Heating questions

[Joolii]

Hi all, I’m wondering if anyone has feedback and suggestions on heating. I have a panther cham (Booger) who is just over a year old, in a screened enclosure.

During the winter when we’ve had him, the room we’ve kept him in was pretty easily modulated and there wasn’t too much ambient temp changes, as we’d have the heat on all winter. This spring has been al over the place with temps and since I’m not sure what to do for Booger regarding heat, we’ve literally had the ac on upstairs and the heat on downstairs— obviously not sustainable. Since this is our first summer with him, I’m wondering how to keep his basking temps warm when we plan to have the AC running during warmer months (without simultaneously warming our house anymore).

I’ve read conflicting articles about night time heat lamps that don’t emit light, does anyone have thoughts about these?

Does anyone double up on heat lamps, or is it too risky with drying him/the enclosure out too much?

If making his enclosure more of a hybrid is more appropriate, where are folks finding PVC/plexiglass, or other coverings to attach to the enclosure? His are folks installing these to the top, while preventing melting/burning of the material?

Thanks for your help and I look forward to your replies!

 

[elizaann2]

Hello! I have similar issues during the changing seasons. What I do is close the vents to the rooms I dont want cooling down during the day.

I also have hybrid enclosures which seems to help with temps and humidity for me.

I’ve used corrugated plastic in the past to make hybrid enclosures you can find it at Home Depot.

 

[Steve A]

Hi all, I’m wondering if anyone has feedback and suggestions on heating. I have a panther cham (Booger) who is just over a year old, in a screened enclosure.

During the winter when we’ve had him, the room we’ve kept him in was pretty easily modulated and there wasn’t too much ambient temp changes, as we’d have the heat on all winter. This spring has been al over the place with temps and since I’m not sure what to do for Booger regarding heat, we’ve literally had the ac on upstairs and the heat on downstairs— obviously not sustainable. Since this is our first summer with him, I’m wondering how to keep his basking temps warm when we plan to have the AC running during warmer months (without simultaneously warming our house anymore).

I’ve read conflicting articles about night time heat lamps that don’t emit light, does anyone have thoughts about these?

Does anyone double up on heat lamps, or is it too risky with drying him/the enclosure out too much?

If making his enclosure more of a hybrid is more appropriate, where are folks finding PVC/plexiglass, or other coverings to attach to the enclosure? His are folks installing these to the top, while preventing melting/burning of the material?

Thanks for your help and I look forward to your replies!

You should get a heating lamp that comes with it's own probe thermometer so you can set it to maintain the exact temperature you want it to be.

This is the one I use. I highly recommend it. Affordable, easy to use, and it flat out works.

Use something like this and you never have to worry about this. As long as your bulb has a high enough wattage, your basking area will always be the same temp as you have it set.

This will automatically dim itself if the temp goes over what you set it to, so it won't make the basking area too hot. But it will always keep it at the temp you need it (again as long as the bulb is a high enough wattage for it to be strong enough vs your cooler temps).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BGS517FT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

edit: I am not sure what you intend to use a night time basking light for. You shouldn't need to raise the heat in the enclosure at night. In fact you WANT it to cool down at night. The temp in my chameleons enclosure at night (1 yo panther male) is typically 61-66f. I hope this helps!

 

[elizaann2]

You should get a heating lamp that comes with it's own probe thermometer so you can set it to maintain the exact temperature you want it to be.

This is the one I use. I highly recommend it. Affordable, easy to use, and it flat out works.

Use something like this and you never have to worry about this. As long as your bulb has a high enough wattage, your basking area will always be the same temp as you have it set.

This will automatically dim itself if the temp goes over what you set it to, so it won't make the basking area too hot. But it will always keep it at the temp you need it (again as long as the bulb is a high enough wattage for it to be strong enough vs your cooler temps).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BGS517FT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

edit: I am not sure what you intend to use a night time basking light for. You shouldn't need to raise the heat in the enclosure at night. In fact you WANT it to cool down at night. The temp in my chameleons enclosure at night (1 yo panther male) is typically 61-66f. I hope this helps!

Agree I use this as well. Just get a sensor close to that probe too to ensure your temps are where they should be with that dimmer.

 

[Steve A]

Agree I use this as well. Just get a sensor close to that probe too to ensure your temps are where they should be with that dimmer.

Yes good point! I always keep a second thermometer right next to this probe so that I always know that temp is actually accurate. I'm paranoid like that

 

[elizaann2]

Yes good point! I always keep a second thermometer right next to this probe so that I always know that temp is actually accurate. I'm paranoid like that

Same!!

 

[Joolii]

You should get a heating lamp that comes with it's own probe thermometer so you can set it to maintain the exact temperature you want it to be.

This is the one I use. I highly recommend it. Affordable, easy to use, and it flat out works.

Use something like this and you never have to worry about this. As long as your bulb has a high enough wattage, your basking area will always be the same temp as you have it set.

This will automatically dim itself if the temp goes over what you set it to, so it won't make the basking area too hot. But it will always keep it at the temp you need it (again as long as the bulb is a high enough wattage for it to be strong enough vs your cooler temps).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BGS517FT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

edit: I am not sure what you intend to use a night time basking light for. You shouldn't need to raise the heat in the enclosure at night. In fact you WANT it to cool down at night. The temp in my chameleons enclosure at night (1 yo panther male) is typically 61-66f. I hope this helps!

Thanks, I'll check this light out and appreciate the link!

I didn't realize the enclosure could cool that much at night. The 61-66 range I'm assuming would be 61 at the bottom at lowest and 66 at the top?

 

[Joolii]

Yes good point! I always keep a second thermometer right next to this probe so that I always know that temp is actually accurate. I'm paranoid like that

I have a handful of sensors in the enclosure, so it would be no problem to move the placement of either of them to be near the probe.

 

[TheMotherChameleon]

Thanks, I'll check this light out and appreciate the link!

I didn't realize the enclosure could cool that much at night. The 61-66 range I'm assuming would be 61 at the bottom at lowest and 66 at the top?

Nighttime temperatures can be as low as about 55 degrees

 

[Steve A]

Thanks, I'll check this light out and appreciate the link!

I didn't realize the enclosure could cool that much at night. The 61-66 range I'm assuming would be 61 at the bottom at lowest and 66 at the top?

Actually those temps are specifically a range I get in his sleeping area. Up top is typically a couple degrees higher and low is nearly the same. But this may change in the summer when the AC is on since the top part is getting hit by AC before the bottom since I have forced air in my ceiling. But the temp at top doesn't matter at night. Only where he's sleeping. Once the lights are off it's less of a gradient anyway and the temps are closer together for the most part

 

[Steve A]

Nighttime temperatures can be as low as about 55 degrees

No they can't. Cuz then **I** would freeze

 

[Joolii]

You should get a heating lamp that comes with it's own probe thermometer so you can set it to maintain the exact temperature you want it to be.

This is the one I use. I highly recommend it. Affordable, easy to use, and it flat out works.

Use something like this and you never have to worry about this. As long as your bulb has a high enough wattage, your basking area will always be the same temp as you have it set.

This will automatically dim itself if the temp goes over what you set it to, so it won't make the basking area too hot. But it will always keep it at the temp you need it (again as long as the bulb is a high enough wattage for it to be strong enough vs your cooler temps).

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BGS517FT/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

edit: I am not sure what you intend to use a night time basking light for. You shouldn't need to raise the heat in the enclosure at night. In fact you WANT it to cool down at night. The temp in my chameleons enclosure at night (1 yo panther male) is typically 61-66f. I hope this helps!

So I got the dimmer you recommended and it was pretty finicky to set the temp range I want. I’m also not sure how well it’s working, so here’s another 75 degree day where we have the heat on in the house to keep the temps where they need to be.. What basking bulb do you use?

 

[Steve A]

So I got the dimmer you recommended and it was pretty finicky to set the temp range I want. I’m also not sure how well it’s working, so here’s another 75 degree day where we have the heat on in the house to keep the temps where they need to be.. What basking bulb do you use?

So sorry for getting back to you so late!!

Ok so with these... it's better to go on the "higher" side wattage wise (obviously don't want to go crazy). Because it's going to be regulated it's good to do this IMO just to make sure that when it's cooler, it can still provide adequate heat. Remember, the dimmer will always bring it down if it goes over the temp you have it set. I just set mine at 80f.

Here is the bulb I am using and it's been excellent:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08M46T2VW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These bulbs are 75w and they're rough shop lights so they're not so sensitive to the touch as other bulbs are. Very simple, but they work for me very well. His basking spot is always 80-81f.