Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey guys,
Just got a baby blackthroat (5 months old). I'm using a 50 watt halogen flood light, and it is putting the basking spot at about 120 or so. First off, is that a good choice for heat/light? My second question is what about at night? Should I get a 100 watt red night bulb? Or do you guys run 24 hour day cycles? I ask cause I've read examples of both. The cage is square, 2x2x1. I don't have a temp gun yet (just a thermo strip), so I was wondering if the 50watt is too mich given the size of the cage? Any help would be appreciated.

I use 45-65 watt incandescent floods you can get the basking temps. higher by moving the bulb closer or moving the basking surface higher. Mine all range from 130's to 150's. Seems to work for me.

I am sure you could use a red light as long as it does the same for basking. You could also use heat matts, heat tape, etc.. I either use nothing at night or in winter leave the basking lights on.

I wouldn't call leaving the basking light on a 24 hour day cycle. More like a 24 hour heat source. Atleast in my cages it doesn't light up the entire cage only a small portion of it.

Only you will know if the 50 watt is to much for the cage. Taking a measurment of the temps will tell you that.

Thanks. I bought my light at a hardware store. Is that ok? So leaving the 50watt that I have, on all the time would be alright? I just don't want to disrupt it's sleep patterns, ya know? Also, (sorry, paranoid newbie ?) Is it normal that it is really jumpy and tries to run away when handling it (5 months)?

Well if you just got it, then yes, it's perfectly normal for it to be afraid of you. Also, at 5 months, I'd consider it no longer a baby and now a Juvi.

I myself use a 100 watt ceramic heat emitter at night that keeps the cage warm and two 65w Floods during the day, but I'm not saying I'm right or wrong, all I'm saying is that it works for me.
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It doesn't matter where the bulb came from, what matters is how it works. Same goes for what wattage you use. In my case 45-65 watts is all I have needed to achieve my temperatures.

Leaving lights on has been done over and over without any problems. However like I said it is not a day cycle.

To me a day cycle is a well lit cage 24/7, this would mean it has no darkness. A 24/7 basking light is not the samething. The bulbs offer heat and some light. But in my cages they light under the baksing and that is all. You can still tell the difference between night and day. Surely the monitors are not that dumb. They also have many dark hides to get out of the light.

Yes it is normal for it to be skittish and jumpy when held. Nothing is guaranteed as for how much it will tolerate you.

Also, to add on what JP just said, just the basking lights on won't interfere with their cycle as long as they have someplace dark to hide/sleep.
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Hi

You would have been better off with a spot light. Halogen is good thought. A spot light will concentrate the light and heat into one spot. A flood light tends to spread the light out which gives you a bit less control when trying to get the best basking spot temperature. Be sure to get a UVB ligh with at least 8% to 10% UVB rating. 2%s and 5%s are not as effective. A reptile heat light is no different than your halogen except it costs more because it has reptile written on the package. 120 degrees is a pretty good temp. The trick is to get between 120 and 150 degrees directly on the basking spot itself. Not the whole aquarium. The rest of the aquarium needs to have lower temps the further away from the basking spot you get. Your enclosure is 2x2x? That is waaaaayy too small. As hatchlings they should be in at least a 20 to 50 gallon aquarium. They basically need a 12 hours on 12 hours off light cycle. The night light can be used only if you can't maintain a temp of at least 70 degrees at night when lights are off. Even then don't use a very strong night light because their temp needs to go down at night. Don't make the mistake of feeding it mice/meat etc. for every meal. Only about 2 or 3 times a week is enough meat. For the rest of the time you can use gut loaded or calcium/D3 dusted crickets and worms. I'd be happy to answer more of your questions anytime. Good luck with your new baby. Read, learn and inquire as much as you can. Your monitor experience will be a good one as a result.

Regards,

Indigo

That is not the way to go at all. Your monitor wants to heat his entire body. He dosn't want the heat concentrating on one spot on his body. That is a good way to burn their skin.

Bad advice is worse than no advice at all and that was horrible advice. Spotlights often burn herps because they act like heatrocks, they have heat concentrated in one area and if the herps other body parts are cold, then he/she may stay in the heat longer than what they should and that results in a thermal burn which sucks for both the animal and keeper.
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Wow I seriously cannot believe I just read that!
A spot light will give YOU better control of the temperature in a small spot, but will give your animal less control of their own temperature. You could place a reptile on a very hot surface and it would probably try to get away, but if you place it on the object while cool and slowly heat it to a high high temperature, the animal will probably cook. Their brains don't respond the same way ours do.

You were right on about the housing being too small, however.
At 5 months, you should be getting close already to that being quite cramped for the little guy. Also, a square enclosure of that size is not really ideal. You read alot about enclosures have a "cool end" and a "hot end". In a small square enclosure like that, when your heat lamp is on you pretty much don't have a "cool end", as even the cooler section of the enclosure will be warmer than ideal.

Also, at that small of an enclosure, I bet you're using a screen top, correct? You need to make sure NOT to use a screen top, as they will allow all the humidity to escape from the enclosure/substrate and also makes it harder to regulate your temps.

There is always more to learn, and plenty of experienced people here, so feel free to ask anytime. Better safe than sorry!
Good luck with your new BT!