is this ok....?

so i went today to pick up all the supplies for my tank

problem is, i have nothing to clamp the light onto in my room

i have a temporary solution, but then i saw this:

http://www.ball-pythons.net/Sections...-1-page-1.html

from this website, the lamp on top of the wire mesh top

I would think that's a big no-no, because of the chance for it to start a fire

on a side note-question...what wattage of bulb are you all using? especially if your tank is set up with the light shown in pic above.

When i kept Andy in a tank with a screen lid, i had the light resting right on top of the mesh without any problems. You just have to make sure you dont put something flamable close to the light. As far as wattage goes, that will be something you need to experiment with. The temp in the room where your bp is kept, the amount of air flow around and through the tank, and the length of time you leave the light on will all be determining factors in the wattage of bulb you need. You'll probably need to experiment with different wattages until you get it down.

I have a ceramic heat emitter in a clamp fixture sitting on top of screen on the one tank I do keep (the rest are in Sterilites, and yes, she does have under-tank heating as well). No worries about fire, really, because I don't leave paper or mice or anything flammable close to the CHE.

hmm, i wonder what the flammability rating is on mice anyhow?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mlededee

hmm, i wonder what the flammability rating is on mice anyhow?

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i can test it out for you :twisted:

Well, they do have that little warning tag, but it's kinda hard to read. ;)

yeah, my eyesight isn't that great. i'm due for some new contacts soon anyhow.

Must've missed those Marla ;)

well i decided to go with a 75W bulb

i dont have it resting directly on top of the wire mesh lid though.

i'm still checking temps on both sides to find out what i need


thanks for your replies

I was just wondering if you have a heating pad for underneath the tank? Have you tried heating the tank with just the heating pad since belly heat is necessary for the best digestion? If the heating pad heats the tank up to the appropriate temps, then you don't have to worry about having a light. BPs, being nocturnal, don't need any other lighting than what is coming through a window. Ditch the light for now and go to WalMart and get a human heating pad without auto shutoff. That would be your best bet. Besides, since you're keeping your snake in a tank, the light will leach out the humidity, giving you more problems than you need. Hope this helps.