Does anyone have any ideas on constructing light protectors? I am currently building a wooden enclosure with internal lights and need a way to protect my babies from being burnt on the Ceramic Heat Emitter and nocturnal light.

in the past I always used a layer of chicken wire then a layer of metel mesh screen u can pick both those items at home depot first place the chicken wire around the bulb and then use the screen in you resses to guard the herps from getting in there

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***mike***

so misrible, god help me

here leezerd leezerd leezerd

You could also build a false ceiling under the lights with mesh. Put a flip up door near the top to access them.

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Mike
"Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you." - Mother Teresa

Light protectors and especially cages around CHEs are VERY VERY important.
Even if you have ground dwelling snakes and you think "they'll never go up there" -- guess what? they do!!
When we had lamps and CHEs, we used cages like Inkman suggested: wire mesh. For the babies, you can cover that with a VERY VERY fine grade mesh.
The most important thing is to make sure you have a really tight fit against the ceiling.
I've heard horror stories of animals squeezing in and not being able to get out again. Fried to death...

Here's an example of what we used -- I painted it green with some water-based acrylic paint so that it would look a bit nicer than the grey:



Good luck!

Thats a great idea. What is it and where did you get it?

I live in Switzerland and I ordered the first ones from a reptile shop here. I also made a few myself. It's not too difficult but it's best if you can use a soldering iron.
You just have to cut a piece of sturdy mesh (the smaller the squares the better), 9.5 inches high and I'm not sure how long, but enough to get a diameter of 7-8 inches. Then you have to cut a circular piece for the bottom. Roll the sheet into a tube -- you can double roll it for more stability, tie the sides with cable binders or wire, solder the connection, add the bottom piece, tie and solder, then cut the cable binders/wires off when the solder cools and file down any sharp points. (This is very important, as my rainbow boa climbed up and squeezed the cage, caught herself on a sharp spur and ripped a huge piece of skin off of her side. It was horrendous! She had to be put under anesthetic and have it stitched up)
I recommend using eye screws (3-4) into the ceiling of your terrarium and then using cable binders through them and through the 3rd or 4th row of mesh down, so that when you tighten the cable binders, it pulls the cage firmly against the ceiling with no gaps for anyone to crawl through. To change the lightbulbs, you just have to snip the cable binders, take off the cage, and then get new binders to re-attach.

Here's the add for the one from the reptile store; it's a better picture of how it should look when it's done.



It measures is 7.5 inches in diameter and 9.5 inches high.

Great idea and tips!! Thanks alot..

You're welcome! Happy to help

This is what I went with, its a office supply wire mesh box. I added 1x2 wood to the top to bring it down a little. 100_1176.jpg (29.4 KB)

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100_1176.jpg (29.4 KB, 14 views)

That looks great! As long as the animals can't squeeze into it and the lights don't melt the cage, it should work fine!