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UVB Sunlight

small_town36 Mar 04, 2005 12:44 PM

I was told that if you have your chameleon uncaged, in a window area where he can get direct sunlight that you dont have to use UVB bulbs is this correct?

Replies (4)

muskratman Mar 04, 2005 02:15 PM

yes, to an extent. the glass does filter the uvb out a little bit and your area probably does NOT have the correct uvb. it might say in your newspaper what the uv index is. however, uvb bulbs aren't that expensive if you just buy a cheap fixture at like wal-mart, so i wouldn't really chance it, unless you live in like, florida or australia or something
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2.1 Pogona vitticeps "Duke" "Glomp" "Pussy"
1.0.0 Cockatiels "Sunshine"
1.0.0 Bourkes Parakeet "Kerpal"
0.1.0 Eublepharis macularius "Claire"
1.0 Chameleo calyptratus "Bruno" (eggs due to hatch any day now)
0.1 Python reticulatus
0.1 Python molurus bivvitatus
2.0 Canis domesticus
A bunch of chickens
Misc. Saltwater Fish

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lele Mar 04, 2005 04:30 PM

Actually, plastic and glass block most all UVB, so unless it is only screen and he is getting it for a good part of the day then a light is necessary. Here is an article on lighting, which addresses this question.

your goddess,
lele
lighting

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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta
1.0 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.5 Mad. Hissers
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (no name yet)
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

muskratman Mar 04, 2005 05:47 PM

if you say so goddess

i have considered not using uvb for my ig. only when he is in his cage, he's almost 3 and i don't personally feel like he needs it. he sits in front of the window all day and he is fat and vibrantly colored.

although this doesn't have anything to do with chameleons, i feel that raising lizards w/o uvb is possible, but i wouldn't do it for chams, they are hard enough to diagnose as it is. i also always use uvb for my beardies but i know very successfull breeders who only use it on babies. although their bd's are usually outside, the uv index in australia is way higher than in the states (i think).

basically, im just an argumenative (sp?) person who likes to debate this sort of thing and i almost always have a two-sided answer...
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2.1 Pogona vitticeps "Duke" "Glomp" "Pussy"
1.0.0 Cockatiels "Sunshine"
1.0.0 Bourkes Parakeet "Kerpal"
0.1.0 Eublepharis macularius "Claire"
1.0 Chameleo calyptratus "Bruno" (eggs due to hatch any day now)
0.1 Python reticulatus
0.1 Python molurus bivvitatus
2.0 Canis domesticus
A bunch of chickens
Misc. Saltwater Fish

Email

lele Mar 04, 2005 06:57 PM

Nah, I didn't say so, but the linked article does.

Don't recall who it was but a forum member here has bred chams for years w/o UVB and supplements their diet with d3 and no adverse effects. I think this, along with the Vitamin A debate, are two of the most misunderstood issues among the "experts." I'm still waiting for them to give me some hard and fast rules! lol! probably not in my (or Luna's) lifetime
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0.1 veiled - Luna
0.2 felines - Kyndra and Líta
1.0 African Clawed Frog - Skipper
0.5 Mad. Hissers
0.1 Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula (no name yet)
0.1 Goliath Bird-Eater Tarantula - Natasha

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