overhead heat source

[TheHabit]

what is a good overhead heat source besides a CHE? i know balls are nocturnal and dont neccessarily need the light, but i have a light fixture that i'd like to continue using. Right now I'm using a 50 watt blue heat bulb (it came with the starter kit i bought) but its not keeping the ambient air temp high enough, at least not on the warm side of the tank. Would a regular 60 watt lightbulb be okay to use during the day? Or would the brightness of the bulb stress the snake? I have a 50 watt infrared heat bulb for the night cycle.

[CeraDigital]

I used Radiant Heat Panels for a lot of my larger animals, since flexwatt didn't quite cut it. You can order them from places like The Bean Farm, and Reptile Basics.

I noticed that overhead heat sources such as bulbs and ceramic heat emitters lowered the ambient humidity way too much for my liking, and dried the cage up too much.

[giaach]

Okay I would really suggest a CHE they really work well. Red bulbs produce a lot more heat than a blue bulb but if you don't want to deal with the light then go with the CHE. The red bulbs put out infrared light ( something humans can see but reptiles can not) but it can get annoying to look at. AND.... CHEs last a long time. My 2 Cents

[TheHabit]

Personally i like the red glow of the light at night, and it keeps the ambient temp about 88/90 degrees throughout the night.
HOWEVER, my question was about a daytime light, i could go with a CHE but i did want a bulb that emits light as well as heat. That being said, could i just use a normal 60 watt lightbulb or would that stress the snake

[starmom]

As was mentioned RHP's are great!

[Mike Cavanaugh]

CHE is the way to go, as I have already told you! Why can't you use your current lamp? as long as the watage is within the lamps limits, you are good to go. The lamps you are using (that are pictured in your other post) are the same lamps I have been using for over a year without issue... with CHE's.


Sounds like you will try it and see for yourself anyway, but IMHO, the infared light stinks. it costs 10 bucks, and might last 2 months. When I first used one, like everyone else, I thought the red light looked cool. BUT then, a few days later my wife started complaining about it. She said it was giving her a headache. Then sure enough, it started to bother me too. It becomes VERY anoying!

Like I said in the other post, Balls don't need the bright day lights. In my opion it is better NOT to have them. They like dark places. Even if you have good hides, a bright light like that will still get too much light into the hides! you need no more then ambient lighting (in other words just the normal lighting in your house)

priorities... Keep in mind, it is first what works for the snake... then second what works for you. Not the other way around!

Mike

[TheHabit]

CHE is the way to go, as I have already told you! Why can't you use your current lamp? as long as the watage is within the lamps limits, you are good to go. The lamps you are using (that are pictured in your other post) are the same lamps I have been using for over a year without issue... with CHE's.


Sounds like you will try it and see for yourself anyway, but IMHO, the infared light stinks. it costs 10 bucks, and might last 2 months. When I first used one, like everyone else, I thought the red light looked cool. BUT then, a few days later my wife started complaining about it. She said it was giving her a headache. Then sure enough, it started to bother me too. It becomes VERY anoying!

Like I said in the other post, Balls don't need the bright day lights. In my opion it is better NOT to have them. They like dark places. Even if you have good hides, a bright light like that will still get too much light into the hides! you need no more then ambient lighting (in other words just the normal lighting in your house)

priorities... Keep in mind, it is first what works for the snake... then second what works for you. Not the other way around!

Mike

agreed. the problem i was having with the 50watt day bulb was just that its not keeping ambient temp warm enough. i get paid on friday and i guess i'll get a CHE then, but until then i have to keep using what i have. What is a radiant heat panel? does that go on top of the tank or what?

[BMorrison]

I keep a 75w infrared running 24/7

[TheHabit]

Ok, so i found a decent looking thermostat, anyone tried it?

http://www.reptilesupply.com/product.php?products_id=75

was thinking about using this for both my UTH and a CHE or RHP
Think that would be good?

[starmom]

agreed. the problem i was having with the 50watt day bulb was just that its not keeping ambient temp warm enough. i get paid on friday and i guess i'll get a CHE then, but until then i have to keep using what i have. What is a radiant heat panel? does that go on top of the tank or what?

A radiant heat panel (RHP) can be either top or side mounted. As in the name, they radiate heat without the drying effects of a CHE. I will use one for each of my big boa cages to increase ambient air temps. They are also good for arboreal critters who benefit from overhead heat. In your case, you would be using one to bump your ambient temps without decreasing your humidity as drastically as a CHE will.
All this said, there are many ways to set up an environment and they all work to varying degrees. A lot depends on the money you have to spend and the time you are willing to spend 'tweaking' the environment on an on-going basis.
I strongly suggest using tubs or a reptile cage for the best environment for your snake and ease of use for the keeper. That said, I realize people will continue to use fish tanks and they will continue to make them work for themselves and their snakes!!