ceramic heat bulb VS halogen spot bulb

[CaptainVimes]

Hi guys,

Let's disregard for a moment that my UV set up is total pants. (T5 set up = 12% D3+ tube & Arcadia electronic starter, to arrive and be fitted tomorrow! Woo! Hoo!)

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On the reptile forum there has been a debate between ceramic bulbs and spot-type bulbs, purposely for the basking spot.

My fiancé states that the ceramic bulb won hands down.

What is the general consensus on this forum?jj

My fiancé reckons that, based on this evidence, I should change to a heat bulb, rather than a LIGHT bulb.

This is why I'm now coming on this forum and asking the question of you guys, that have had dragons for years.

Apparently, the Reptile forum says that bearded dragons, unlike some other lizards, can SENSE the heat from the ceramic bulb, so know where to go and bask without using light.

I've read that some lizards only associate light with basking, if you do not provide a light at the basking spot, they will not be able to get warm, because they don't go over to the basking spot to warm up, if they cannot SEE the light, and think, "Ooooh the sun is shining, I'll go and sunbathe in it!" Then they won't bask.....

Other - usually bigger lizards, can sense the heat, so go and sit in it to warm up.

Feel free to check on spelling and punctuation!

 

[Gail]

Ceramic bulbs are only used for night heating when it comes to dragons. While its true they can sense heat without light, there is evidence that a bright white heat bulb helps cut down the stark glare from the UVB thus helping to protect the eyes from the UVB.

I'm not sure what halogen bulbs are like in the UK but over here they get MUCH hotter then a regular bulb so you have to be really careful to use a lower wattage then normal. Most of the members on this forum have learned that specialty heat bulbs are over priced and just use regular household bulbs or floodlight types.

 

[CaptainVimes]

You cannot buy "standard bulbs" in the UK any more. It's spotlight or halogen only. (or economy bulbs, which don't get hot enough at all) I have Dexter's halogen on a dimmer switch, so it CANNOT get hotter than he needs it. We did try taking it off (the dimmer switch WHILST DEXTER WAS OUT OF HIS VIV) to see how hot it got, but it went up to 45°C (113°F) or maybe a bit hotter.

Ill stick with the halogen bulb then, I was only asking because my Fiancé said that the reptile forum claim that a ceramic heat bulb was far better for Beardies.

My only personal concern was that I'd have to use a cage with a ceramic heat bulb, and I reckon Dexter would be a bugger and keep climbing it.

However, as you have said a white light bulb is best, I will stick with that.



Thank you for your advice!

 

[Gail]

I tried a halogen once and it got to 130 degrees in a matter of minutes so I'm really leery of them now. If you can't get stander bulbs, what do you use in your house? I suppose you have the coil fluorescents?

 

[CaptainVimes]

I tried a halogen once and it got to 130 degrees in a matter of minutes so I'm really leery of them now. If you can't get stander bulbs, what do you use in your house? I suppose you have the coil fluorescents?

As I have already said, it's on a dimmer stat! it CANNOT go above the temperature that I set it to, if the dimmer malfunctions, the circuit is broken, so the light goes out, it simply CANNOT go hotter than what I set it to.

The only Bulbs available now are spotlight bulbs, halogens or economy bulbs. Or the complete rip off reptile bulbs.  Spot light bulbs need too much power and energy bulbs don't kick out anywhere near enough heat.

The halogen I'm using is 50W.

HOWEVER, IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT WATTAGE IT IS, AS IT'S PLUGGED INTO A DIMMER STAT!

We only have energy bulbs in our house. According to an American site, then yes they are the compact fluorescents, BUT they are banning the sale of the standard (incandescent?) bulbs, so we cannot do anything about it!

As for the questionable safety of the compact fluorescent bulbs, if our government insists on us buying them instead of old standard bulbs, then we have no choice.

Though, if you google for long enough, they have basically said that EVERYTHING somehow and eventually causes cancer.