I'm having a hard time now that the temp is dropping, keeping the large frog enclosure up to par on heat. If its 68 in the house, the highest its staying is 72.

This is the hood I have right now.


Currently it houses a 60 watt bulb, a 40 watt night blub, and a florescent tube.

I'm tired of replacing bulbs every 2 weeks. I think the combination of the humidity and it being on all the time gives it a much shorter life than I need.

I was looking at the exoterra 60 watt ceramic heater. I have a few questions.

1. Do I need a different hood/fixture for this? I'm guessing the heat goes down therefore the horizontal bulb placement won't work and I would have to look at one of those ceramic dome fixtures? Correct?

2. I have a metal mesh/wire over the top where the hood is. If I put a ceramic heater up there, I'm guessing it will make the mesh hot? This probably won't work since the frogs like to hand upside down off it!

3. And for those who have it, does it dry out more, less or the same as a regular 60 watt bulb?

4. Also, it gives wattage recommendations based on tank size, but of course it doesn't tell what temp they are aiming for. Any suggestions? Its roughly 90 gallons and I'm aiming for 80 degrees.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

I'm pretty sure you'll need a ceramic socket to run a Ceramic Heat Emitter because the Ceramic Heat Emitter itself gets REALLY hot. You'll also need a big cage around the Ceramic Heat Emitter to keep anyone from burning their little toes.

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Those who say it can't be done should get out of the way of those who are doing it.

~*~Lacey~*~

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A ceramic sockets is 100% required for any type of Ceramic Heat Emitter.

I prefer this unit over the Ceramic Heat Emitter:



Thats Bobs heat projector. This is my main reason for preferring it over the traditional Ceramic Heat Emitter:

It too requires a ceramic socket simply because it emits heat. lol It also happens to be cheaper than a Ceramic Heat Emitter. lol

If you want to read about it, here is where its located:

Mega-Ray HP - 60 Watt Heat Projector - ReptileUV

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Ceramic Heat Emitters do need ceramic sockets and they get HOT !!!!!!!!!!!!(DANGEROUSLY HOT!!)
Even the mesh cages get quite toasty. The cages are usually OK for a reptile (my snakes climbed on it and were OK) but I wouldn't trust it for a frog.

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Andrea

that's what I'm worried about.

Rich, I"ll check out that link.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

You might also try the halogen light bulbs. (I think thats what they are) the ones that look like the tube coiled in a bulb shape... They last longer and don't require as much energy to produce the same amount of light/heat...

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they produce much less heat than incandescent bulbs.

Rich, I ordered one of those heat emitters. I'll see how they go! I'm going to get my husband into constructing me a new 'Winter Top" for the enclosure out of wood, with 2 holes cut out. One for light and one for the heat. This way the heat can stay on all the time and the light can be on a timer. Then in the summer, I'll go back to the old way.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.

I would rig it with a thermostat. That way you wouldn't have to worry about changing things out in summer. It will also make for a more constant temp.

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Merlin,
What's Life Without A Little Magic!

i've heard you can get radiation-like burns from halogen, and they blow out easily, the oils from your fingers will kill them. i wouldnt use them for pets

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I'm full of useless facts to know and say!

~Chelsea~

To see a world in a grain of sand
And Heaven in a wildflower
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand
And eternity in an hour...

What Rich posted isn't halogen. In fact it doesn't even produce light. It just looks like one.

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My name is Liz
Do what's best for the animal, not what's best for you.