new light bulbs are wrong type?

rubes08 · Dec 2, 2008

hi guys im away on holiday and my sister is looking after my ruby.....she's well looked after with leaf's etc and crickets but the red light bulb has just packed up.....lucky enough i had two new bulbs that she went to put in only to find the ends are the wrong sort to the one in the vivarium......bakc at home the time is half8 at night so the pet stores will be closed. her lights will be off and she'll be on a heat mat till the morning. but she will be without the red light for approx 4 hours......could i get her to use a low watt normal bulb or will the bulb be to bright for my ruby.....

hope this explains it and anybody that can help will be great many thanks

ryan

zimbabwepegasus · Dec 2, 2008

Beardies don't need heat at night unless temps get below 65. Most of us shy away from red lights as some beardies have trouble sleeping with the red light. So IMO, she's more than fine and don't bother replaced the red light.

While we're on heating... watch it with the undertank heater. Those puppies can get HOT. And beardies don't really do as well with belly heat as with overhead. If you haven't already I would set up a basking spot off the ground (either with a log or rocks, etc) and make sure that's temping at 100-110- that's entirely in your control. I've found that all my snakes' undertank heaters fluctuate a lot without being hooked up to thermostats.

rubes08 · Dec 2, 2008

thanks for that.....the mat i have got her is under a big tile and tile gets nicely warm where she stays at night the red light and the strope light goes off at night and come on in the morning so she has complete darkness in night.......i couldnt sleep with it on lol.......but its jsut in the day i dont think she'll get enought heat and i live in the uk so abit cooler there.......can i use a 60watt houshold bulb jsut as a temp measure or just incase not bother with a bulb until get one which will be 4hours apporx before new one installed.==

thanks

peera · Dec 2, 2008

A 60 watt household bulb is fine, and actually better as a permenent bulb than the red bulb.

rubes08 · Dec 2, 2008

really how come....will it not be to bright......and will it give out enought heat?

i thought the red ones dull the shine alittle but if not then i could use a standard one that'l be good.

thanks

ryan

peera · Dec 2, 2008

My littlest girl has a 60w bulb on her plus her UVB and it keeps the temps perfect. There's no reason it would be to bright... They live in the dessert in the wild, a 60w bulb is nothing compared to that!
As for the whys, there are other people around here more versed than I am, but I imagine the answer is that by itself as a day bulb, it's not nearly bright enough and would make them strain their eyes.

rubes08 · Dec 2, 2008

brilliant, i have a low energy one 60w so that should be fin her strope light that uvb is still strong ad quite new.....her heat mat is good so if use that bulb and jsut keep eye on temp all should be well?

manythanks once again wasworried as it nearly 1degree back in uk.

thanks

ryan

zimbabwepegasus · Dec 2, 2008

Don't know how they work in the UK- but in the US, the low energy bulbs don't produce heat. That's how they save energy. :roll:

Regardless of what wattage bulb you decide to use, you need to be temping it to make sure it stays consistent and is the right bulb for your environment. I live in OR, only one state south of where Peera is, and I can't use a 60w, they wouldn't heat either of my enclosures sufficiently. It all depends on the temp of the room and the ventilation in your tank.

I would strongly consider getting rid of the heat mat. They are much better for snakes or leo geckos or other belly heat seeking animals.

new light bulbs are wrong type?

rubes08

New member

zimbabwepegasus

Extreme Poster

rubes08

New member

peera

Sub-Adult Member

rubes08

New member

peera

Sub-Adult Member

rubes08

New member

zimbabwepegasus

Extreme Poster

Members online

Latest resources

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Forum statistics

Share this page