I would first try everything else. Insulation, covering holes, having a closer look at your set-up. If you can figure out how to fix it without the bulb you'll be way ahead of the game. If not, have your spray bottle handy all the time.
the snakes actually cant see the infrared bulbs so it wont bother them.. the problem lies more with the bulbs sucking the moisture right out of your tank! try covering your entire lid with aluminum tape with only a few small air holes.. you could also purchase a sore muscle heat pad from walmart and put it on top of the lid..