Some Lighting Questions!

[Ashley Gervais]

Hello all! My first post here so thanks in advance!

I've had snakes before (two corns, one ball) but they were years ago (as in, before I even graduated highschool)! My boyfriend recently bought me a new ball for my Birthday that was in June and now I'm having problems getting the lighting correct. We've already gone through three of our day bulbs (they keep burning out [or I am handling them too roughly]) and today, the fourth had issues with the on/off switch on the chord. It got super hot and it doesn't 'click' into either position. It's getting annoying to have to buy these things so frequently when I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be!

So here is our setup:
(Day) 14 Watt Fluorescent Light , purely for daytime cycling
(Day) 150 Watt Day White bulb in dome (Those zilla ones)
(Night) 75 Night Red Bulb (zilla ones) in the same dome
Plus a under cage heat pad thingy (the ones that stick) in a 20 gallon tank (It takes up about 1/4 or so of the length, maybe a little less but I swear he is always on it!)

And things about the house itself:
We live in a basement. In Chicago (Yeah, still with my parents =/)
The air is ALWAYS on, so it is very cold down there!
The setup we have now, however, keeps everything constant and where it should be, temperature-wise.

Now to the questions!:
-Our we using too HIGH of watts? I'm assuming they are burning the chords out because of this.
-Is it bad that we are using the same dome for both the day/night lights? It's pretty much on 24/7 and probably isn't helping either.
-Is it better to use a clamp, or set the dome on the top itself? Ours is a screen top and I feel like the weight would stretch it after a while.
-What should we doing that is safer and more efficient than what we are using now?

Besides the lighting issues, he is very healthy. He has a better attitude than most of the balls I have seen. He eats 2x a week, one mouse a day and hasn't rejected any yet. He has also just finished shedding (which came off in one piece except for a bit around his head). I think he was owned by somebody previously before we got him, also, which may help with that. He doesn't mind being handled at all! He's around two feet long and I can tell he's going to be a thick boy!


Dahhh, anyway! Thanks everyone for all your help and suggestions you can give me. It's feeding night tonight so I will probably be running to the pet store within the hour! Sorry for the long spheal~!

[Fataltix]

To be completely honest, ball pythons don't need any form of artificial lighting. They are perfecting happy without it, health wise and activity wise.

If the lighting is just for viewing purposes... I'm afraid I can't help, not sure what you're doing wrong .

Cheers,
Fata

[Ashley Gervais]

To be completely honest, ball pythons don't need any form of artificial lighting. They are perfecting happy without it, health wise and activity wise.

If the lighting is just for viewing purposes... I'm afraid I can't help, not sure what you're doing wrong .

Cheers,
Fata

Hmm I might be explaining it right either!

I forgot to mention that this basement is dark. Like, no sunlight at all. So it's not really for viewing, it's so he gets a day/night cycle in. If that makes sense. xD

[jsmorphs2]

I'm not sure why the bulbs are burning out so often. Sometimes it can be from rough handling. In the past when I had glass tanks I used a combination of UTHs, ceramic heat emitters and a small (12") regular florescent bulb for light even though they do just fine with out it). I kept burning through glass bulbs and had a few lamps melt too (spent the $ to get all ceramic light fixtures after that scare). I ended up just ditching the whole idea of glass tanks years later and now I just keep them in rack systems.

[Aes_Sidhe]

Hmm I might be explaining it right either!

I forgot to mention that this basement is dark. Like, no sunlight at all. So it's not really for viewing, it's so he gets a day/night cycle in. If that makes sense. xD

Actually ball Pythons are nocturnal creature and they live mostly in termites mounds rodent burrows and such where is dark all day..
Even if they leave this safe places they do it during night so day/night cycle is really not necessary...

[Ashley Gervais]

I'm not sure why the bulbs are burning out so often. Sometimes it can be from rough handling. In the past when I had glass tanks I used a combination of UTHs, ceramic heat emitters and a small (12") regular florescent bulb for light even though they do just fine with out it). I kept burning through glass bulbs and had a few lamps melt too (spent the $ to get all ceramic light fixtures after that scare). I ended up just ditching the whole idea of glass tanks years later and now I just keep them in rack systems.

I see. So I could just be unlucky with the bulbs then? I remember melting a dome back with my old snakes so maybe its just me! Besides that, everything we have set up is okay? [I know it could be better, it will be with time!]

[kitedemon]

From the sounds of things you have a power problem either too much draw (high wattage on the bulbs) or low quality switches and cords. Are you plugged directly into the mains (wall) ? or are you using an extension cord?

I hate suggesting someone mess with a heating system that is working out for them, but it sounds like that might be something you may want to think on.

There is not much evidence about how important a day night cycle is or is not. But there is certainly nothing wrong with having one.

I will describe my system I use and perhaps it might spark an idea for something appropriate to you.

In my enclosures I have a UTH (stick on thingy) that provides the primary heat. I am in a cool environment and the room temps are also quite cool my solution (MY is not yours this is what is working for me take what you will from this) is to add a second uth to heat the cool end to where I want it. Both are on thermostats.

Ok so lighting, I have a (18 inch) fluorescent light inside the enclosures. This helps are great deal with increasing the ambient temps the bulb doesn't get super hot (like a regular bulb) but it still gets warm. (make sure the snake cannot lay against it touches are ok but long term contact might be a problem) This runs for 12 hours or 'daylight' it is just a regular cool white bulb not a high uv bulb. I have a dark blue LED light string for 'night' lighting so the night light comes on and there is a bit of over lap and daylight goes off. This also drops the ambient temps some (4-5ºF) but the hot spot and cool spot is maintained.

Day temps are 90ºF cool is 80ºF ambient air starts at about 79ºF and gently rises to about 84ºF after about 8 hours. night temps 90ºF and 80ºF The ambient temps hold around 84ºF maybe 85ºF for about 3 or 4 hours then start to decline to a early morning low of 79ºF then it starts over.

The fluorescent lights draw 8 watts and the LEDs draw well 1w maybe 2. There is no heavy tax on switches or cords and there is not a heavy draw when things come on and off.

Do you room lights dim when things in your set up change? it might be poor wiring in the house too. Surges may cause bulbs to burn out early.

[Ashley Gervais]

From the sounds of things you have a power problem either too much draw (high wattage on the bulbs) or low quality switches and cords. Are you plugged directly into the mains (wall) ? or are you using an extension cord?

I hate suggesting someone mess with a heating system that is working out for them, but it sounds like that might be something you may want to think on.

There is not much evidence about how important a day night cycle is or is not. But there is certainly nothing wrong with having one.

I will describe my system I use and perhaps it might spark an idea for something appropriate to you.

In my enclosures I have a UTH (stick on thingy) that provides the primary heat. I am in a cool environment and the room temps are also quite cool my solution (MY is not yours this is what is working for me take what you will from this) is to add a second uth to heat the cool end to where I want it. Both are on thermostats.

Ok so lighting, I have a (18 inch) fluorescent light inside the enclosures. This helps are great deal with increasing the ambient temps the bulb doesn't get super hot (like a regular bulb) but it still gets warm. (make sure the snake cannot lay against it touches are ok but long term contact might be a problem) This runs for 12 hours or 'daylight' it is just a regular cool white bulb not a high uv bulb. I have a dark blue LED light string for 'night' lighting so the night light comes on and there is a bit of over lap and daylight goes off. This also drops the ambient temps some (4-5ºF) but the hot spot and cool spot is maintained.

Day temps are 90ºF cool is 80ºF ambient air starts at about 79ºF and gently rises to about 84ºF after about 8 hours. night temps 90ºF and 80ºF The ambient temps hold around 84ºF maybe 85ºF for about 3 or 4 hours then start to decline to a early morning low of 79ºF then it starts over.

The fluorescent lights draw 8 watts and the LEDs draw well 1w maybe 2. There is no heavy tax on switches or cords and there is not a heavy draw when things come on and off.

Do you room lights dim when things in your set up change? it might be poor wiring in the house too. Surges may cause bulbs to burn out early.

Thank you for such a thorough post!
I suppose I should have been a lot more descriptive in the original post.

The basement was unfinished when we moved in. My dad pretty much threw up all the electrical on his own. He does construction for a living, but by no means is an electrician so I'm sure that could be a major cause of my problem! I currently have the dome (day/night) right into the wall socket, while the UTH and fluorescent light are shared on an extension chord. I've been meaning to buy a surge protector supply so I will stop by Walmart after feeding to see if that will help. I considered that my dads shoddy electrical job could have been an issue so hopefully changing the way things are plugged in will help a bit.

Your overall temperatures are also very similar to mine! It's just that I have to buy a new bulb every week (and now a new ceramic dome because the switch melted or something) that's the problem. I'd rather be cost and energy efficient, obviously! ;]

[Old Sloppy]

I agree with kitedemon.
Your wire/switchs issues can mean too high of wattage for them.
The bulbs burning out is possible rough handling, incandesent bulbs like to cool down before being moved.
Incandesent bulbs are super fragile when hot, due to the filament inside.
I personaly do not have any bulbs, day or night.
I use 4 uth, 3 are thermostatly controlled the last one is powered 24/7 and directly under the water dish, this assists in correct humidity as well as a temp graident condition.
They sell ceramic heaters that screw in place of a bulb and I am told their working life is much longer.
once again I don't use these either.

Harry

[kitedemon]

The problem is there is not really a right answer or wrong one. every set up is different every problem is too. not being an eletrician I can't help fix any wiring issues at all or even offer advise. It sounds like a handling problem and one of power draw over power supply to me guess there. Personally I'd look to reduce the over all power draw if you can. Bulbs are not the best heaters they give light with heat as a by product. I can tell you that my room is currently (at 11:30pm) is 75.1ºF and my t-stats (18) is telling me it is applying 10% to 20% power. UTHs are fairly efficient heaters they need t-stats but work quite well. The start up cost is quite high but the power costs stay lower.

I am not saying this is the solution, but it sounds like you have a complex task keeping your temps correct and it is working temp wise but not working practically it sounds like you need to make some sort of change.