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I am converting a (outter dimentions) 4' long x 17" deep by 18" tall dresser into a display cage for my ball python. I will be using flexwatt under the floor for belly heat, but I doubt that will be sufficent for such a large enclosure, I will be adding a heat bulb to add extra heat (a red heat day and night bulb). My question is what wattage should I get to help heat the hot side of the enclosure? I will be doing fake rock walls so insulation will be pretty good. Would a 25 watt be ok or should I go for 50 or 75?
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

Posted by: Krystal19_85 at Wed Sep 29 10:25:35 2004 [ Report Abuse ] [ Email Message ]

I am converting a (outter dimentions) 4' long x 17" deep by 18" tall dresser into a display cage for my ball python. I will be using flexwatt under the floor for belly heat, but I doubt that will be sufficent for such a large enclosure, I will be adding a heat bulb to add extra heat (a red heat day and night bulb). My question is what wattage should I get to help heat the hot side of the enclosure? I will be doing fake rock walls so insulation will be pretty good. Would a 25 watt be ok or should I go for 50 or 75?

i would go with a 50w over 25w maybe even 75 w you can always use a dimmer to reduce the wattage easier then bying hogher wattage bulbs to increase it
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Buisnesses come and go everyday, what keeps you here is how you treated the customer the day before....My Boa Can Kick Your Boas _ss!www.cheapcages.com
Visit the new website while the Jungle gets made over.

Yeah I figured. It will be hooked up to a Helix DBS1000 with grounded cord. Would it still be a good Idea to put it on a dimmer?
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

I agree, use a higher wattage bulb with a dimmer. Because in an 18 inch high enclousre, a 50 watt bulb will need to be dimmed. I have an 18 inch high glas tank currently, with a 60 watt on the top (only heating source) and without a dimmer it got up to 95 on the warm side.
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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)

OK easy enough. The dimmer in conjunction with the Helix correct? I just don't want to burn my lil guy or make him freeze to death. Any suggestions on a low price/good quality dimmer, I know home Depo has a few, would something like that be ideal?

Thanks for the info! (My snakie thanks you too! )
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~

on the light it only need to be on like a 12 naturals light cycle so i would get the following items to make it easy on yourself.

#1 - A wall timer you can get one for about $15
#2 - For a dimmer to make easy so you dont need to buy connectors , wire , boxe and a plate get or ask for a "Lamp dimmer" they are plug in and use ready and reated for enough wattage to carry your light heating these run about $10-$15 also they have a plug in cord and a outlet on them to plug your heat/ light into .
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Buisnesses come and go everyday, what keeps you here is how you treated the customer the day before....My Boa Can Kick Your Boas _ss!www.cheapcages.com
Visit the new website while the Jungle gets made over.

The wall timer is not needed for your purpose. If you were using a white light, then that would be true. However using the red light strictly for heat, the snake isnt able to see that spectrum anyway. Therefore, keep it on 24/7. I use blacklights, which can be seen by them...however there is natural daylight coming into my room which keeps their lutenal/nocturnal cycle correct. I would reccomend going to home depot getting a Lutron lamp dimmer, costs $10.99. Picture on the bottom. You just plug it in, then plug your light into that. It's a lot easier and smaller than having to get a wall dimmer and box and wire. Plus you'll have a much smaller chance of shocking yourself on it

Thats the control unit in my hand, then you have a wire that plugs in, and a pass thru that your light plugs into.

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The reason mainstream thought is thought of as a stream is because it's so shallow. -George Carlin

Battling ignorance one stupid person at a time.

Current snakes:
0.1 Licorice Stick Black Rat (Lola)
1.0 Neonate Black Rat (het for Lic Stk's) (Frankie)
1.1 Texas Bairds (Jose and Rosa)
0.1 Blue Beauty (Brunhilde)

I was thinking the same thing. The reason I chose that bulb is so it can be on whenever needed (24/7). Thanks, I will make a trip to the Depot and pick one up. Do I just use that alone or does it still get hooked up to the Helix?
Thanks again for the help!
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"Wanting to be someone else is a waste of the person you are." - Kurt Cobain

"You laugh at me because I am different; I laugh at you because you are all the same."

~~ Krystal ~~