I need some bulb help!

[Sacstate707]

hello guys and gals. So I got tired of not being able to see into my balls tank at night( because I have a black bulb that runs all the time, 75 watt) so i switched out that bulb with one from my bearded dragons tank, which is also a 75 watt bulb. the only thing is that it is a red basking style bulb that im putting in with my ball. my concern is that the tank will rise up to and above 90 degrees(stays about 80 to 85 on the cool side of the tank, i have a zoomed heatpad set to 94 on the hot hide side and she loves it). but again the bulb WAS a black 75 watt lightbulb looking deal, and i changed to a red 75 watt flatter basking style light. call me stupid but, i really just want to know if the change in style and color affect the heat output. thanks everybody!!!

[Riv]

Was your old bulb ceramic? Or a black light bulb? I used to use infra red. If the wattage is the same it shouldnt be too terribly different though, in my experience ceramic put out slightly less heat. Though if your heat pad gives the warm side an ambient of 94 i sould NOT add a heat lamp. A light bulb for day time maybe. But not additional heat. The baski g area (the warmest spot) should be around 89-91 degrees.

Just my 2 cents, but I would reccomend either using an additional thermometer to be sure about your temps or invest in a heat gun(theyre like 100 dollers at home depot). Heat pads keep himidity better and provide belly warmpth which aids in digestion, bit there is the possibility that it can overheat to a dangerous level if unregulated, whixh would result in burns or death for your little guy.

I use heat lamps myself, and a 100 wat ceramic heat lamp I leave on all the time keepz my temps at 90 degrees consistantly by itself. (though in some tanks I have to adjust the lamps distance from the screen using command strips to get the exact number I want) IT works for me anyway..

[KMG]

Yes a basking bulb will give you different temps than a regular round style bulb. Not because of the color but because of the shape.

A basking bulb has a focused heat beam causing less heat to spill out and therefore creates a warmer hotspot.

A regular style bulb spills the heat out in a wide beam and therefore does not create a hotspot that is as warm.

I would use the round style bulb since you already have the uth hotspot.

I like temp guns but you can buy them much cheaper on Amazon.

Riv,
The uth does not change your ambient temp. Also a 75 watt ceramic bulb is recommended for a forty gallon tank. I use one in my forty gallon tank in a room that is around 68. I have mine on a lamp stand which gives it a standoff of aprox 24 inches and it creates a hotspot of 89 on the substrate and ambient temps around 80. I Would check your box and see what your 100 watt is recommended for. You can probably buy the cheaper 75 watt in the future.

Surface temp and ambient temp is two different things. Surface temp is just that, the temp on the surface. Ambient temps are the temps of the air in the cage. If you ever get an ambient temp near 90 your surface temps will probably be way to hot.

[Sacstate707]

I forgot to mention that my UTH is regulated with a thermostat. I set it at 94 because I can leave my hand on the top of my reptbark substrate and it doesn't get hot at all. the only time she really goes on her hot side is if she's just eaten. I feed on Monday so the last 2 days she's been chillin on the warm side.

[Annarose15]

I forgot to mention that my UTH is regulated with a thermostat. I set it at 94 because I can leave my hand on the top of my reptbark substrate and it doesn't get hot at all. the only time she really goes on her hot side is if she's just eaten. I feed on Monday so the last 2 days she's been chillin on the warm side.

So...you don't actually know what temperature the basking spot is... Get a $12 thermometer or heat gun and KNOW. Then, you won't have to ask sight-unseen opinions on what the temp change will be, either.

[Riv]

You'll have to excuse me I misused the term ambient. I did MEAN the surface temp. I had thought ambient referred to the average temperature of that end of the enclosure. My mistake.
And, I dont know what to tell you buddy. I am absolutely working with a 100 watt on my 40gallon, a 100 watt on my 39 or 37(I cant remember which), and 75 watts on my two 20 longs. Im using command strips to suspend the bulbs on the larger tanks aprox. 4-5 inches, and the 75's hang 1 inch above the screen. My temp gun is not malfunctioning, and the surface temps of their warm hides read 89 or 90.

[VooDooDoc]

Just my 2 cents, but I would reccomend either using an additional thermometer to be sure about your temps or invest in a heat gun(theyre like 100 dollers at home depot). Heat pads keep himidity better and provide belly warmpth which aids in digestion, bit there is the possibility that it can overheat to a dangerous level if unregulated, whixh would result in burns or death for your little guy.

Just want to point out that it's a myth that snakes need belly warmth for digestion. They need the temps to be correct though, how they get that heat, from below or above doesn't make any difference.

[martin82531]

Just my 2 cents, but I would reccomend either using an additional thermometer to be sure about your temps or invest in a heat gun(theyre like 100 dollers at home depot).

You can get temp guns much cheaper....

http://tempgun.com
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ls_o04_s00_i00

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I forgot to mention that my UTH is regulated with a thermostat. I set it at 94 because I can leave my hand on the top of my reptbark substrate and it doesn't get hot at all. the only time she really goes on her hot side is if she's just eaten. I feed on Monday so the last 2 days she's been chillin on the warm side.

Keep in mind your body temp 98.6, if you are using your hand a to judge the temp it is going to naturally feel cooler.

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Just want to point out that it's a myth that snakes need belly warmth for digestion. They need the temps to be correct though, how they get that heat, from below or above doesn't make any difference.

Do you have any references to back this up?

[Riv]

I bought the first one I ran across. I dont know how much they go for anywhere else but mine is pretty nice and very durable. Ive only used it for a few years now but my little gun and I have been through hell and back haha. Even if they can be found cheaper, I still recommend the hope depot brand.

Im gonna go out on a limb here and say that I do not beleive it is an urban myth with the belly heat. Snakes intentionally go on rocks that have been heated by the sun, or warm earth while basking, and I beleive that to be for the belly warmpth to aid digestion. If the temperature alone is what was desired they would go to a safer spot than an open rock under the sun. I dont have any evidence, but Ill choose to continue beleiving it.

[VooDooDoc]

Do you have any references to back this up?

Search around on these forums, I've seen it discussed a few times by folks who know a lot more about snakes than I do.

Also think about it, how likely would it be to see a ball python basking in the sun on a hot rock in Africa? They spend their day hiding in a hole and come out at night to hunt. They are not just going to be laying around out in the open during the day. It's not like the ground is providing much heat in whatever hole/den they find to hide in is it?

I'd also imagine (I'm no herpetologist though) that their organs are pretty centrally located. So they need to get heated all the way through to warm their core where the digestion happens. Whether that comes from below, above, the sides, why would it matter as long as it is sufficient to get their temp up?

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If the temperature alone is what was desired they would go to a safer spot than an open rock under the sun. I dont have any evidence, but Ill choose to continue beleiving it.

Ball pythons are nocturnal, not sure how likely you would be to see one on an "open rock under the sun". Not trying to start a big argument here, your just as capable of I as searching out the truth on Google. In the end if your snake is happy and eating and shedding then whatever you are doing has to be just fine.