Is a heat lamp necessary?

I am picking up my ball python later this week and have just finished setting up its cage. The temperatures are all perfect without a heat lamp but I am worried about my parents changing the temperature of the house and making my room to cold. However I dont want to constantly have to check on the heat lamp to make sure that I am not frying my snake. What do you guys like and dislike about heat lamps and do you think I need one or not?

I suuuper think you should get a lamp. Even if the ambient temperature is correct your scaley pal will need a hot spot to bask! I use an infrared bulb that's 100 watts. Exoterra brand. What I like about is it makes a perfect hot spot and it keeps the rest of the viv at a gradient from warm side to cool side and seeing Louie thermoregulate from his basking spot to his hide in the cool side so I know he can pick how warm it cool be wants to be. Also I keep some moss and cypress mulch in the warmer side and mist it to help keep humidity levels proper!! xx

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Originally Posted by Zlo98

I am picking up my ball python later this week and have just finished setting up its cage. The temperatures are all perfect without a heat lamp but I am worried about my parents changing the temperature of the house and making my room to cold. However I dont want to constantly have to check on the heat lamp to make sure that I am not frying my snake. What do you guys like and dislike about heat lamps and do you think I need one or not?

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If you don't want to have to keep checking then you can get a thermostat which cuts the power off to the heat bulb or an Under Tank Heater ( UTH ) at the temperatures that you set. Refer to care sheets for correct temperatures. Some more advanced breeders and keepers use a heat tape with thermostats in racks. And I think there are even more advanced heating methods that I couldn't explain. I just know a little bit about the bulbs and UTH's I personally like the heat bulbs day type and night type with a 12/12 timer. I change watts according to the room temp. I have 50 watt, 75 watt and 100 day bulbs with a 40 gal I mostly use the 50watt and 75watt. Never used the 100 yet, haven't needed too. But it is summer and I have to watch the room AC too. I keep it low and comfortable, about 80.
At night I use the blue light heat bulbs. 25,50 and 75 watt I could use a thermostat, but I don't and probably should, but instead I just measure temperature's often and select the best watt bulb.

Alright thanks! I think I'll get one and just have my dad let me know whenever he changes the A/C. I also usually like a fan on at night so a heat lamp would probably make sense

A cheap digital thermometer that shows the highest and lowest temperatures it measures while it is on is helpful to have, so you know what the tank temps are when you are away or sleeping.

If I got a ceramic bulb could I use that for both day and night or would I still need a night bulb?

A ceramic bulb will work well. Ball pythons don't need a day/night cycle.

Alright. Thank you so much for the help! I just got my yet to be named ball yesterday so I want to make sure everything is perfect for him

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Originally Posted by Monty's_Mom

A cheap digital thermometer that shows the highest and lowest temperatures it measures while it is on is helpful to have, so you know what the tank temps are when you are away or sleeping.

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After reading your suggestion and hearing from many others I finally picked one up at Petsmart. It is a All Living Things Digital brand thermometer and hygrometer it wasn't expensive at all 20.99 so thanks for the suggestion. Don't know if it will give me past readings but it will give me at least accurate present readings. I had 2 of the cheap type stick-on which having 2 put me in the ball park but now I have something a lot better to help me with temps and humidity. I got the same brand climbing branch to give my girl something to climb on, rather than them cheap sticky's. :snake: Any suggestions from folks here about the placing of the main part and the placing of the probes? Warm end, cool end, in the middle?

Just one thing to think about is that heat lamps do not work well with thermostats. The process of constantly going off and on is going to burn that bulb out very quickly. Some heat bulbs wont even turn back on for a period of time after they have been shut off.

You can however put the bulb on a lamp dimmer.

What wattage would you guys suggest if the room temperature is usually in the mid to low 70s

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

Just one thing to think about is that heat lamps do not work well with thermostats. The process of constantly going off and on is going to burn that bulb out very quickly. Some heat bulbs wont even turn back on for a period of time after they have been shut off.

You can however put the bulb on a lamp dimmer.

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Thanks Josh , didn't think about that. I guess thermostats would be better for UTH's or tapes. Dimmers would be a much better recommendation for heat bulbs. I use heat bulbs to heat with, I don't have a thermostat, guess I better not get one. A dimmer might be real good idea though for those of us who use the bulbs to heat. Right now I just go by what I hope is the right size watts. Just picked up a digital therm. and hygrometer today from petsmart. Did have the analog, cheap, type. And bought an infrared temp. gun a few months ago. I have to get a little at a time it seems, poor nicki, :depressed but she's still surviving and healthy, gladly, and I weighed her 386 grams yesterday.

You may not get away with just one bulb. Things are always changing. Also when winter comes, you may have to change up.

Your size will probably be different than mine. I don't know what size tank you have.

My tanks are 36" long and run from 12,and 18 wide to 18 and 20 high.

The type of substrate can make a difference because of the amount of water it may be holding, thus humidity levels.

I know this is the long way around the barn, but I would suggest trying a 100 watt bulb. That way you can always use a dimmer and turn it down.

You can get this table top slider dimmer at Lowes for under 10 bucks online or in store.

Tapatalk is down for this forum right now, so I am unable to post a pic of the dimmer. I will add a photo in a different post when able.

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Originally Posted by JoshSloane

You can however put the bulb on a lamp dimmer.

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My local Ace hardware had an inline one that was super easy to instal for about 9 bucks. Keeps everything nice and tidy.

Dave

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Originally Posted by Zlo98

I am picking up my ball python later this week and have just finished setting up its cage. The temperatures are all perfect without a heat lamp but I am worried about my parents changing the temperature of the house and making my room to cold. However I dont want to constantly have to check on the heat lamp to make sure that I am not frying my snake. What do you guys like and dislike about heat lamps and do you think I need one or not?

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Do you have an UTH and what is your room temp?

If you are just using the bulb to increase ambient temps, and are relying on the UTH for the hot spot, a 100w is plenty. Dim it down if you need.

I use a ceramic bulb just on one side that I can change the height vertically if it gets too hot/cold but I haven't had to move it from where it lies currently. Also a UTH on a dimmer reading 90 with a laser thermometer on that hot side. Creates a gradient for me 88 ambient in 1/3 of tank with 90 basking spot (UTH) and the cold side sits at 77deg.

The inline lamp dimmer I got from home depot for $12 also.

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Originally Posted by bondo

Do you have an UTH and what is your room temp?

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Yeah I have a UTH and that is doing fine. My room is in the high 70s during the day and the low 70s at night. Does the lamp have to be specifically made for ceramic bulbs or can I use the lamp I got from lowes?

It needs to have a porcelain base that the bulb screws into. If it's plastic you will have a melted mess

If you have issues maintaining the cool side but re worried about a heat lamp why not have a second UTH and second thermostat for the cool side?

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I'm looking at heat lamps now and can I use a ceramic bulb with a lamp that is advertised for incandescent bulbs? It has a ceramic top

As long as the lamp is rated for the wattage of the CHE.

Here is a pic of that Dimmer switch.


http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/07...131e5aec37.jpg