microclimate B1ME thermostat - Whats the best bulb?

[Gaboon]

I installed the above thermostat yesterday as i heat my gargoyles simply with a spot bulb, as recommended over a heat matt. This works well to create an ambient temperature and is needed now as my house is pretty chilly being mid winter here. The bulb used to run of a timer giving my geckos 12hours of light and heat per day. This would leave the nights unheated. I know gargoyles can put up with night time drops toward the mid 50's but as the female has started laying i thought night time temperature control is appropriate, hence the dimmer stat with night time drop function. The problem im facing now is this; i set the night time drop for a 10 degrees F drop which dims the bulb considerably initially, but, as the night goes on and temps in the room drop the bulb brightens. I know this seems obvious but i did not pre empt this and so now im searching for an alternative bulb which wont disturb their preferred photoperiod. The following options occurred to me...

A) A ceramic bulb and installation of an additional low wattage light to provide the geckos with correct photoperiods (run of a plug timer).

B) A red light bulb to provide heat. The theory that reptiles dont see red light would allow this to remain on at any brightness and it would provide good observations when their most active. Again an additional light would be fitted as above and for the same reasons.

C) This may not be an option as i dont know if such a product exists but... is there such a bulb that will glow red at a low level of power and white at a higher? If the parameters for the for such a switch over fit with those set by my stat then this could be the perfect solution. IF such a bulb exists! Which i doubt

Any comments welcome.

Thanks.

[all4x]

If you have one of the power surges that lets you control the heat only thing I can think of is come kind of covering over your cage where you have the light. I worry about hurting my geckos because it's winter here and I put on the 75watt red light all day so they get the right temps. Its about 40 degrees here outside and I make his cage at least 75 or more. I use paper towel or some other cloth about 6-8 inches away from the cage so it won't ignite

As for night time same thing I've seen my gecko not like the light so bright so I would put something over the enclosure to make it better but I could still see him. They do have lights that have etra coatings on them but that's paint usually and not very good.

[Gaboon]

Its very cold here and as im renting and all bills are included in the monthly rate im not in control of the houses heating. It switches off at 11 or 12 and shortly after if not before i will go to bed and turn of my trusty electric fan heater that has to run all day because its so chilly. Its only 30F outside and i have a massive window which is single pane allowing the room to loose heat very quickly. So shortly after all room heating is of the thermostats (all my reps are on one of some description) have to all turn it up a gear, and this is the problem. I do cover the enclosure with a towel when im in the room as i want to respect that the evenings are their time to maintained themselves in some relative privacy.

How does your crestie behave under red light? Does it register?

[robadactyl]

I have exoterres with a uv light on 10 hours a day, stick on heat mats on the side which i leave on 247,but my house does get chilly.

[all4x]

Well as far as the red bulbs he doesn't react that much he just ignores it. I think they do see some sort of light though because I've flipped it on before and he wasn't used to it yet and he kinda moved fast for a second like a twitch. It's really the only way to keep the heat going at night cuz my roommates won't pay worth crap so if I turn on the heat just for myself they will all make me pay cuz they don't want to pay it I was thinking of buying a heater like you have but with how much I have in my room I wonder where I can put it and plus its a small room, so I don't know

[geck123]

most reptiles eyes don't have the ability to see red lights.i have crested,leachy,and snakes all over my apartment.the red heat bulbs are on during the day for the snakes,and i still notice the suncken eyes on the geckos.as long as you have adequate hiding places i don't think it matters much.i'm sure they still sleep ,in the wild,on bright nights.the moon and stars can really brighten a night up.

[Gaboon]

Originally Posted by geck123

most reptiles eyes don't have the ability to see red lights.i have crested,leachy,and snakes all over my apartment.the red heat bulbs are on during the day for the snakes,and i still notice the suncken eyes on the geckos.as long as you have adequate hiding places i don't think it matters much.i'm sure they still sleep ,in the wild,on bright nights.the moon and stars can really brighten a night up.

I also read that complete darkness should be avoided as the geckos need at least a small amount of light to use for 'night vision'. I forget how it works as its getting late here but its like a cats eye, sucking in all light available etc.

So do you think a red light on during the day and the night (at different brightness to allow a drop at night) would be OK?

[geck123]

i think the geckos get enough light at night from the bightness in your house.i know i can still distinguish objects in my apartment with no lights on,and a gecko's night vision is way better than mine.

Originally Posted by Gaboon

I also read that complete darkness should be avoided as the geckos need at least a small amount of light to use for 'night vision'. I forget how it works as its getting late here but its like a cats eye, sucking in all light available etc.

So do you think a red light on during the day and the night (at different brightness to allow a drop at night) would be OK?

[Gaboon]

Originally Posted by geck123

i think the geckos get enough light at night from the bightness in your house.i know i can still distinguish objects in my apartment with no lights on,and a gecko's night vision is way better than mine.

I agree

So what do you think on maybe replacing the current whit light spot bulb with a red spot bulb for day time heat, night time heat and night time observation for me, and providing the photoperiod with an extra low wattage whit tube light?

Im fairly new to Gackos

[geck123]

i keep my cresteds at the same temperature day and night,and allow the lights in my apartment provide the photo period.i'd just use the red light for heat,and forget about any other light bulb.

Originally Posted by Gaboon

I agree

So what do you think on maybe replacing the current whit light spot bulb with a red spot bulb for day time heat, night time heat and night time observation for me, and providing the photoperiod with an extra low wattage whit tube light?

Im fairly new to Gackos