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

» Site Navigation

» Home
 > FAQ

» Online Users: 831

1 members and 830 guests
Most users ever online was 47,180, 07-16-2025 at 05:30 PM.

» Today's Birthdays

None

» Stats

Members: 75,903
Threads: 249,097
Posts: 2,572,069
Top Poster: JLC (31,651)
Welcome to our newest member, wkeith67
Results 1 to 5 of 5

Thread: Best bulbs

  1. #1
    Registered User daddiojones73's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-26-2017
    Posts
    9
    Thanks
    7
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Best bulbs

    Just got my first BP. 5 month old male Albino named Ebeneezer Squeezer. He's in an Exo Terra 36x18x18 terrarium. We are currently adding new plants and bark hollows as well as an additional hide to try and fill some of the space. He has a climbing log now but with such a large habitat it just looks so empty. I've also heard it helps them to feel more secure. I'm using heat tape on hot side and currently have thermostat set at 98 to achieve between 85-90 in hot hide. Substrate is eco earth. For lighting/heat from the top I have a day/night lamp as well as a separate che. All bulbs are 100w and with slightly cooler temps I'm struggling to reach 90 ambient on hot side. So my question is what are the most efficient and long lasting lights. Don't mind spending a little coin if the bulbs will last a good while. I have heard that some bulbs have a nasty habit of crapping out after just a short time. Any advice is greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
    BPnet Lifer Reinz's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-05-2013
    Location
    East TX
    Posts
    8,019
    Thanks
    5,613
    Thanked 4,602 Times in 3,139 Posts
    Images: 9

    Best bulbs

    Welcome to the forum Dj.

    I've had five tanks running at one time. In the spring/summer I was using 60 watt bulbs, and 100 watt in the winter. Some bulbs barely made it a month, some 6 months. On average I'd say I got 3 months out of them.

    When I went to a 150 watt bulb and used a table hop dimmer switch (on Amazon or Loews for $10-12) I never replaced a bulb. Four of those tanks went 1.5 years before I switched to whole different enclosures without bulbs.



    I have one tank running still while waiting for a new enclosure being built. This tank has gone 2 years without replacing the bulb.

    This red bulb has gone 2 yrs and still running.


    The whole key key is to go high on wattage and dim down. Also the heat bulbs are Never turned off. This way the filament doesn't get too hot or stressed from on off.

    I would highly recommend using a dimmer switch on the CHE as well.
    Last edited by Reinz; 01-26-2017 at 03:26 AM.
    The one thing I found that you can count on about Balls is that they are consistent about their inconsistentcy.

    1.2 Coastal Carpet Pythons
    Mack The Knife, 2013
    Lizzy, 2010
    Etta, 2013
    1.1 Jungle Carpet Pythons
    Esmarelda , 2014
    Sundance, 2012
    2.0 Common BI Boas, Punch, 2005; Butch, age?
    0.1 Normal Ball Python, Elvira, 2001
    0.1 Olive (Aussie) Python, Olivia, 2017

    Please excuse the spelling in my posts. Auto-Correct is my worst enema.

  3. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Reinz For This Useful Post:

    daddiojones73 (01-27-2017),jmcrook (01-26-2017)

  4. #3
    Registered User daddiojones73's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-26-2017
    Posts
    9
    Thanks
    7
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Re: Best bulbs

    Quote Originally Posted by Reinz View Post
    Welcome to the forum Dj.

    I've had five tanks running at one time. In the spring/summer I was using 60 watt bulbs, and 100 watt in the winter. Some bulbs barely made it a month, some 6 months. On average I'd say I got 3 months out of them.

    When I went to a 150 watt bulb and used a table hop dimmer switch (on Amazon or Loews for $10-12) I never replaced a bulb. Four of those tanks went 1.5 years before I switched to whole different enclosures without bulbs.



    I have one tank running still while waiting for a new enclosure being built. This tank has gone 2 years without replacing the bulb.

    This red bulb has gone 2 yrs and still running.


    The whole key key is to go high on wattage and dim down. Also the heat bulbs are Never turned off. This way the filament doesn't get too hot or stressed from on off.

    I would highly recommend using a dimmer switch on the CHE as well.

  5. #4
    Registered User daddiojones73's Avatar
    Join Date
    01-26-2017
    Posts
    9
    Thanks
    7
    Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post

    Re: Best bulbs

    Not sure why it appears as though I duplicated your message. Thanks for the info. I have a dimmer on che but will look into a dimmer for the others and the higher wattage thing makes sense. I'm learning(obsessed at the moment) because I'd hate to do something that harms or stresses this little guy too much. Already looking forward to the next addition.

  6. #5
    BPnet Lifer Reinz's Avatar
    Join Date
    08-05-2013
    Location
    East TX
    Posts
    8,019
    Thanks
    5,613
    Thanked 4,602 Times in 3,139 Posts
    Images: 9
    Hey, I hear ya on the obsession!

    Of course the anticipation of the next one is cool too.
    The one thing I found that you can count on about Balls is that they are consistent about their inconsistentcy.

    1.2 Coastal Carpet Pythons
    Mack The Knife, 2013
    Lizzy, 2010
    Etta, 2013
    1.1 Jungle Carpet Pythons
    Esmarelda , 2014
    Sundance, 2012
    2.0 Common BI Boas, Punch, 2005; Butch, age?
    0.1 Normal Ball Python, Elvira, 2001
    0.1 Olive (Aussie) Python, Olivia, 2017

    Please excuse the spelling in my posts. Auto-Correct is my worst enema.

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