Reptile & Amphibian Forums

OK I need help here. I am trying to make an enclosure with fake rock. I want to hide the heat bulb I will be using. I found the perfect way to do so, but it concearns a slim 50 watt red heat bulb, which I am beginning to believe are non existant (as I can find nothing over 25 watt and have been told this is most likely not sufficent). Here is a (ROUGH LOL) sketch of the basic layout of the enclosure.

I do not want the bulb to be visible from the top or front (at they will be glass). The red oval is where I would like to place the bulb. I figured out the best way to hid the slim bulb, but is there a good way to hide a normal bulb without it taking up so much space that the bulb will be too close to the floor? (cage is approx. 18" deep). I plan(ned) to have the bulb accessible from the back.

Any Ideas? Some help please?
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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 ~~

Krystal,

With the glass top and front it will be tough, I believe, but I have a couple of ideas.

You could make something that looks like a rock ledge/overhang that is actually hollow underneath. The bulb and fixture would go here.

Or maybe look for a short section of red rope-light. You could then have a small groove all along the top edge of your rock work that the rope light rested in.

Better yet, have the rope light run behind the rockwork. Instead of styrofoam walls form them from screen and grout. Then it would be safe to have the rope light running behind the rockwork. I assume you want it to provide a bit of night-time light so you could then have a small section that would be placed near the top of the rockwork but that would shine light into the cage.

Styrofoam walls may work but I'd make sure it's safe to have a heat source in contact with it.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

Would the red rope light make it warm enough for him? I will have a piece of heat tape about 11" x 11" on the hot side.

I was thinking something like I found at the link I provided below (only referring to the way the lights were hidden, you have to scroll down a bit).
Lights hidden in fake rock

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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 just saw the beardie cage. That is really nice. I am building one for my ball right now. I am going to do a rock cage (hide) on one side with an enclose light above.

>>Would the red rope light make it warm enough for him? I will have a piece of heat tape about 11" x 11" on the hot side.

I guess I don't know enough about the cage and the room it will sit in.

The glass top will really make it hard to conceal things. Are you wanting the red light for night-time viewing?
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

Well night viewing will be a plus, but I was going to use it for heat. I don't think the heat tape is going to be sufficent alone. I would LOVE to use the slim bulb, but I can NOT find it in over 25 watt, although I was under the impression that I could get 50 watt. The full size bulb is going to be harder to hide.

Here are dome specifics on the enclosure...

Outside dimentions: 48" x 18" x 18"

Should have good insulation except for glass front and top.

Anything else you would like to know, just ask, I am really sick and my brain doesn't seem to be working up to par.

Thanks.
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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 ~~

Krystal,

Sorry to hear you're not feeling well.

I'm afraid there is no formula for taking the specs of a cage and figuring out what type of heat will be sufficient. I'm afraid you'll have to experiment around.

Or make the top solid colored so you can have a wider choice of heating elements.
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Current snakes:

1.1 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Silver/Yellow)

3.4 Gonyosoma oxycephala - (Green)

2.1 Gonyosoma janseni - (Black)

I was more worried on how to hide the bulb than actually the wattage, I can chage wattage if need be. I actually bought a 75watt blacklight (spotlight) for Halloween for the front porch, but we decided to use the globe bulb instead, so I was thinking maybe I could use that? I think I can figure out a way to hide the bulb, but it will be a little weird. Put on a dimmer of course. I will leave him in his little drawer (like a rack, but singal) untill I get the temps right and make sure everything is done off-gasing. I REALLY don't want to give up the glass top, but it is an option, if I do that I have an idea that is fool proof, but I REALLY like the idea of having the glass top that I could look down into. Thanks for the info.

Thanks for the concearn though, I am FINALLY starting to feel a little better.
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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 ~~

::You could make something that looks like a rock ledge/overhang that is actually hollow underneath. The bulb and fixture would go here.

>>This is pretty much what I wanted to do, but I am worried that with a full sized bulb it will be too bulky and I would have to position it too close to the floor of the cage.

::Better yet, have the rope light run behind the rockwork. Instead of styrofoam walls form them from screen and grout. Then it would be safe to have the rope light running behind the rockwork. I assume you want it to provide a bit of night-time light so you could then have a small section that would be placed near the top of the rockwork but that would shine light into the cage.

>> You have offically made me feel blonde, LOL. You lost me here a little bit.
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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 ~~