overhead lamp/lighting

[TheHabit]

what type of overhead lamp/bulb should i get for a ball python?

also, is it absolutely neccesary to get a humidity measuring thermometer?

[Mike Cavanaugh]

Ceramic Heat Emitter... commonly refered to as CHE. It puts out no light... it is just to keep temps right. You don't need an actual light on it... they are much happier without it.... the ambient light in the room is more then enough.

[TheHabit]

i wanted to have some kind of light on it at night, nothing bright. ive heard of Moonlight bulbs, would a regular blacklight be ok to use or is it worth it to buy the moonlight bulb?

[Mindibun]

is it absolutely neccesary to get a humidity measuring thermometer?

In a word, yes. The Accurite thermometers available at Walmart for $12 measure an in and an out temp (aka - hot and cold side) and they measure humidity.

If your humidity is too low, you'll have bad sheds. If it's too high, you could risk scale rot, RI, etc. It's better to spend $12 and keep your snake happy and healthy.

And I agree 100% about the ceramic bulb. If you're going to do overhead lighting, the CHE is the way to go. But I will always recommend under tank heaters since that's what I use and I guess you could say I'm biased.

[51-50 Python]

what type of overhead lamp/bulb should i get for a ball python?

also, is it absolutely neccesary to get a humidity measuring thermometer?

like i said in ur other thread.. i have a black light bulb and its worked just fine for me... and about the humidity measuring.. i guess its better to have one just to make sure but i dont use one and my snake has perfect sheds.. meaning it has the right humidity

[Mindibun]

I used to keep a black light on my girl at night. It didn't seem to bother her too much, and it made the tank look really neat.

Just know that black lights put out minimal heat so you'd have to leave the CHE on also, unless you plan on dropping your temps at night.

[Thor26]

the thinf is these guys are nocturnal and they can see blacklight so it can stress them out what you want to get is a a infared bulb because they cant see infared but we can it what you see in the nocturnal house at zoos

[ChicaPiton519]

none of my BPs have a humidity thing, but they all shed perfict, but they are all also in tubs, now my other snakes, excluding my blood have humidity things, because they are in display cages... and it takes more consentration to get humidity right...

[TheHabit]

And I agree 100% about the ceramic bulb. If you're going to do overhead lighting, the CHE is the way to go. But I will always recommend under tank heaters since that's what I use and I guess you could say I'm biased.

can u use a CHE and an under tank heater? or just stick to one or the other?

Just wanna make sure i do it all right the first time

edit: i was just reading the husbandry FAQs and it says to stay away from CHEs as they suck the humidity out of the air : /

[ChicaPiton519]

i had a basking light for day time, and a UTH for night time...
i wouldnt doubt that you could do the same with a CHE...

OH
with my UTH, so when i up the cage or whatever i can still use them...
i put them on a ceramic tile and put the rubber feet that come with the UTH on the corners of the tile.
i will get a pic up asap to show you what i mean, i am using it with my Brazilian rainbow and one of my JCP's, but used it with my BPs for the longest time.