Is it ok if

[Quinnster]

So i've been reading alot of different things about heat lamps. Before we go off topic I do have an UTH. But this thread is just about heat lamps. I have 1 heat lamp that I use to raise my temps in the air and on the surface.

Question 1: Is it okay if I use the Zoo Med Daylight Blue bulb during the day for heat, and the Zoo Med Nightlight Red for nightime heat?

Here is the link to the lightbulbs. Please look at them.
Day bulb: http://www.zoomed.com/db/products/En...lnaHRpbmciO30=

Night bulb: http://zoomed.com/db/products/EntryD...D=2&SearchID=5
Question 2: Can I use the daylight blue bulb from 10am to 10pm? (That's 12 hrs) and the nightlight red bulb from 10pm to 10am? (That's 12 hrs as well) is this an okay lighting cycle?

[Zombie]

It's going to depend on your setup. First, BPs don't need a day/night cycle. So if you need the added heat you could just run the red bulb all the time.

The short answer is yes you can use a bulb to raise temps, but in doing so you will sacrifice humidity. Bulbs tend to zap the humidity right out of the air, so make sure you watch that!

Also, monitor temps closely. Your temps will raise and lower throughout the day as your house temps raise and lower. Needing the bulb at one time may be too hot another. Also, if the temps are getting too warm then your wattage may be too high on the bulb, or not hot enough it may be too low.

Make sure you have good thermometers and hygrometers to measure temp and humidity!

[BHReptiles]

As Zombie said, ball pythons don't need a day/night cycle. I would just use the night bulb and leave it on 24 hours if that's something you're interested in. Depending on the height of the cage, a 25watt may be too little (on the flipside, the 100watt is way too much). You really only need a 50watt on a shorter cage (I have a 50 watt red bulb on a cornsnake 20L cage) or a 75watt bulb on a taller cage.

That bulb will eliminate any humidity you have in there. You'll need to make sure to use a substrate that holds humidity well (cypress mulch, eco earth, coconut husks, etc) and do daily (or twice daily) mistings. You might also consider covering the lid with plexiglass, foil, a damp towel, etc.

If you really want to use both bulbs, that's fine...just make sure to use the appropriate wattage. Also, you may want to get a lamp dimmer for each light. I got one at home depot and it costs about $10. You can manually control how much heat the lamps give off by "dimming" them. This will help you better control the heat.

[Quinnster]

It's going to depend on your setup. First, BPs don't need a day/night cycle. So if you need the added heat you could just run the red bulb all the time.

The short answer is yes you can use a bulb to raise temps, but in doing so you will sacrifice humidity. Bulbs tend to zap the humidity right out of the air, so make sure you watch that!

Also, monitor temps closely. Your temps will raise and lower throughout the day as your house temps raise and lower. Needing the bulb at one time may be too hot another. Also, if the temps are getting too warm then your wattage may be too high on the bulb, or not hot enough it may be too low.

Make sure you have good thermometers and hygrometers to measure temp and humidity!

Okay thank you. I'll probably just keep doing it the way I have been; using the daylight bulb during the day and the nightlight red bulb during the night. The daylight bulb doesn't seem to affect him either (some say the bright white lights stress them out) he seems to do just fine. I have a big tank for my baby ball python, it's a 40 gallon, so I need the lamp as another heat source. I'm doing perfectly fine with temperatures too.

[Quinnster]

As Zombie said, ball pythons don't need a day/night cycle. I would just use the night bulb and leave it on 24 hours if that's something you're interested in. Depending on the height of the cage, a 25watt may be too little (on the flipside, the 100watt is way too much). You really only need a 50watt on a shorter cage (I have a 50 watt red bulb on a cornsnake 20L cage) or a 75watt bulb on a taller cage.

That bulb will eliminate any humidity you have in there. You'll need to make sure to use a substrate that holds humidity well (cypress mulch, eco earth, coconut husks, etc) and do daily (or twice daily) mistings. You might also consider covering the lid with plexiglass, foil, a damp towel, etc.

If you really want to use both bulbs, that's fine...just make sure to use the appropriate wattage. Also, you may want to get a lamp dimmer for each light. I got one at home depot and it costs about $10. You can manually control how much heat the lamps give off by "dimming" them. This will help you better control the heat.

I like to use the daylight bulb during the day and the nightlight red bulb on at night just because I love the way the daybulb looks in the tank during the day for daytime veiwing, and they way the red light looks great at night for nightime veiwing.
Oh and the links I used in the first thread post, they were just examples to show you the brand and the type of bulb I use. I don't actually use only a 25 watt lightbulb hehehe

My temps and humidity are actually pretty good, I have a dimmer for my UTH and a dimmer for my heat lamp. I monitor both temps actaully way too much. I make sure they're perfect all the time! As for humidity, I mist a few times daily and keep a wet towel (not dripping wet) on top of the lid screen. That seems to work well.

[snakesRkewl]

CHE

[nachash]

Uhhhhhhh, all snakes, even nocturnal ones need a lighting schedule. That doesn't mean they need a UVB UVA schedule like an iguana or a bearded dragon, but they need clear indications of a period of light versus a period of dark. Most animals, even more simple ones, need such a schedule because it affects hormone production. If you kept a snake in a pitch black closet for prolonged periods of time, unless it's a blindsnake, you'll see some problems. I think the best way to word this is that ambient room lighting usually is enough to stimulate proper hormones, but to say that ball pythons need zero lighting consideration is misleading.

[Zombie]

Uhhhhhhh, all snakes, even nocturnal ones need a lighting schedule. That doesn't mean they need a UVB UVA schedule like an iguana or a bearded dragon, but they need clear indications of a period of light versus a period of dark. Most animals, even more simple ones, need such a schedule because it affects hormone production. If you kept a snake in a pitch black closet for prolonged periods of time, unless it's a blindsnake, you'll see some problems. I think the best way to word this is that ambient room lighting usually is enough to stimulate proper hormones, but to say that ball pythons need zero lighting consideration is misleading.

I see what your saying, but BPs are fine without a cycle. Hence the reason they do just fine in tubs that have no light penetration (such as freedom breeder). By what you are saying, if I left my lights on at night it would throw them off. It doesn't. They can't see any light thru the tub anyway. Not trying to argue, but in no way do they have any type of day/night cycle and they all breed just fine. They also eat and are extremely healthy. There are actually a lot of people that convert walk in closets to snake rooms. Those snakes are fine as well...

[KMG]

I prefer giving a light cycle to all my snakes too. I also like how the day bulbs present my tanks. I keep naturalistic tanks when possible and don't like how the red lights look over them.

I program my timers to start and end around the same times as the sun provides us light. It's unrelated but I also find myself misting heavy on days it rains.

[Zombie]

I prefer giving a light cycle to all my snakes too. I also like how the day bulbs present my tanks. I keep naturalistic tanks when possible and don't like how the red lights look over them.

I program my timers to start and end around the same times as the sun provides us light. It's unrelated but I also find myself misting heavy on days it rains.

Absolutely, if its something you prefer and your snakes are healthy and content then by all means. If I had snakes in terrariums I would want lighting in them as well.