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Proper Wattage?

CornyApollo

CornyApollo

Proud Owner of Apollo
I searched through some threads, but nothing I saw thoroughly answered my question.


At Petco, a worker (who owned snakes) suggested a 50 watt bulb. Is this too hot for him? I've seen some posts mentioning 7 watt bulbs, which made me concerned.

If this is too much, which bulb would you suggest for a 20 gallon long tank? I am uncomfortable using an undertank heater.
 
Wattage depends on the size of the enclosure and the temperature of the room you are in.

For my 40 gallon breeders, I use 75 watt in a room that is about 76 degrees.

In my 20 Long, I will use 40 watt in the summer, when my room is 76, and in the winter, when my home drops to about 68, I use a 60 watt.

Keep a thermometer directly under the lamp. You want the hot side between 84 and 87 degrees. Doesn't really matter about the cool side, as the snake will move around to where it is comfortable. Just keep a hide on both ends.

If you have any other questions, post them up. We are here to help!
 
We're currently using a 50 watt for a 20 gallon. My bedroom has a tendency to get hot, however. I also have a Beardie, and typically she has 3 bulbs going for 12 hours a day.

I have seen that snakes are good at regulating themselves. I am merely concerned because I am a new owner. Thanks for commenting!
 
Why not get an under tank heater? Cornsnakes don't bask in the sun to get warm. Snakes hide in a warm place to digest, they don't lay out in the open. Lights are a fire risk. If you use a light for heat, you can't turn it off at night.
 
Nanci said:
Why not get an under tank heater? Cornsnakes don't bask in the sun to get warm. Snakes hide in a warm place to digest, they don't lay out in the open. Lights are a fire risk. If you use a light for heat, you can't turn it off at night.
Click to expand...

UTHs do work well. I understand those who champion the cause of UTH only.

In 30 years of keeping snakes, however, I have never had one problem with using lights. And Colubrids are accustomed to temp drops at night. Some have even suggested it is healthy for them to have a 10 degree drop at night, as it most resembles the temperature fluctuation they experience in the wild.

In fact, in his book "The Art Of Keeping Snakes" (virtually the Bible for naturalistic vivariums for snakes), Vosjoli states, on page 95 that overhead incandescent light bulbs in a reflective dome are the preferred method of heating, as it most mimics the warming of the overhead sun.

In addition, in her book "The Corn Snake Manual", Kathy Love states on page 20 that overhead incandescent bulbs may be used instead of heat tape.

The perpetuation of the myth that overhead bulb heating is bad really needs to stop. I have seen pictures of Flexwatt failure that resulted in fires as well. I trust a UL listed dome light more than Flexwatt, though I do use both - and wire my own Heat Tape.


I mean no insult, nor am I trying to start any arguments with this reply. But I do tire of newcomers to the hobby hearing how "bad" overhead lighting is for snakes. It simply is not the case.

Cheers :cheers:
 
Thank you, Knox. When Apollo had a under tank heater at his original house, it had started to burn a hole into the desk it was resting on. Since then, it makes me uncomfortable to use them. Whether the heater is guaranteed safe or not. Bulbs are a bit easier to monitor.

Nanci, I understand why you prefer undertank heaters, but I have done some research and have seen both being used widely for reptiles, including snakes. I merely wanted to know what wattage would be the best for his tank size. As I stated earlier, my room is already pretty warm with my Beardie's lights heating the room. The few degrees it would drop at night without any heat source is well within the range of Cornsnake night temperatures. But thank you for your suggestion, I really do appreciate it, but my experiences with undertank heaters have not been a good one.
 
When Apollo had a under tank heater at his original house, it had started to burn a hole into the desk it was resting on
Click to expand...
That's because it wasn't being regulated with a thermostat. You'll need some kind of controller to keep a light at a low enough heat, as well as a UTH.

A Corn's preferred warmest temp is the mid-80s, which is lower than core human body heat. It will feel lukewarm to you if you touch it. An unregulated bulb - of whatever wattage - will give fluctuating temps which could go above or below the Corn's preferred range.

There are no answers to your question in existing threads, because it's not safe to just rely on the wattage of a bulb to keep a tank at the correct temps.
 
I'm not saying you can't make lights work, I'm saying UTHs are easier and safer. A member here THIS WEEK had major water damage to his home when the upstairs neighbor's iguana light caused a fire.

Why are you uncomfortable using a UTH?
 
bitsy said:
. An unregulated bulb - of whatever wattage - will give fluctuating temps which could go above or below the Corn's preferred range.
Click to expand...


This is the only statement I have a problem with. The temperature in a Corns range - Florida all the way up to New Jersey - fluctuates many times a day. At night, it can drop to below 70 during non-hibernating months, all the way up to 110. There is no need to worry about keeping the temps EXACTLY at 85 degrees.

As long as there is enough of a temperature gradient, the ideal thing is to have a basking spot in the 90's - per Kathy Love's book. This way, the Corn can hit the hot spot, the cool side, or anywhere in between.

Now, in a rack system, I FULLY support constant temps in the mid 80's, because there is not enough room for the Corn to move from hot to cool.

If you have never heard the term "Deli Cupper", it is a derogatory term for keepers who try to have everything so sterile and "just perfect". I hear that term quite a bit on other forums I frequent.

There is nothing constant about temperature in the course of a day and night. And they do just fine in the wild. So a lamp is perfectly suitable, even if the temp fluctuates 5 to 8 degrees during the day, and drops by 10 to 15 degrees at night when the temp drops.

... Heck, people pay EXTRA for a Night Drop function on thermostats simply to accomplish what turning off a heat lamp does.

Eventually, fires will happen with lamps as well as flexwatt. I would be interested in knowing the facts on the Iguana lamp. Was it a Ceramic base lamp? Was it an incandescent bulb? CHE? Did it cause something to catch fire, or was there a short? Did it get knocked over?

Again, I LOVE UTHs and Flexwatt. They are awesome, and I use them all the time. But Ceramic Based Dome Lamps with incandescent bulbs cause no more risk of fire than Flexwatt or UTHs. And if a thermostat fails, that overhead lamp is not going to heat up to 120 degrees, because it is already putting out all the heat it can.

Peace to all! This is a great discussion.
 
*** if a thermostat fails on a UTH or Flexwatt, that overhead lamp is safer, because it is not going to heat up to 120 degrees, because it is already putting out all the heat it can.
 
bitsy said:
There are no answers to your question in existing threads, because it's not safe to just rely on the wattage of a bulb to keep a tank at the correct temps.
Click to expand...


We check his temperature often. The bulb does not go continuously. I have read on several forums that under tank heaters have a tendency to get much hotter then what is dictated by the thermostat. There are drawbacks to both bulbs and heaters.
 
By the way, I am currently using flexx on a herpstat thermostat as well as lamps on my tanks. Both are working well. I am not a lamp only guy, I just want a balanced approach to the topic.
 
knox said:
By the way, I am currently using flexx on a herpstat thermostat as well as lamps on my tanks. Both are working well. I am not a lamp only guy, I just want a balanced approach to the topic.
Click to expand...
What is the brand you use?
 
CornyApollo said:
We check his temperature often. The bulb does not go continuously. I have read on several forums that under tank heaters have a tendency to get much hotter then what is dictated by the thermostat. There are drawbacks to both bulbs and heaters.
Click to expand...

I've never had my UTH get hotter than the thermostat dictates. It's important to spend a little money on them to make sure they do their job properly. I know many use the herpstat from spyder robotics. I use a rancho and never had problems, the probe for my thermometer is right next to the probe for the thermostat.
 
CornyApollo said:
What is the brand you use?
Click to expand...

Flexxwatt (or flex watt, however it's spelled) is not a heat mat. It is a roll of thin metal foil encased in a plastic polymer that is cut to length and wired to an electrical cord. When plugged in, the resistance of the electricity flowing through the metal causes it to heat up. It was manufactured to keep pipes from freezing, I believe.

You can see it here, snaking through this old rack of mine. It is the black, ribbon looking material:

Rack2005.jpg



I have it controlled through a Spyder Robotics Herpstat Thermostat. The thermostat is around $110. It is proportional, which means it lowers the electrical current running through the heating device to maintain a constant temperature.

The other type of thermostat, the "off/on", will allow the heating device to warm up to the set temperature, then shut off - allowing the temperature to drop a few degrees, then turn it on again, allowing it to heat up once again. It is a constant cycle, on/off/on/off.... While these do work, I prefer the more expensive proportional type.
 
CornyApollo said:
Knox - Thank you very much. I will look into Flexxwatt. All of your information has been invaluable. :)
Click to expand...

Happy to help.

Don't be turned off to heat mats, though. If I only had one snake, I wouldn't think twice about a heat mat running through a quality thermostat. Granted, Lamps are much easier and much cheaper.

It is all up to your budget, your situation, and your comfort - as long as the snake's needs are met.

Happy Herping to all!
 
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