Exo Terra Night Heat Bulb Smell?

I’ve been trying to use the Exo Terra Night Heat Lamp bulbs but twice they have left a weird smell. Almost like plastic burning. Anyone notice the same thing with this brand? I don’t think it’s my lamps, neither of them emit this smell with any other bulb. Kind of bummed because my local store doesn’t have any other brand of night bulbs. Recommendations?

Most likely you have it in the wrong fixture. They require all metal fixtures (the dome lighting like you have for ceramic heat emitters). The plastic hood like fixtures they sell are not for heat lamps.

This

https://i.imgur.com/XHSzOfV.jpg

Not this

https://i.imgur.com/3ChFchm.jpg

the metal dome ones are the ones I have.

those metla domes do not have plastic so if it is the ceramic and metal one then you got something on the bulb and I would not worry.

A side note: your BP will still be able to see the night lamp, and might get stressed over having a constant light source. You could look into getting a CHE, which emits heat but no light.

Also, some of the metal hoods also have plastic sockets and some have ceramic sockets - I always use the ceramic socketed ones. Some bulbs put off a "hot" smell for about 2-3 hours when they are brand new, I used to notice with the exo-terra midnight blue bulbs that I had before I got the CHE's (which also smell hot the first time they are used).

I would use it as long as there is no sparking, popping sounds, etc - but maybe install it on a day you are going to be home. I always wait to clean, change bulbs, etc for a day that I am off if possible so that I can ensure that everything remains dialed in. Of course as soon as I move something or add more bedding all the temps change and take a few hours to re-stabilize, so I just tinker with it through out the day until it's right again.