Vote for BP.Net for the 2013 Forum of the Year! Click here for more info.

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 2,970

1 members and 2,969 guests
Most users ever online was 6,337, 01-24-2020 at 04:30 AM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,031
Threads: 248,489
Posts: 2,568,446
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, isismomma
Results 1 to 6 of 6
  1. #1
    Registered User fadingdaylight's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-15-2019
    Location
    Western Arkansas
    Posts
    532
    Thanks
    859
    Thanked 303 Times in 199 Posts
    Images: 42

    Heat Lamp / Screen Top Question

    Ok, so I am currently using a heat lamp to balance out ambient air temps until I can spring for a RHP and simplify everything, but I have an honest question that I can't seem to find an answer to. It seems commonplace to set the heat lamp on the screen top of the enclosure, and monitor the temp below the lamp, either on or near the surface, with a thermostat. Here is my question, what about the temp of the screen itself? I touched mine earlier, right under the lamp, and while it isn't burning me, it is roughly 1/2 an inch from the bulb itself, and felt quite warm to my fingers, which tells me it is easily 100 degrees. Is this just the way it is when using a heat lamp? It seems unsafe to my beginner mind, as the snake could realistically poke it's head against the screen right there and get a burn.

    Thanks in advance!
    - Jason


    "Why should I fear what others fear? How ridiculous!" - Lao Tzu

  2. #2
    Bogertophis's Avatar
    Join Date
    04-28-2018
    Location
    USA
    Posts
    20,183
    Thanks
    28,085
    Thanked 19,740 Times in 11,797 Posts
    You are correct...for your snake to be really safe, you'd need a "cage" underneath the lamp & inside the screen top. I don't think anyone has ever brought this
    up before. I use some over-head lights for warmth...all are dimmed in use as the snakes I'm keeping don't need as much warmth as BPs do. I've never seen
    any of my snakes trying to cozy up to the overhead screen, but I can't speak for what BPs might do? The only thing that really mitigates the issue of whether
    or not the hot screen could cause a burn is that screens all have holes, which greatly breaks up the heated surface that a snake could touch. Also, even though
    a snake could touch the screen, they are at far greater risk from laying ON something; they aren't very strong when reaching upwards with nothing to grab onto:
    just watch them...they tend to waver a lot, & it's unlikely they'd be able to touch it long enough to be injured. So I don't think it's a big risk.

  3. The Following 4 Users Say Thank You to Bogertophis For This Useful Post:

    distaff (03-24-2019),fadingdaylight (03-24-2019),Jus1More (03-25-2019),Sonny1318 (03-25-2019)

  4. #3
    Registered User fadingdaylight's Avatar
    Join Date
    03-15-2019
    Location
    Western Arkansas
    Posts
    532
    Thanks
    859
    Thanked 303 Times in 199 Posts
    Images: 42
    Thank you. I will try to just keep an eye on if for now, and let this be further motivation to get that RHP in there as quickly as possible.
    - Jason


    "Why should I fear what others fear? How ridiculous!" - Lao Tzu

  5. #4
    BPnet Veteran
    Join Date
    07-09-2015
    Location
    NM
    Posts
    1,441
    Thanks
    724
    Thanked 755 Times in 519 Posts
    People use this set-up all the time for lizards, and those are high wattage bulbs to give a 100+F basking spot several inches below the bulb. They ARE a fire hazard, esp. with little kids, and cats. I've never heard of one burning down a house, but the risk would drive me nuts. That said, I do use some overhead lamps, they help with ambients in this adobe house that is too cool, even in the summer. I chose bulbs that are very low wattage, and so far, I've only had them on small 10g tanks, with most of the screen top insulated.

  6. The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to distaff For This Useful Post:

    Bogertophis (03-24-2019),fadingdaylight (03-25-2019),Jus1More (03-25-2019)

  7. #5
    BPnet Veteran Danger noodles's Avatar
    Join Date
    10-15-2018
    Location
    Houston
    Posts
    740
    Thanks
    107
    Thanked 545 Times in 349 Posts
    The screen doesn’t really get to hot on the small heat lamp u use. And even if it’s a little hot my snake can’t stay up against it for any time more than a second. I have it in the middle and have no branches close so they can’t get close. I’ve never seen any of my snakes close to it.

  8. The Following User Says Thank You to Danger noodles For This Useful Post:

    fadingdaylight (03-25-2019)

  9. #6
    Registered User
    Join Date
    03-01-2019
    Posts
    29
    Thanks
    1
    Thanked 28 Times in 15 Posts
    A heat panel will also get warm/hot to the touch. When heating mine have reached temperatures as high as 150+f on their surface (usually after opening the enclosure door). The snakes can touch it, but they can't lay on it or maintain sustained contact to cause a burn, so it's a non-issue. With heat lamps I would assume the same circumstances, that your snake may get curious and bump its nose on the warm screen, but it's not likely to devise a way to keep itself up in contact with the screen long enough to cause a burn.

    That's my take on it at least. I feel much more comfortable with the panels than I did with the heat mats, because the snakes were making contact with the surface heated by the heat mat, and in that case a swing of only a few degrees can cause a burn since the snake may not move off of the heat source in time as they are not good at sensing temperature from below. I used them for years and years and years without any trouble, but I definitely like my pro products panels and my herpstat 4. So far worth every penny!

    As stated by someone else in the thread, the bigger issue with heat lamps is the risk of fire if they are knocked off the enclosure or if something flammable falls on top of them.

  10. The Following User Says Thank You to -ryan- For This Useful Post:

    fadingdaylight (03-25-2019)

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v4.2.1