Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hi All,
I am upgrading to a 55 gallon setup for my BRB. I have everything, tank stand, glass top, and two flourescent fixtures. My question is, what would be the best butlbs for heat. I see the Repti-Sun bulbs online. I was trying to find some sort of infrared solution so I can have one bulb for day and one for night on a timer. Any ideas?

titustetricus,
..BRBs are nocturnal and are often inactive during daylight hours. BRBs are so noctunal that lights can stress them and make them spend more time in the dark hiding places in the cage. I use no lights in any of my Rainbow Boa cages. I heat them with a length of flexwatt heattape under one end of the cage. You could also use one of the undertank heaters that are on the market. Unless your room where the cage is is very cool you will not need much heat under one end of the cage to provide a nice temperature gradient and ideal environment.
Jeff

>>Hi All,
>> I am upgrading to a 55 gallon setup for my BRB. I have everything, tank stand, glass top, and two flourescent fixtures. My question is, what would be the best butlbs for heat. I see the Repti-Sun bulbs online. I was trying to find some sort of infrared solution so I can have one bulb for day and one for night on a timer. Any ideas?

Hi Jeff,
Thanks for the response. I got the 55 setup, and I have a UTH on one end right now. I also keep a low wattage infrared incadescent above the tank, and that keeps the air temp in the tank in the 75-80 range depending on how cold it is. I live in new england so with winter coming I have been working a little harder to keep the temp up. The snake doesn't seem to mind the light, once in a while I see him in the daytime, but everynight he is out and active. I was just worried that if it gets really cold this winter, the little ir light won't keep up, maybe I'll get a bigger UTH, the one I use now is an 8 by 12. Thanks again.

I have used them for 3 years in additional to uth/flexwatt. Although I haven't had problems with the set up, I have had problems specifically with ESU's bulbs burning out in a month, the base coming off the glass, and 2 bursts. I will be using ceramic heat emitters this winter with uth. I sometimes have used the "night bulb" during the day if needed. Personally I cannot tell that the night bulbs affect the snake in any way besides adding heat and that may be because I use cypress mulch and the snakes are usually burrowed into it. As for daytime lighting, your snakes will likely do much better without it due to their nocturnal habits. If I were you, I would only use infared or ceramic heat even during the day.

I have an infrared bulb I use, but I also have a UTH I have been worried about using. My BRB likes to burrow and I didn't want him to burrow directly over the UTH if it would be hot enough to burn him, so I have never used it. Could I use the UTH safely? If so I would rather do that than keep paying for bulbs.

Scott,
..There is a chance that you could burn the snake with that UTH. There are two ways to make it safe. You can eiather insulate it away from the bottom of the cage with something or wire a thermostat or rheostat so that the amount of electricity going to it is controlled.
Jeff

>>I have an infrared bulb I use, but I also have a UTH I have been worried about using. My BRB likes to burrow and I didn't want him to burrow directly over the UTH if it would be hot enough to burn him, so I have never used it. Could I use the UTH safely? If so I would rather do that than keep paying for bulbs.

If I had known at the beginning to use a rheostat I wouldn't have used the uth without one. It wasn't until a bought a temp gun that I realized how hot they get. I would not use one unless it's hooked up to a dimmer or thermostat like Jeff said. Also I suggest not to mount it with adhesive to the bottom of a tank-if that's what yours is kept in, but to lay it one the surface the tank sits on. That way the heat can disperse better in that air pocket and not be as hot directly above it. If I remember correctly, the gun measured the surface temp of a cobra heat mat at 140.

Thanks. I do have a thermostat that I bought but to use with the UTH, but I have never used it. I need to get another thermometer to measure the actual temps of the area over the UTH while using the thermostat, so I'll try to get it today. The UTH is already stuck on the bottom of the tank and has been for about a yera, I just haven't ever used it.

Is there anything else you think I nedd to do? Thank You.

Don't expect the uth to dramatically raise the ambient temp of the enclosure, you'll have to make it very hot to actually heat the air. My experience has been that they create a warmer area only.

Linda

Do yourself a favor when you buy a thermometer. Go to Walmart and buy a digital indoor/outdoor thermostat. These units have a probe attached, this way you can leave the main unit on one side of the cage and move the probe around to other spots within the cage. Mine also have a built in hygrometer, so I always know when they need a misting. I think mine costed $15., very affordable for all it does. Goodluck, Clint