Reptile & Amphibian Forums

does anyone use red lights to heat their tanks at night? i've been using one to keep the temps up at night for 2-3 weeks. until tonight, they've always gone to sleep before the day lights went off and the night light went on. but tonight, i came into my room (completely dark except for the red lamp) and i see sundance perched on the basking rock like a psychotic gargoyle (butch is dead asleep, mind you). anyway, as i walk by the glass, sundance dives at my toes. i'm curious, so i walk by once or twice more and he does it again. so i put my finger to the glass and he follows it, flicking his tongue and trying to bite it. i'm confused, since he's never done this before... so i turn on the lights in my room, and he no longer follows my finger or my toes. i tested this a few times... when it's dark (red light only) he wants to eat me... when it's light (all light, including red) he's his usual, peaceful self... what's up with this? i'm assuming that he's just having a strange night, and since it's dark... he thinks my wiggly toes and fingers might be food. but he ate two huge fuzzies today... he can't be hungry!!! either that, or the red light drives him insane, and he's the bull and i'm the matador. i dunno... well, he's burrowed under the substrate now... so maybe he just couldn't sleep and was being odd tonight. i'll watch him at night (just as i always have, their cage is right across from my bed), but he usually goes to bed around 7 or so... we'll see. anyhow... does anyone know whether or not the red light is okay or not? it was getting too cold in there at night, so i needed something, and a heating pad wouldn't work.
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if nothing else, i at least amuse myself!

A trick that has worked for me with both Tegus and Monitors is simply to never turn your non full sprectrum lighting off.
Since I use a Mercury Vapor bulb for UVB emission, I have that set to a 12 hour on / off cycle, however the two 75 Watt floodlights I have I just leave on 24/7.
Both of my Tegus burrow deep where they can escape the light and yet they follow a fairly consistent schedule.
So far I havn't seen any ill effects, and the floodlights keep the temps up in their enclosure.

Hope this suggestion helps,

-Kit

yeah... but then i wouldn't be able to sleep! they're in my room with me.
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if nothing else, i at least amuse myself!

Hmmm....

About the only options I could suggest if lights are not an option is:

1) Raise the ambiant temperatures in the room to about 75 degrees F
2) Install a heat panel or ceramic heat emitter.

The problem with the heat emitters is that they tend to dry the cage out, which means you'll have to compensate for that in some way.
Soil is a better substrate than mulch for holding in humidity or you possibly install a Waterfall or misting system to increase humidity levels, or reduce ventalation, or a combination of these things.
Of course you could get a pair of those eye coverings and sleep with those on if you want to revisit the lighting idea.

I hope these ideas are of some assistance, I think your best bet is to experiment with some things and see what works best for your situation and your Tegus.

Regards,
Kit

well, i'm just going to wait and see if it ever happens again. last night could have just been an isolated incidence. i fed them a little later than usual, and he was only out for an hour or so after the day time lights went off. yesterday we let him roam around the house for longer than usual, and we fed him later than usual (fuzzies... he gets so excited when its rodent time), so maybe he was just still hyper about roaming and eating mice. we'll see. i'll probably post if he's at it again tonight. if i don't post... either all is well, or he escaped and ate me.
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if nothing else, i at least amuse myself!

well, tonight was uneventful. i was in the room with them from 7 p.m. on. now, it's 11 and i'm ready to turn it in for the night. sundance was asleep by seven and hasn't stirred since. butch woke up around 8 p.m. and moved from the cooler end of the cage to the warmer end of the cage and went to sleep. he hasn't moved since then. i guess sundance was just being weird last night, but i'll keep watching.
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if nothing else, i at least amuse myself!

I used to use the red night lights to keep it warm at night. My monitors and tegu have never reacted strangely to it, but I was curious if the red light was actually keeping them up (I've read that they can't see that color, but who knows). Anyway, I switched to the dark night lights - Zoo Med, ESU and any other reptile light company makes them. They emit a very soft purpleish glow that simulates the moon - I leave that on all the time and it is pretty much dark when it's the only light on. I like it much better than the red light, even though the red light looked cool. This one looks cool, and won't keep you up either. Highly recommended for your situation. I think mine is the ESU 60 watt.
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-reptilian9

i have the zoomed one, and that one doesn't bother me... i think that one night was an isolated incident. i mean, they take catnaps during the day with all the lights on, why the heck would one red light bug them at night. anyway, like i said... last night was fine, i'll keep watching.
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if nothing else, i at least amuse myself!

no weirdness tonight either
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if nothing else, i at least amuse myself!

fhrblig
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if nothing else, i at least amuse myself!