Clamp lamps?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 24, 2006 6:07 pm

Hi HCA buddies,
yesterday I went to the petstore to look at supplementary heat source for my crabs, as it is winter here and starting to get cold overnight. My tat gets down to 22*C (72*F) overnight.

I was looking at lights and I asked the guy if I can get a hood-type thing with multiple fittings so I can have a night glo or infra-red for night and a sun-glo for daytime. He said that hoods aren't usually used for providing heat as the long fluorescent lights don't generate it well, so you have to use a clamp-lamp type of thing. He said there aren't any lamps available used for heat that have multiple fittings in them... Is this true guys? It just sounds silly to me b/c it's reasonable to not want to have to manually unscrew your night bulb every morning and constantly have to change them.

He said if I wanted the lights on a timer I would need to buy multiple clamp-lamps, which is pricey. I swear I've heard people on here say they have heat lights in multiple-fitting hoods set to automatically go on and off at the right times...

EDIT: Like this one: http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_ ... SU +bi&N=2

I would like to have three fittings if possible, so I can use a choice of moon-glo or infra-red at night, and something with UVB in the daytime.

Also, do clamp-lamps lose much of their effectiveness if you sit the lamp atop a glass lid (does the glass block much of the heat coming in)?

-Thanks

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 24, 2006 6:44 pm

I have a multiple hood, but for lighting only. It has a plexiglass piece between the lights and the tank, so it would block any heat. I also have a clip-on lamp with the heat bulb. It works well. Just DO NOT put it directly on the glass. I did that, and the glass broke. I have it clipped to the side of the tank shining down into the tank.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 24, 2006 6:51 pm

cwaweeks, is there a glass lid under the lamp on the tank, or not? Thanks!

EDIT: And another question: Can you buy the heat bulbs and just put them in a regular desk-lamp? If you do that do they still give out the heat and work properly, or do you have to buy a special lamp, like a clamp-light? Thankyou.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu May 25, 2006 10:22 am

Yes, I have a glass lid under the lamp. Also, I have 2 heat lamps, one in an actual lamp made for reptiles, and one in a regular desk lamp. Both give out heat. I don't think it matters much. BTW: the 2nd lamp is for my KK ISO and works perfect!

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri May 26, 2006 9:32 pm

How much did you pay for your clamp-lamp? The local pet-store is charging like $70 for them (around $50-$60 US)! Then I saw them on the Petsmart site for like $10 US! Why is there so much variation in prices? Here's the PetSmart link:

Petsmart clamp-lamps

nora · Post by **nora** » Fri May 26, 2006 10:38 pm

I have found these lamps with porcelain light sockets at the hardware store. They are dirt cheap. They don't sport the nifty black paint job on the reflector though. UVB will be a flouresent(sp?) bulb.

Willow · Post by **Willow** » Sun May 28, 2006 12:04 am

Yeah, I was going to say that I can find clamp lamps at the farm store (they use them for chickies) for $7. Ceramic socket and everything, much cheaper than what a pet store charges.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 7:20 pm

I don't use a clamp lamp to heat my hermit crab tank, I got this lighting tube that goes in those light fixture thinge's that comes with aquarium hoods from reptiglo and it keeps the tank at 80F during the day, but the tank seems to only go down to 78f at night time because after I go to bed I close my window and turn my fans off I have no a/c on yet.

troppo · Post by **troppo** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:50 pm

Hi Aussie crabber

,

Someone told me about this site-

http://www.canberraexotics.com.au/welcome.toy

and while I haven't bought anything yet from it,the prices look very reasonable,although the clamp lamps are still exxy.
If you look through the site you'll see heating cords(they can be placed in the tat),but if you have your heart set on a heat lamp,perhaps local hardware stores may be able to help you out with screw in bulb type clamp lamps or perhaps try produce stores where livestock supplies can be bought?

I'm having similar probs with it being winter at the moment,although not as bad as what it is like down in Sydney. But what has really helped is insulating the outside of the tat with an old blanket wrapped around it at night-time. *Sigh* some of the things we have to do for our pets.
Good luck hey?
Oh,nearly forgot...Bundy uses a heat bulb hung from a cord in his tat. Maybe he'll tell you how exactly it's set up and what he used?