get it. The tracking #s they gave me finally registered; they shipped last night. Especially thanks for the advice about the cham. I owe you a beer at the Chapter House. -Oz

If the said initials are it, I recently cancelled my order of supplies from them as they had been ordered 1 MONTH ago, and not yet shipped... the excuse: woopse! we didn't insure it thru the post office... I'm glad I am not the only one...