Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i am currently using Blue basking lamps in both my leo cage and BP cage. But they are both in my room and disrupt my sleep sometimes. And seein as how i wake up at 4 in the morning every day i need sleep. I have a couple questions about CHE's for those who use and have used them.

Do they put out the same amnt of heat as a similar wattage blue bulb (more specifically a 75 watt exo terra blue bulb)?
if they dont do they put out more or less heat?
how wide is the heat element (ie. diameter of the heating surface)?
what size dome lamp do they need?
what type of CHE last the longest (in hours)?
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 normal ball python (felix)
1.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, and Bear)

They are a bit wider in area than a standard bulb, and perhaps a tad longer depending on the mfgr. They generally put out more heat and direct it downward (unlike a standard type bulb). For example, a 60 Watt CHE will likely deliver more heat energy to your reptile than a 60 watt light (the exception might be halogen lamps). You MUST use a dimmer or thermostat with CHEs, no maybes. The surface temps on a CHE get way way hot and will burn flesh, so get a bulb-guard or bend some wire cloth around the bulb and socket. Big Apple Herp sells wire bulb guards.

The type of heat generated by CHEs is very beneficial to reptiles. You will see your BP thrive under such a heater. Heat from above is highly underated for snakes. I think many types of snakes do better with overhead heat, or overhead in combination with under-cage heating, than with under-cage heating alone. That is my personal opinion based on trying many cage types and methods of heating. My rosy boas for example are definitely eating more consistently and not regurging in cages equipped with overhead (and undercage) heat, even if the overhead heat is only on during the day. Maybe it is because the air temps are higher now. Whatever it is , it works.

thanks for the info. how long do they last on average (days/months/years)? also which brand do you recomend?
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 normal ball python (felix)
1.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, and Bear)

I have one running for well over a year.. much longer than any light bulb. It is on a dimmer and is dimmed down most of the time, so that only adds life. I've heard a few years easily.

For a boa you might want to look into heat panels. They last 5-10 years and heat a large area. Contact the Bean Farm for these products, or www.pro-products.com.

how dimmed was it (ie. low, med, high)?
also what brand was it?
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0.1 "Tremper" looking Albino Leopard gecko (Lex)
0.0.1 normal ball python (felix)
1.1 Feral cats that we adopted (Fuzzy, and Bear)