heat lamps

[werled]

hey
i have a question about my heatlamp. i have a cali kingsnake and looked up on the internet what the best temperature is it said 29 degrees on the hot side and on the cold side 25 degrees. my thermometer says its 22 degrees right now (my thermometer is placed on the right side of my terraria) how can i up my temperature and are the degrees above correct ?

Thanks

[TRD]

Cali kings like about 28 C ambient temperature (not surface!) on the hot end. Surface temperature can be much higher. 24-25C on the cooler end is also fine.

I keep my Calis with 28 C hot, 24 C cool ambient temps, and a surface temp on the hot end of 36 - 38 C.

If it's too cold right now, try a higher wattage light bulb on the hot end I would say. I'm not sure if "the right side" for you is the hot or cold end, or how you are heating your terrarium (which also greatly influences what temperature a normal thermometer gives). So a bit more details on exactly how you are measuring temperatures and how you are heating the place would help a lot.

[werled]

Originally Posted by TRD

Cali kings like about 28 C ambient temperature (not surface!) on the hot end. Surface temperature can be much higher. 24-25C on the cooler end is also fine.

I keep my Calis with 28 C hot, 24 C cool ambient temps, and a surface temp on the hot end of 36 - 38 C.

If it's too cold right now, try a higher wattage light bulb on the hot end I would say. I'm not sure if "the right side" for you is the hot or cold end, or how you are heating your terrarium (which also greatly influences what temperature a normal thermometer gives). So a bit more details on exactly how you are measuring temperatures and how you are heating the place would help a lot.

i have a heat lamp on the right side of my terrarium i have two fittings but only use one of them on the right side. and my thermometer as well. how much wattage do i need to use then. my local pet store sells lot of lamps maybe this one Exo Terra UV B lamp 13 or 26 watt. i am heating the place with a single heat lamp. Thanks

[scales.jp]

Originally Posted by werled

my local pet store sells lot of lamps maybe this one Exo Terra UV B lamp 13 or 26 watt. i am heating the place with a single heat lamp. Thanks

Those spiral type 13 and 26 watt bulbs are designed for lighting your terrarium and put out very little heat (I have a 26 watt Exo Terra Natural Light). If you just want to use one bulb for both heat and light, go for something like the Exo Terra Daytime Heat Lamp instead. They go all the way up to 150 watts and provide broad spectrum daylight and heat.

[werled]

Originally Posted by scales.jp

Those spiral type 13 and 26 watt bulbs are designed for lighting your terrarium and put out very little heat (I have a 26 watt Exo Terra Natural Light). If you just want to use one bulb for both heat and light, go for something like the Exo Terra Daytime Heat Lamp instead. They go all the way up to 150 watts and provide broad spectrum daylight and heat.

do these lamps reach 26 degrees

[scales.jp]

Originally Posted by werled

do these lamps reach 26 degrees

The spiral bulbs run very cool, but the heat lamp will go up to and beyond 26C depending on what wattage you buy, the size of the enclosure, where you position the lamp, etc.

[TRD]

How high is your terrarium (between light and ground that is). It also depends on your ambient temperatures, if it's now 22 C there and you wish to have 28 C then I would say you'd need a 75W light. If they sell only Exo Terra there, then I think this one will do the trick. If the space between light and snake is low (< 30 cm) then perhaps a 50W would be a better choice. You'll have to work it out a little bit, which works best for you.

These come in 25, 50, 75, and 100 Watt editions:


It says it's a spot light, but actually it's a flood light (65 degree beam angle). It does it's job alright, it's not too bright and has UVa light as well.

Try not to use real spot lights, they get too hot in the spot area and too cold everywhere else.