thinking of getting a heat lamp for bp

[kala83]

I don't think I will need to use the heat lamp all the time cause I do have a under tank heater and it seems to help with her a lot...but the problem is I have had to show her where the heater is before.

and sometimes when I do get her out to hold her, she seems cooler then she needs to be but then she is on the cool side of the tank when I pick her up.

I guess I want to have it just as a back up in case she might need that. What kind of heat bulbs are good for bps? I heard red lamps are good.

also I would like to find and use bulbs that are low energy I know that they exist out there since I did some research on the topic today.

energy efficient reptile bulbs - My Yahoo Image Search Results

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by kala83

I don't think I will need to use the heat lamp all the time cause I do have a under tank heater and it seems to help with her a lot...but the problem is I have had to show her where the heater is before.

and sometimes when I do get her out to hold her, she seems cooler then she needs to be but then she is on the cool side of the tank when I pick her up.

I guess I want to have it just as a back up in case she might need that. What kind of heat bulbs are good for bps? I heard red lamps are good.

also I would like to find and use bulbs that are low energy I know that they exist out there since I did some research on the topic today.

energy efficient reptile bulbs - My Yahoo Image Search Results

You've got the right attitude and it's great to see you're very caring towards your snake.

You do not need to worry about the snake being cool to the touch (especially when you've picked it up from the cool end) or that you need to show her where the heater is.

As their caregivers we all need to remind ourselves that they know what they need best. They know when they need to warm up or cool down. We do not need to show them the heater or water (not you but others have) because we feel they need it. We just need to supply the means for them to do it on their own.

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by kala83

I don't think I will need to use the heat lamp all the time cause I do have a under tank heater and it seems to help with her a lot...but the problem is I have had to show her where the heater is before.

and sometimes when I do get her out to hold her, she seems cooler then she needs to be but then she is on the cool side of the tank when I pick her up.

I guess I want to have it just as a back up in case she might need that. What kind of heat bulbs are good for bps? I heard red lamps are good.

also I would like to find and use bulbs that are low energy I know that they exist out there since I did some research on the topic today.

energy efficient reptile bulbs - My Yahoo Image Search Results

I generally do not like heat lamps for snakes. They need to be replaced from time to time and dry out the air. I would advise getting a radiant heat panel or heat mat(or the conjunction of the two if your house gets cold in the winter) while keeping your ball python in a plastic enclosure or a tub. And all heat sources should be controlled with a good thermostat.

[mr_weatherby]

I had to start using a lamp, despite my wishes not too. Make sure you pick up a good dimmer, because they are worth their weight in gold, in my opinion.

[kala83]

I think the only reason I ended up trying to show her where the new heat pad was, was because she is not used to having one and its probably a foreign concept to her that "oh there is heat coming from the bottom of the tank"

[Aaron_S]

Originally Posted by kala83

I think the only reason I ended up trying to show her where the new heat pad was, was because she is not used to having one and its probably a foreign concept to her that "oh there is heat coming from the bottom of the tank"

Snakes don't think that way. Your snake will find the heat and use it. It doesn't care where it comes from or what it is aslong as it works.

[EL Ziggy]

Originally Posted by Aaron_S

Snakes don't think that way. Your snake will find the heat and use it. It doesn't care where it comes from or what it is aslong as it works.

^^Tis true^^

[Mikoh4792]

Originally Posted by kala83

I think the only reason I ended up trying to show her where the new heat pad was, was because she is not used to having one and its probably a foreign concept to her that "oh there is heat coming from the bottom of the tank"

Your snake knows what to do. My snakes rarely spend time on their basking spot. Coolsides are not actually "cool". They are just the ambient temperature that they like to be in when they don't need to heat up. So don't worry too much. Provide a hotspot, and let your snake do what it wants.

Snakes have to deal with finding hotspots in the wild, I'm sure they'll be fine in our small boxes at home.

[Batessi]

What are your actual temps in the cage? If you're considering other heat sources and want something enrtgu efficient, then I would recommend a Pro Products Heat Panel.