| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| AngelX |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 15:51:37
Hi everyone,
You have all been very helpful on all my other topics and I was wondering if I could get some advice on Lighting.
I have just bought a viv and have it at home. It has a UV light fitting with no light bulb. Just wanted to know whether or not it is alright to put a normal light bulb in or does it have to be UV? In my other one it has a UV strip light so I don't know whether or not a normal light bulb would be okay.
Any help would be appreciated!  |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Fal |
Posted - 16/06/2010 : 22:27:26
We have a heatmat for our leopard gecko in his wooden viv, but that has tile on top so he can't get to it. Useful info for in a corn's viv though Judith! :) I'd wondered about them lying directly on mats. |
| Kellog |
Posted - 14/06/2010 : 04:17:10
Thanks Jon. I do prefer to use real names when chatting to some one, but know that often they put their 'proper' name on their profile rather than what they are really called. Am tempted to call you Jonboy  but will stick with Jon (as long as I remember, which is unlikely knowing my memory  ).
Your talking about a bulb shattering reminded me of this thread, poor BTD  - http://www.thecornsnake.co.uk/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7231
quote:
Originally posted by flyinglime
........With heat mats, can be a problem putting them underneath the viv as if it's wooden it won't transfer properly, and I heard you shouldn't put them inside (but I could be wrong, I have always used bulbs - I would be interested to know if that's true or not).
When using heatmats you put them underneath for plastic and glass fauns/vivs and inside for wooden vivs. If you have a wooden viv (like I do) you can cover the heatmat with lino (like I do) but this isnt necessary. As long as the mat is controlled by a stat and monitored by a digital thermometer, with the probes for both of these positioned correctly, then it should never get hot enough to burn your snake even if it burrows and lies directly on the heatmat.
xxx
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| Fal |
Posted - 13/06/2010 : 19:46:12
Either name really. Fal was something I used to use on an online game and it stuck, whenever I go on anything computer related I use it. My real name is Jonathan, but I get called Jon a lot.. as well as Jonny, Jonboy (fave with my mates lol), Jonlad, Jonno.. and probably names I shouldn't put on here lol
I have always worried about normal bulbs shattering :/ our Bearded Dragon has a ceramic and a energy saver for white light as I thought at such low wattage they're less likely to 'pop', but in Bella's viv it'll be a mat and LED as mentioned above me thinks. |
| n/a |
Posted - 13/06/2010 : 11:24:30
My snake came with a light built into the tank, and a heat mat, and I've had them both on since the first day I got him. But the other day the bulb in the light broke, and his behaviour is slightly different, is there anything to worry about? And is the light that important? |
| flyinglime |
Posted - 13/06/2010 : 00:30:14
I recently changed the fitting in my viv from a bayonet to a screw fit as the bulbs are becoming harder to get hold of. I have now got a ceramic fitting (I had to adapt it slightly to fit the cage on) which is a lot better than the plastic one as it doesn't get to hot, burn, harden and crack. I use an infra-red heat spot lamp 35-50 Watts (for my 1m viv) that stays on all the time, giving a reddish glow. If you use a reflector one then you need to turn them off at 'night' so the viv doesn't overheat. Definitely need a cage, as the snakes like to explore...especially if the bulb isn't hot enough. I sure sign I used to get was Mutley wrapping herself around the top of the cage in the gap below the 'ceiling'. I would also make sure that the wires are taught and held properly with fittings so that your little snakey friend doesn't hang on them and put tension on the wires. With heat mats, can be a problem putting them underneath the viv as if it's wooden it won't transfer properly, and I heard you shouldn't put them inside (but I could be wrong, I have always used bulbs - I would be interested to know if that's true or not). |
| AngelX |
Posted - 12/06/2010 : 20:51:19
Haha! Nice one Fal! Good luck with the Lizard! LOL! |
| Kellog |
Posted - 12/06/2010 : 03:08:35
quote:
Originally posted by Fal
Already has :) I just started harping on about wanting a frilled lizard........
You certainly know how to handle your OH ....just distract her with something else, like you wanting a frilled lizard, and she forgets that she was the one who first suggested the LEDs!! Well played !
xxx
By the way, is it Jonathan, or Jon, or Fal or something else that you prefer to be called?
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| Fal |
Posted - 11/06/2010 : 22:09:12
Already has :) I just started harping on about wanting a frilled lizard, now she is determined I'm not getting 'any more pets, this house will turn into a zoo, we have to great pets already with the snake and cat and that's final,' so the LED is forgotton... until we get the new viv and need one anyway lol
I can't complain, she's agreed to us having a pig, three chickens and two ducks when we move to a house with a bigger garden lol :D |
| Kellog |
Posted - 08/06/2010 : 03:46:08
quote:
Originally posted by Fal
Went running in to my Fiancee crowing over the great idea of stick on LED from this thread. BIG mistake lol she had (now I remember - curse my memory) suggested the very same a while ago and I had poo poo'd it lol DOH! I am now eating humble pie hehe..
Oh Jonathan, poor you ....I can just imagine how she is not going to allow you to forget this one  !!
xxx
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| Fal |
Posted - 07/06/2010 : 22:33:52
Went running in to my Fiancee crowing over the great idea of stick on LED from this thread. BIG mistake lol she had (now I remember - curse my memory) suggested the very same a while ago and I had poo poo'd it lol DOH! I am now eating humble pie hehe.. |
| mrsT |
Posted - 07/06/2010 : 08:32:26
ooh love the sticky LED idea!jakes getting quite active at night now so would be good to have a little bit of light in there so we can see him a bit better. |
| Fal |
Posted - 06/06/2010 : 23:17:24
I'd been thinking about lighting for when Bella moves into a Viv, just for our benefit as mentioned above, not for heating, and I think the LED idea is great!!! |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 05/06/2010 : 15:58:44
I'm putting some LED stick on's in my vivs from ASDA. I don't think the backing will be unsticky unless I need to change the battries so need to peel the light off but then you just take it off and replace with sticky fixers.
Some of those lightstrips don't get hot. Although you will have to put you whole hand around the light for a whle to make sure. |
| AngelX |
Posted - 05/06/2010 : 15:50:15
My strip light has been on for a good 3/4 hours and is not even hot, just warm, so I guess that must be LED or something like that. xx |
| AngelX |
Posted - 05/06/2010 : 14:40:18
Right, My strip light is on for six hours a day and Moo doesn't pay any attention to it really, I think it makes the viv look cooler tbh! LoL, Will unscrew the light fitting that is attached to the ceiling as it seems a lot less hassle and I will probably just use a torch of some sort to look for poo e.t.c Thanks everyone  xx |
| elament |
Posted - 05/06/2010 : 10:09:23
quote:
Originally posted by Kellog
Not only can a snake burn itself but it can also crush the bulb without realising it, meaning there is the danger of glass in the viv and damaging your snake.
xxx
Thats a good point judith I never thought of that and those energy savers are easy to break I have broken a few meself getting them in and out of the holders |
| Kellog |
Posted - 05/06/2010 : 04:06:51
I dont use the stick on bulbs but just have low wattage LED bulbs in my vivs (with guards). They are on timers to replicate the day/night cycle....but they are totally for my benefit and not for the snakes. My concern with a strip light would be how it is guarded....is there a guard that stretches along the length of the strip?
When I first got Kellog his viv was heated by a normal bulb and it heated the ambient temperature a lot (but not the substrate, which is why I changed to the heatmat). To have light in the viv you just need to be sure that it is the lowest wattage possible and that it is guarded. Not only can a snake burn itself but it can also crush the bulb without realising it, meaning there is the danger of glass in the viv and damaging your snake.
xxx
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| HannahB |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 22:36:51
ah thought you meant for heating, my bad!
my royals have those LED lights that Mouse mentioned and they are great but iv noticed that they loose their sticky backing very quickly and fall down.. |
| elament |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 21:08:41
Yep they can burn themselves on bulbs as well. I use energy savers but I only have them on when I am on a poo hunt and they are covered with bulb guards |
| AngelX |
Posted - 04/06/2010 : 21:03:14
Ohh right, certainly don't want that! Thank You! Have heard something like that with heat rock, but didn't realise that it was lights aswell! |
