Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was just wondering whether or not it is necessary to cover basking lamps with a screen gaurd if it is hung inside the enclosure? I've seen it done both ways and i just wanted to know if there was a "right" way to do it.
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4.9.0 norway rats
2.0.0 degus
2.0.0 cats
0.1.0 german shepherd/lab mix
1.0.0 red ackie
0.1.0 leopard gecko
1.0.0 quarter horse

Personally, I feel better with a screen cover over the lights if they have to be inside the cage. Optimal would be keeping the lights outside, in my opinion, as the bulbs get very hot and can easily burn your animals, especially since many species can and will climb up to them (the lights). However, if they must be kept inside the enclosure, the screen cover can help have that extra layer to help prevent your animal from getting too close and getting burnt, definitely worth the couple dollars they cost.

I had my argentine tegu burn himself on a light that wasn't covered. Ever since then I have kept covers on my lights to prevent further injuries to my other lizards. Just a personal preference, especially if the lizards can reach them.

I am worried about this also with my animals.... do you guys get your covers already made from somewhere, or do you just make them your selfs?
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0.1.0 BCI, 3 yr old
0.0.1 Ridge Tail Monitor
0.0.1 ArgusXflavi Cross monitor
0.0.1 Leoperd Gecko, Juvi (My girlfriends)

thanks everyone. i think i will go with a cover because i don't want to risk my ackie burning himself although i doubt he will be able to reach it. better to be safe than sorry i suppose.
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4.9.0 norway rats
2.0.0 degus
2.0.0 cats
0.1.0 german shepherd/lab mix
1.0.0 red ackie
0.1.0 leopard gecko
1.0.0 quarter horse

Front page news(the cover) This problem is like many other problems. You as newbies(your a newbie if you cannot figure this problem out) you see a problem, and bandaid the problem(to cover a litebulb is a needless bandaid) If you understood the problem, you would understand the solution. The fix is easy.

Big wattage lites are HOT and do burn. Little wattage lites are warm and do not burn. Choices you have. Put big wattage and put the lite far aways and cover to not burn your monitors. OR use a much cooler bulb(less wattage) and put it closer. Lets see the benefits. High wattage bulbs are expensive and cost the bucks to use lots of juice and burn out fast(high wattage does that) They have to be kept away from the monitors and or be covered. These bulbs also cause extreme dehydration problems. Also as Jody pointed out, the covers cause more injuries then the lites do. OR use a low watt inexpensive bulb that lasts a long time and the monitor can sit on it if it wants. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm Both will give the needed heat. I know if it were me, and in this case it is, I would use the low wattage safe bulb, that is inexpensive to buy and operate and cause much less dehydration problems. I know, I am being a punk, but I like being a punk. I pick the low wattage bulb.

Let me add another choice. Lets do math, academics like math. If you use a 150 litebulb or 6 25 lite bulbs, which can be used better? 6 25's are less expensive and can make a far better usable hot area with the chance of burning a monitor. Also, if one or two bulbs burn out, it does not effect the monitor and is EASY to replace(cheap) A 100 watt bulb, hmmmmmmm four 25's. A 75watt, three 25's. hmmmmmmmm cool stuff to think about.

In the pics I posted below, you see the monitors are within inches of the bulb. You also see, they are fine. As the explination on each pic stated, many generations of their parents grew up in that exact cage with the same lite bulbs within inches. Observation is key. To be more accurate, some of their parents grew up under the SAME lite bulb. That is, one bulb lasted several generations. How cool is that?

So pick what you like, the hard dangerous way or the easy safe way. Hey they both work. See how neat choices are. Cheers

6 25watt bulbs have a far LESS chance of burning the monitors. Sorry But I always do dumb typeO's Thats cause I am out in the sun to much and all that UV is effecting me. Cheers

do you ever worry that they (bigger monitors) might break the bulb if they come into contact with it, or try to climb up on it. they could get cut on broken glass, and then you would have to change all the substrait to make sure to get all the glass out. dont know if this is possible what do you think

1.1 melinus
.1 bci
1. albino monocle
1.black pac
1. pit bull
and soon 1.croc monitor

I have had all sort of things happen and yes, breaking bulbs is one of them. Its fairly rare, with the exception of one male (bunghole)male whitethroat. He routinely tail whipped and broke his bulbs(two in his cage). But I have never had a monitor burn itself from touching a bulb or from the broken parts or glass.

The biggist problem I have had with close bulbs and midsized monitors is, some, somehow figure out how to unscrew them and they do so over and over and over. Got me. Maybe there telling me they do not want lites on 24/7. But then if they know how to turn them off, then I have no worries.

The next question would be, do they ever get shocked from broken bulbs or empty lite sockets? The answer is never, they must be smarter then me.

Again the point is, it has not been a problem what so ever. I do understand all the couldas and possibilities. So I ask, why do you leave your house? do you know of at the couldas and other bad things that could happen.

I am sure you will say, but sir, I got to live my life and living my life exposes me to danger. I say, thats the same with the monitors, let them live some sort of life. Cheers

you are right the too need a life, im sure being in the same old cage day after day gets a little old, kinda reminds me of the whole week i spent in jail lol , that was enough for me though , so i couldn't imagine my whole life.. thats why i re-arange my monitor cages every now and then, i think change is good sometimes, gives them something to do.. (after there well established of course)

i still could use some tips on "bonding" with my new salvadorii.

only if people have some and not just to bash my "skill level"
because ive been keeping reptiles in general for ONLY 11 years so mabye ORINOCO is right i should get rid of my cobras and monitors and get some leopard geckos LOL, and then i wont have to ask questions anymore

Monitors more then any reptile I have worked with, need change. You are accurate, once their are established. They even like conflict and seek it. hahahahahahahahaha reminds me of board users.

About bonding, I may not be the best person to ask. As I do not force myself on them. I allow them to accept me.

When I was a kid, I only slowed down the keeping of reptiles for one other endevor, that is flying birds(raptors) I was taught to man raptors. To man a wild bird is to form a bond, a common shared bond, with a wild animal(a raptor) This is a form of forced training. As a non bird person, I realized, what the effect of manning was, it was to tame a wild bird. In fact, it often tamed them far better and faster then any method I knew of. So I attempted to man anything I could find, hamsters, parrots, lizards, snakes, etc. Man it was cool.

Please find and read books on raptors, there are many.

Back to your Croc monitor, with monitors, I form the same bond that you would with a raptor, a food bond. This food bond, forms a partnership, this partnership, is the strongest bond you can form.

So I recomend reading more about manning raptors. What a great topic for a great thread. Thanks

Okay i got a question for ya Frank, You use lower wattage bulbs for heat on... sounds like your small to medium size monitors. What about something like a black throat or white throat full grown, would you use like you said 6 25 watts bulbs to heat up an area for him?? my Black throat is big enough now i plan on keeping him outdoors for the summer but what about winter when i bring him indoors? would it be more feisable to have say like 6 25w bulbs vs a 150w halogen placed higher up and away from him? i always want to stay 3 steps ahead of myself just incase something tries to come back and bite me in the @ss, and my BT has a tendancy to get up close and personal to examine anything in his cage, even if it seems like he can't get to it, he always finds a way.

I find no need for bulbs over 65watts(incadesent) or 45watt halogens, I do not use halogens as much as possible. For any sized monitor.

You can heat a Komodo with 25 watt bulbs, it would just take lots of them. How many you use is up to you. I explained that above. Using a bank of lower wattage bulbs makes a better basking area then fewer higher wattage bulbs. You want heat to be spread out, not focused. Its not about what a heat gun or thermometer says, its about how well a monitor uses the heat area. Hot spot, is a sucker term. It leads you in the wrong direction. Yes I know we all use the term hotspot, but its done in error, it should be, hot or warm, area.

The problem with cages and wattage is, it depends on your conditions, not mine or freds or larrys. Yours. You use the wattage it takes to achieve the task. You should attempt to use the safest approach. But remember, as many can tell you, the sun is not so safe. Cheers

My male BT, hes over 4ft long with over 1ft of tail missing, 2-45 watt bulbs. 155f basking spot.

4ft plus of male flavi-argus, 2-45 watt floods again, 150f plus basking spot.

6ft 4inches of my little girl Sobek, 4-5 45 watt bulbs depends on the time of year, now she uses 4, winter time she uses 5. 145f basking spot.

Back in winter..

All of my ackies use 45 watt bulbs, the same as my other monitors, and the beardies I used to breed. The beardies were exposed to 168f basking spots, the ackies up to 195f.

Ive used as low as 30 watt incandescents, and tried 65 watt incandescents, the 30 watters worked with babies and with my storrs in his old cage. The 65 watt bulbs I tried on Sobek couldnt make 110f without getting 7 inches away. So I use 45 watt halogens, and used 50 watts a few times.

Metal right?? I wonder how hot they get being that close to the light. Also bulbs are slippery for monitors to get ahold of, putting wire on it would give them something to hold onto.

Personaly I think they are silly and a waste, I have been doing without them for a long time now and have never had anyone get burned by touching the bare bulbs.