Painting bulbs red...

[RichB]

I've recently bought my first snake, a stimson. I currently am using a 60 watt, refelctor bulb as recommended for the the size of my enclosure.

I do though want to use a red bulb to encourage 'normal' nocturnal activity. I heard that, to save money, it was possible to spray paint a normal 'colour free' bulb with engine paint. I have done this and allowed to dry. I put the bulb in to the enclosure only to find that the bulb started to smell of fumes and burning so I took out straight away. Do i need to leave for longer before putting in enclosure or.....

Thanks in advance...

 

[Dan19]

You can buy red bayonet fitting bulbs from bunnings for about $1.80. Why would you bother painting them?

 

[cracksinthepitch]

I suggest you just by the specific type of globe you are trying to emulate. Just for peice of mind. Try a Purple night light 60 watt(Animal Attraction sell them check the link)

 

[RichB]

Dan - I understood that the bulbs you are talking about have a clear neck and so defeat the purpose of a red light? And I could only find 40 watt of the ones you are talking about.

Cracks - I am thinking just that. Have seen exactly what I want for $9 each but just hoped I could save money as normal reflectors are about $3. Have just seen an old thread saying you need to put in another light fitting until smell of fuems ghoes away - might try that too.

thanks both.

 

[RichB]

cracks - might also look into your purple suggestion, thanks

 

[notechistiger]

How does having heat on during the night encourage normal noctural activity? That's something I never understood. I use a spot light during the day, then have no heat at night, which I think is much more natural then 33C or so at night.

 

[RichB]

At night my bulb will come on and off as controlled by the thermostat. Would that not confuse the snake in terms of whether it is night or day? If it's a red bulb would it not solve that? That's what i meant - not the heat.

 

[notechistiger]

Well, do snakes naturally bask during the night? No, and that's my point. I use no heat at night for mine and a spot light (which has a very low output of UV light) that I use during the day and it simulates natural light.

 

[daniel1234]

Down here in Adelaide I reckon you need some heat as the nights get cold, but turning it down or having a night set up sounds reasonable. I agree with the others, just buy the coloured bulb, by the time you run the painted one in, you have proberbly decreased the useful life of it and what about the cost for electricity. All to hard I reckon.

 

[RichB]

Thanks all!

 

[Bonustokin]

Rich just because a globe is red doesnt mean it wont mess with a snakes day/night pattern.... I think your after a Infra-Red globe.... And also a dimming thermostat, not an On/Off one....

 

[wokka]

Well, do snakes naturally bask during the night? No, and that's my point. I use no heat at night for mine and a spot light (which has a very low output of UV light) that I use during the day and it simulates natural light.

Whilst snakes dont bask at night the natural environment has much more thermal mass than a cage and so heats and cools slower than the average cage.
I've gone off globes and onto heatmats mainly because they dont blow but also it allows me to play with the photoperiod. Instead of 15 watt red globes I now have 13watt heat matts under ceramic tiles which provide the thermal mass to even out the temp. Oh yeah, and of course no thermostats to break down.

 

[notechistiger]

Whilst snakes dont bask at night the natural environment has much more thermal mass than a cage and so heats and cools slower than the average cage.

I cover that as well by large rocks underneath the spot light which retain the heat for quite a while at night. But you're right, enclosures heat and cool much faster than the natural environment.

As for your methods (heatmats, no thermostats), I don't have a large enough collection to worry about globes or thermostats blowing or breaking, or specifically, the money for them. I've never had a thermostat break yet, and I just replace the globes as I go. But, I get the feeling that I'll want to move to a lower maintanence/price regime when my collection gets bigger...

 

[RichB]

Bonustokin - thanks for that, I didn't realise that re red bulbs. So an infra red bulb will give off heat and also provide nightime conditions ie seem dark to snake? (and ability to view better presumably?). So I assume a dimming thermostat does as it sounds - the bulb dims and brightens depending upon the temp??

Can you clarify that I have understood you right?


thanks
Rich

 

[Bonustokin]

Exactly Rich.
The dimming thermo will save your globe lifespan.