Lamp Holder?

ethelandedna · 23-02-2011, 05:13 PM

At last! We (my kiddie and I) are on the brink of buying our first tort. A 2009hatched Hermann. We have a lovely big rabbit cage, substrate, hides, dishes, logs, bits of slate and... an Exo-Terra large Wire Light. This is not a reflector type of lamp holder. Is this wrong?

(Perhaps foolishly) I bought this at our local garden centre pet department. They could work out how we would attach separate heat and UV lamps to a cage 'cause of all the wires trailing down the back. It wouldn't look very nice. Instead they suggested a combi lamp but they didn't have any in stock. The only holder they had with a clamp was the one mentioned above.

Another worry they had was the heat of the heat lamp being too intense for a plastic cage and melting it. Has anyone had any problems with this? Must admit whilst scanning the forum I've never heard mention of it.

I have tried ringing Kimbos to discuss my options but got no reply. Meanwhile my kiddie is itching to get our set-up finished and warmed up ready for the new arrival.

**16 shells** · 23-02-2011, 08:19 PM

Is it like this one, as long as it can take the wattage of the bulb.
http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/wire_light.php
A combi bulb uv/heat, has been used in a rabbit cage before, you will need a probe thermometer to read safe level's of hot end and cool end, to set the height of the bulb.

Torterra · 23-02-2011, 08:46 PM

Welcome to the forum. I would not worry about getting it too hot, the hottest spot should be 32-35C this is fine with plastic cages. Wire holder is good for mercury vapour lamps, the lamps have built in reflector. Check you must have Wire Light PT2062 the small is not tough enough. Have you got the UVB combined bulb yet? If not try to get Arcadia they are brilliant I used Exo terra and now have Arcadia those give even light and come in 100W, you can position this one fairly low over the cage. Check the night time temperatures I dont know how low night temps must be for hermanns.

ethelandedna · 23-02-2011, 10:24 PM

Cheers chaps for all the help.

Yes it is a PT2062. Phew! So glad I've not got it wrong.

Just need to order the bulb tomorrow. Will look out for Arcadia. 100W?

Torterra · 24-02-2011, 02:27 PM

You may need additional heating over basking spot depends on what temperature you will get under the lamp, a simple infra red lamp can be fine. Personally I ended up with two strong lamps ceramic heat lamp and mercury vapour, but I have tropical tortoise. By the way I am also setting up a ferplast rabbit cage as a tortoise enclosure for my two young additions, going through all setup again. WIll post pics once it is all ready, I got RED cage base, well at least it is a warm colour.

roofee0778 · 24-02-2011, 03:02 PM

Up until a week ago I had a rabbit/guinea pig cage for mine. Perfectly safe with the lamp. The only problem I had was when it was really cold in the winter - I couldn't get the lamp low enough because of the wire of the cage in the way. That was pretty easily solved by cutting a hole in it though.

23-02-2011, 05:13 PM	#1
ethelandedna Member Incubating Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Lichfield, UK Posts: 201	Lamp Holder? At last! We (my kiddie and I) are on the brink of buying our first tort. A 2009hatched Hermann. We have a lovely big rabbit cage, substrate, hides, dishes, logs, bits of slate and... an Exo-Terra large Wire Light. This is not a reflector type of lamp holder. Is this wrong? (Perhaps foolishly) I bought this at our local garden centre pet department. They could work out how we would attach separate heat and UV lamps to a cage 'cause of all the wires trailing down the back. It wouldn't look very nice. Instead they suggested a combi lamp but they didn't have any in stock. The only holder they had with a clamp was the one mentioned above. Another worry they had was the heat of the heat lamp being too intense for a plastic cage and melting it. Has anyone had any problems with this? Must admit whilst scanning the forum I've never heard mention of it. I have tried ringing Kimbos to discuss my options but got no reply. Meanwhile my kiddie is itching to get our set-up finished and warmed up ready for the new arrival.

23-02-2011, 08:19 PM	#2
16 shells Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Hull Posts: 7,286	Is it like this one, as long as it can take the wattage of the bulb. http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products/wire_light.php A combi bulb uv/heat, has been used in a rabbit cage before, you will need a probe thermometer to read safe level's of hot end and cool end, to set the height of the bulb. __________________ Paul.

23-02-2011, 08:46 PM	#3
Torterra Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: England, SE Posts: 1,396	Welcome to the forum. I would not worry about getting it too hot, the hottest spot should be 32-35C this is fine with plastic cages. Wire holder is good for mercury vapour lamps, the lamps have built in reflector. Check you must have Wire Light PT2062 the small is not tough enough. Have you got the UVB combined bulb yet? If not try to get Arcadia they are brilliant I used Exo terra and now have Arcadia those give even light and come in 100W, you can position this one fairly low over the cage. Check the night time temperatures I dont know how low night temps must be for hermanns. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1.2.0 Geoshelone elegans (Indian Star) 1.2.1 Kinosternon Bauri (Three Striped mud turtles) 0.0.2 Sternotherus Carinatus (Razorback Musk Turtle) http://kinosternon-baurii.blogspot.co.uk/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

24-02-2011, 02:27 PM	#5
Torterra Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: England, SE Posts: 1,396	You may need additional heating over basking spot depends on what temperature you will get under the lamp, a simple infra red lamp can be fine. Personally I ended up with two strong lamps ceramic heat lamp and mercury vapour, but I have tropical tortoise. By the way I am also setting up a ferplast rabbit cage as a tortoise enclosure for my two young additions, going through all setup again. WIll post pics once it is all ready, I got RED cage base, well at least it is a warm colour. __________________ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 1.2.0 Geoshelone elegans (Indian Star) 1.2.1 Kinosternon Bauri (Three Striped mud turtles) 0.0.2 Sternotherus Carinatus (Razorback Musk Turtle) http://kinosternon-baurii.blogspot.co.uk/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

24-02-2011, 03:02 PM	#6
roofee0778 Member Hatched Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Weston-super-Mare Posts: 446	Up until a week ago I had a rabbit/guinea pig cage for mine. Perfectly safe with the lamp. The only problem I had was when it was really cold in the winter - I couldn't get the lamp low enough because of the wire of the cage in the way. That was pretty easily solved by cutting a hole in it though. __________________ Ruth 1 funny little thb - Pedro

23-02-2011, 10:24 PM	#4
ethelandedna Member Incubating Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Lichfield, UK Posts: 201	Cheers chaps for all the help. Yes it is a PT2062. Phew! So glad I've not got it wrong. Just need to order the bulb tomorrow. Will look out for Arcadia. 100W?

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