Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I was wondering how active ball pythons are during the night hours. I needed to know whether i should buy a CHE or an infrared/moonlight bulb. Also has anyone used the blue moonlight bulbs? are they good?
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0.1 Albino Leopard gecko
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1.0 ball python

Personally I'd go with a moonlight bulb or infrared heat bulb. I've used both and they are great for nighttime viewing and extra heat if your wattage is high enough. I've never used a CHE but have heard they dry up the air lowering humidity. My Ball Python is active at night and I love sneaking in the room to see him. The red light looks really cool and doesn't seem to bother him.
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1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"

1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
"Gimli"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

Which one heats the best?
Which one gives off the best viewing light?
WHich one lasts the longest?
WHich one do yo recomend?

the reason for these questions is that the blue light is like $10 cheaper where i live.
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0.1 Albino Leopard gecko
Coming Soon
1.0 ball python

I prefer the look of the red light over the blue - but that's personal preference. I've been using both (red in Ball Python tank and blue in Kenyan Sand Boa tank) for about 5 months now (24/7) and they're both still going. Sorry, I can't give any long term experience with them. I believe the infrared (red) lights are designed to put out more heat - that's why I use it in my BPs tank because I need help getting temps up on the cool side. Sorry I'm not much help.
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Check Out My Albums

1.0 Ball Python
"Aragorn"

1.0 Kenyan Sand Boa
"Gimli"

0.1 Australian Cattle Dog/Pointer
"Kira"

well what i do is i liked the way that the blue light ones looked, and one day realized that it seemed that there was no difference between that bulb and a normal black light blub, so i have been using a black light bulb ever sense. they are way cheaper and you can get them anywhere you go. i have not had any problems with it at all and it provides a fair ammount of heat if you are looking for that too. but this is just works for me.

someone please correct me though if i'm wrong and if a black light isn't a good idea to use around a ball.
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~dana~

1.1 ball pythons (hailex and roxy)
1.0 cat (whiskers)
1.1 russian hamsters (peanut and tj)

"Which one heats the best?"

The one with higher wattage. The difference between the two is that the red light is a flood light and will direct its heat in more of a straight line. So do you want straight line heat for a basking site, to raise the ambient air temps, or just look at your guy at night? For basking, get the red light. For the other two, get the blue light. Just make sure you get the correct wattage or you'll either cook your snake or provide nothing at all. The best way to tell is with a $15 digital thermometer and a pet store with a return/exchange policy.

"Which one gives off the best viewing light?"

Again, the one with higher wattage. This really comes down to your personal preference over the colors. I use the blue lights, and have been for around seven years. I find that the blue compliments their colors a little better than the red. But that's my preference. Maybe try them both out. Get one first and after it finally blows, try the other one.

"WHich one lasts the longest?"

That depends on the brand. I've found that the ReptiSun bulbs tend to burn out really fast, within a month, with continuous use. Right now I'm using the Fluker bulbs and haven't had any problems in a little over a month. This is, however, my first experience with this brand. They say 3000 hours though.

"WHich one do yo recomend?"

I'd recommend the Fluker blue bulbs. What size enclosure will this be for?

in a rubbermaid about 30 by 12 by 12

I need it to raise the ambien 5 degrees and the hot side 10 degrees. Thanks for the detailed info.
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0.1 Albino Leopard gecko
Coming Soon
1.0 ball python

Seeing as how ball pythons are nocturnal, technically they need NO light during the nighttime. In nature they hide all day and come out in darkness at night to hunt. They require no special light in the wild so they need no special light in captivity. What is needed however is a good thermal gradient. An enclosure with enough room to thermoregulate is what all balls require. DON'T waste your money on special bulbs unless you prefer to view them in colors other than their natural ones, but in my humble opinion, the markings of a ball python under normal lighting is one of the most wonderful things around.

It's seldom pitch black at night, even in Africa. So there is some amount of light in the wild. And his question was about viewing his snake at night. Would you really want to use white light to view your snake during its night hours? Remember, not everyone keeps 50 snakes in Sterilite containers for breeding. A lot of people have one or two snakes as pets and want to view/handle them on a regular basis.

My ball pythons are active at night. They cruise around the enclosure and it's fun to watch them. It also depends on the type of enclosure you have them in. If you want to watch them at night, the bulbs wouldn't be a bad idea, but they are not neccessary. You could just get a normal bulb with a red tint if it is just for viewing. A lot of times those pet store bulbs are just gimmicky. I would check with your local hardware store for cheaper bulbs.
Justin J