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Thread: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

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    Default What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    My pacman frog hasn't been eating and according to the vet its because his terrarium might be too cold. I was using a 50 watt light bulb and the temperature would be anywhere from 73-81. I recently picked up a massive heat lamp with a 75 watt incandescent lightbulb. Is this wattage okay? The tank probably was too cold and my thermometer was probably off a little bit.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    Unless you have a very big tank a 75W will just dry it out in very short order. I wouldn't go over 60W and I think you'd be better off using a thermostat-controlled heat mat so you get no light at night and some heat without the drying effect. If you wanted to view the frog at night you could still use a low wattage black or red bulb but instead of having it on all night just for a few hours. Many of my frogs have been disturbed with these lights and I've noticed big changes in activity when switching them off

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    I asked at the pet store about heat mats and was told not to get one and instead put aluminum foil around the cage and stick with my 50 watt lightbulb. I figured that a new 75 watt lightbulb and larger reflector dome would also do the job but that doesn't seem to be the case. He still isn't eating. I can't for the life of me figure out why. The temperature is in the 70s(My thermometer is being weird, doesn't want to display the temp) and I mist it every couple hours(You were right, the larger bulb is really drying out the enclosure. Unfortunately I don't have the money right now to get a heat mat so the incandescent bulb will have to do for now. But he still isn't eating.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    Tip: don't go to pet stores for advice read books and ask other hobbyists/breeders instead. Like I've said, leaving a bulb on 24 hours per day, even red or purple can disturb them, even if it claims it doesn't. Some animals may be fine with it, however others might be more sensitive. I've heard some bearded dragons can suffer from insomnia with red lights. 75W is just a no go in my book and only fine for phibs kept in large enclosures, preferably basking ones, with plants or a misting system to keep the humidity levels up. For a 10-20 gallon I would say 40W is good, 60W is pushing it. Heat mats are best for small tanks and work well, most breeders actually maintain their frogs on heat mat/heat strips. I'd save up for it and if your frog doesn't start eating soon you may need to force feed it by putting a teaspoon in it's mouth to open and then putting the food in

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    Or you could get a ceramic heat emitter, which is basically like a heat lamp but without the light and excellent for 24 hour heat sources, 40-60W should do but these are best connected to a thermostat with a day/night setting, otherwise the animal won't have a night time drop and they cage will be like a desert in the morning. For humidity the foil or glass over half and no more of the screen.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    The temperature was around 81-82 with the 75 watt but it was just drying out SO quickly. The humidity was around 30 when I got home today. I feel bad. I shouldn't have listened to the vet and just bought a heat mat but I simply can't buy one at this time. Now I'm stuck with 2 heat lamps. One that is very small and one that is very large(It barely fits on top of my 10 gallon tank). I have 3 incandescent light bulbs. A regular 50 watt, a 50 watt that is flat on the bottom, and a regular 75 watt. What combination should I use?

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    For the time being I'd use the 50w again and save up some and then get a ceramic or heat mat aswell as a thermostat. I am surprised the 50w doesn't keep the temps right

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    Should I use the regular bulb or the one that is flat on the bottom? I heard the one that is flat on the bottom gives off more heat.

    Oh and which heat lamp should I use? The large or small? I read that the large heat lamp will give off more heat in a larger area.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    The 75 I would have to agree is abit overkill, if its drying out the tank that much imagine what its doing to the frog. I would go with one of the 50 watts, and if its a night time bulb go out and a buy a dimmer from walmart or homedepot. You can get them for around 10 bucks, this way at night instead of takeing the heating right off the tank you can just dim it down to a suitable night time temp. You should really get different gauges then the analog if you haven't already, Exo terra makes a really good 2 in 1. What you can do to help with the heat is cover half to 2/3 of the top with foil, this is what your vet probably meant. This way it traps the heat in the tank instead of some of the heat escaping through the screen top. But I shall warn you that if and when you do this that you should still get a dimmer to adjust the heat because it may get to hot. When you get the chance and money for a UTH I would suggest to get one for the tank even if this helps fix your problem, they are very good for a secondary heat source in case of things like a really big temp drop in the weather or if your bulb blows he still has heat. You could even put it on and just don't plug it in if get the temps you need with just the light and then its there and ready be need be.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    And also when the money situation isn't so tight and a little better I would suggest getting a programmable thermostat to help keep the temps stable, all though a dimmer will work for the time being a thermostat is way better and leaves you headache free from worrying what temp your tank is at.

  12. #11

    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    I just checked the temperature and its reading 77... I can't for the life of me figure out how to get it warmer. Apparently all these people are getting their tanks to 82 with a 40 watt bulb and I can't get mine above 77 with a 50 watt

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    Did you ever end up getting different gauges as Jason suggested? if it reads 81 and then 77 through out the day and there isn't any draft or anything your gauge is probably pooched. I would really suggest getting one if you haven't because your temps may fine and your stressing yourself out for nothing.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    I dont think its messed up. I seriously just can't get my enclosure to warm up and I dont know why. What lightbulb should I use? What heat lamp should I use? Im so confused as to why nothing is working.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    Don't use the flat bulb, which I imagine is a basking bulb; horned frogs don't really bask like lizards, so you want something that will be gentle and not intense. Use a ceramic heat emitter, it's black and made of ceramic, produces no light. 77f by day is okay though, I really think it might be the light itself and not the temperatures. Ceramic or heat mat all the way for albinos, as they produce no light at all. The enclosure can then be placed in a moderately bright room, so it can then tell the difference between night and day.
    Last edited by jasonm96; January 7th, 2016 at 05:11 AM.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    Also the exact wattage will depend on the room temperature of where the tank is, the colder it is then the higher wattage is. Good thing about heat mats is they operate at 100f unstated so once it's on a thermostat it will then maintain the right temperature with cold rooms.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    Welp, I finally got the temp up to 81ish. I'm using the flat light bulb and the large heat emitter along with some aluminum foil on top.

    And the little guy came out last night. He may have eaten I think. Not sure.

    EDIT: Well 81 on the sight with the bulb, 75 on the other side.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    Wouldn't use both, ceramics sufficient. Lets us know how it goes. Just put the food in just before sundown, count how many crickets and check in the morning.

  19. #18

    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    I think he finally ate. Either that, or the crickets I put in yesterday are really good at hiding. And I'm not sure what you mean by don't use both.

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    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    It may be useful to make the set up simple, just water dish and deep substrate, for now. This will make it easier to know if crickets are taken. I mean don't use both lights at once, together. You want an area for the frog to cool down and a ceramic is enough anyway, however the night bulb can be used for an hour or so at night, for viewing.

  21. #20

    Default Re: What wattage lightbulb should I use?

    Oh when I said heat emitter I meant the thing you put the light bulb into, I have two, a large and a small. And my pacman never moves really to the other side of the the terrarium. And I have to leave it on at night or the enclosure temperature will drop to the low 70s.

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