Question About Heat Lamps

Hello everyone. :)

I recently decided I wanted to try out the red light at night, but it smells like there's a burning scent coming from it. Is this normal? I've never had that happen with black lights or normal basking bulbs. :/ Should I chalk it up to a no go and return it? Just wondering. There is not a snake in the enclosure currently, but my baby should arrive Wednesday and I want everything perfect for her.

I have black lights for my BPs at night, and basking bulbs during the day. This wa just weird though. Within minutes of turning it on it smelled like heat/burning. Why might this be?

Thanks!

Might be your light fixture or a defected bulb.

why do you have basking bulbs? they do not need them and do nothing but cost $

if it smells like it's burning or melting...i'd take i back FOR SURE.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquamishSerpents

why do you have basking bulbs? they do not need them and do nothing but cost $

if it smells like it's burning or melting...i'd take i back FOR SURE.

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x2

It is likely a coated bulb that is basically painted rather than made red. I'd look for a higher quality one.

If you need a bulb to hold the ambient temps correct you need it. They do raise the ambient air temps it is cheaper than heating a room to 80ºF.

Yes, I need a bulb to raise the ambient temps. The room isn't cold, but it's not as warm as my snake room. The new girl had to be quarantined until I'm sure she's healthy. Also, the enclosure is on a wooden surface, so I can't have an UTH. So the bulbs are necessary to keep the temps right. But thank you! I think I will return it. :)

I was thinking of getting a ceramic heat emitter bulb with a thermostat from home depot. They can't be any worse for humidity than normal heating bulbs, can they?

Tapatalk with the Inspire 4G

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jackiechan

Might be your light fixture or a defected bulb.

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I've used the light fixture before, so I don't think it's that. I believe it's the bulb. I'm trying out one of the other bulbs I've use for my other snakes to make sure it's not the fixture though. :) If not, it's back to the petstore with that bulb, and I will just get the bulbs I normally use.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SquamishSerpents

why do you have basking bulbs? they do not need them and do nothing but cost $

if it smells like it's burning or melting...i'd take i back FOR SURE.

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I use the bulbs because I had an UTH on one of my other tanks, but in winter it wasn't enough. Plus, every time I pulled my snake out, he was cold, even with the UTH. So I got him black light bulbs to add ambient heat. He seems happier with those.

But I had basking bulbs for the same reason. To add ambient day time heat. The room they are in is also pretty dark, so it gives them a daylight cycle. If I don't keep my little guy regulated with that, he stops eating.

The red bulb is for a new 20L enclosure that has no snake in it yet. I was just trying to get my temps/humidity right a couple days before she gets here.

It might be worth looking into a CHE and perhaps running it 24/7 and using a lower power heat light system Flourscent or LED. Just a thought. The red glass bulbs should be fine but the coated one (like the cheap holiday ones the coating often burns and flakes off.