# Lizards > Chameleons >  A safer heatlamp situation--  need suggestions please

## FollowTheSun

My daughter has her chameleon housed in a refurbished curio cabinet. There is a UV lamp inside a cage that is at the center inside of the habitat. The heat lamp is clamped to a doorframe and pointed at one side of the cabinet, where the mesh screen is. (This is not the same setup as shown in the photo-- that was only to illuminate the setup).

The cabinet had to be resealed this weekend for leaks, and when it was put back in place the heatlamp was too close to the mesh. I noticed a burning smell and saw that it was starting to burn the wood and mesh.  :Surprised: 

I have moved it back so it's in the original position where it's not about to catch fire, but now I'm totally paranoid. Are there safer options for a source of heat for a chameleon?

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## Bogertophis

It's really hard to say without seeing exactly & with detail the placement & attachment of the lamp with respect to the "wood and mesh", but I know I wouldn't be 
able to sleep until this was modified...that was a close call.  She needs to find either a way to protect the wood with something that cannot burn & serves as a "heat 
sink" (ceramic or metal perhaps) or use a different kind of heat source altogether (& I assume she'd still need a UV light).

When I re-purposed a large china hutch cabinet for an arboreal snake to live in, I used a heat cable (the kind sold to keep your pipes from freezing, they come in many 
different lengths too) and connected it to a thermostat (the kind used for home heat...this was MANY years ago, & FYI, it worked quite well!).  In that case, I ran the 
cable around the sides of the enclosure horizontally, about 12" from the floor (so the snake could also be cool at the bottom if desired since heat rises -the water bowl 
was also on the floor).  On that cabinet, the glass in the front-opening doors did not go all the way to the bottom, so you couldn't see the cable unless the doors were 
open, & even then, it didn't much detract from appearance.  The cables can be also be disguised in many other ways, as long as you make sure that either the material 
cannot burn, or the heat is well-regulated.  (I'm thinking of a heated "branch"?)  A heat lamp inside a wood cabinet would "bother me"...especially if it's not regulated.

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_FollowTheSun_ (01-09-2020)

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## FollowTheSun

I was brainstorming last night and thinking of a way to attach a heat mat to the side. I had forgotten about those heated cables or heat tape. Good idea! 

The heat lamp is outside the cabinet and aimed at the side of it. It was the proximity of the cabinet as it was put back that created this situation-- but now I'm definitely not able to sleep until we get this situation changed. 

The UV light is very safe. It doesn't get very hot and it's in the existing light bulb outlet that came with the cabinet. We just put the cage around it to prevent the chameleon from having direct contact with it.

The habitat is large enough and well-ventilated enough that we've never had to worry about overheating-- the chameleon simply moves around to different areas to regulate his temperature. Love the idea of a heated branch!

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*Bogertophis* (01-09-2020)

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## Bogertophis

You might do a search for heated branches, btw...I recall a long while back a company (?) made such a thing, but haven't seen used or since...I think it would be 
better to make your own.  As long as it's regulated (not super hot) just wrapping a heat cable thru your own branches would be nice, & hopefully the occupant 
would agree.   :Very Happy:   And yeah, I've used UV lights for the dragon I had, they're "fluorescent type" & don't get that hot, so I wasn't sure about your set up.  I think 
you're on the right track now.   :Good Job:

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## FollowTheSun

I did find heated branches for birds! But I also read today that chameleons don't have very good heat sensors in their feet. And probably he'd do better basking next to something than having his feet heated up. I also found some ceramic covered heat pads for birds that can be mounted on the cage bars for them to snuggle up to. Lucky birds! They were a bit pricey though.

I think for now we are going to just mount an under the tank type pad to one wall with attached thermostat so it doesn't get too hot if he sits right next to it, but it creates radiant heat in that area. It may take some experimenting, but certainly anything's better than the current situation.

Thanks for the suggestions!

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## Craiga 01453

Was the heat lamp regulated by a thermostat???

It seems to my that regulating the heat lamp should do the trick...

Using an UNDER tank heater on the side will barely help at all. They're designed to create a hot spot, not raise ambient temps. Mounted on the side the heat would barely go in and would go up instead simply escaping the enclosure.

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## FollowTheSun

> Was the heat lamp regulated by a thermostat???
> 
> It seems to my that regulating the heat lamp should do the trick...
> 
> Using an UNDER tank heater on the side will barely help at all. They're designed to create a hot spot, not raise ambient temps. Mounted on the side the heat would barely go in and would go up instead simply escaping the enclosure.


No it was not, but it was placed far enough away to just have warmth and still not burn anyone. We used a digital thermometer to make sure of the placement. At this point I don't it in the room at all. I ditched the heat lamps for the snakes about 5 minutes after I got them for safety reasons. They came with our "used" snakes and I didn't know better about them  yet. My husband accidentally threw a towel on top of one of the snake ones (they were on a thermostat but you still don't want a towel on top of one). 

I am not that comfortable with heat lamps in general, thermostats or not. I need to find another solution. The enclosure is in my 15 year old's bedroom and she can be careless (as kids are sometimes). I just want it gone. I think if it was a different set-up in a safer location, and it was like a bearded dragon or something that might be a different story.

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Craiga 01453 (01-09-2020)

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## Bogertophis

I have to agree with Craig, I'm not sure that a UTH attached to the side will be all that helpful (& it might even overheat the part that becomes the "top", since they're 
designed to be used horizontally & flat, with the heat being evenly dispersed...know what I mean?)

I have no experience with chameleons but I always see them on branches: they only climb & sit on the top of the branches tho, right?  They don't climb underneath?

I think what I'd do is attach a heat cable to the underside of the branch* & also regulate it with a thermostat so it's not cooking the branch or the chameleon.  It will 
blend in (mine is gray- I'm assuming they aren't making them in rainbow colors now?) & put the heat in the middle of the enclosure right where it's needed & comfy.

But it must be controlled, otherwise it can get too hot- they're designed to prevent water pipes outside from freezing.

*I would use a fairly thick branch for this too, btw...maybe 1.5-2" thick, so his toes are never near the cable, just in case.

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_FollowTheSun_ (01-09-2020)

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## Zeus1

you Can replace the screen by getting a terrarium lid am doing some arts and crafts that will be about 30 dollars or you could replace it with chicken wire and add unscented petroleum jelly so as not to chafing. Its what I do with my bps cage

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## GoingPostal

What about a radiant heat panel?

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_FollowTheSun_ (01-09-2020)

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## Craiga 01453

> you Can replace the screen by getting a terrarium lid am doing some arts and crafts that will be about 30 dollars or you could replace it with chicken wire and add unscented petroleum jelly so as not to chafing. Its what I do with my bps cage


You use chicken wire coated in petroleum jelly for a BP enclosure??????

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*Bogertophis* (01-09-2020),_FollowTheSun_ (01-09-2020),_jmcrook_ (01-09-2020)

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## FollowTheSun

Thank you for the ideas! I love this community! :Smile:

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*Bogertophis* (01-09-2020),Craiga 01453 (01-10-2020)

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## Bogertophis

It "takes a village" to raise happy & healthy snakes & reptiles... :Very Happy:

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Craiga 01453 (01-10-2020),_FollowTheSun_ (01-10-2020)

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