lighting and heat

[cmitch]

My redfoot is in a 6x3 foot enclosure right now in the garage since its summer its staying warm iv been using a 100watt redlight and 100 watt mercury sun uva uvb, but winters are cold here and it does a little cooler in the garage than house any suggestions how many lights should be on during day and what watts keep it warm?

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could i use a heat pad were would i place it?

 

[Redstrike]

I really like to use CHE's for establishing a good base temperature in the winter. You cuould have them hooked up to a thermostat and set to around 80F, then the basking light could up it to ~85 during the day on the warm end. This works for me because my enclosure is fully covered.

 

[mattgrizzlybear]

Ditto!

 

[Madkins007]

As it gets colder, just adding heat from above is often not enough. Try to insulate the pen all around, and don't forget that cold air will rise up from below to chill the space. Controlling the air movement will really help keep it warm and humid.

 

[wellington]

Unless I have missed a class that explained it differently, warm air rises and cold air falls. I like the CHE for night time, no light. I also think a thermostats would be a must for a room that you don't live in yourself.

 

[Redstrike]

As it gets colder, just adding heat from above is often not enough. Try to insulate the pen all around, and don't forget that cold air will rise up from below to chill the space. Controlling the air movement will really help keep it warm and humid.

I should have clarified, I have insulation at the base of my enclosure and run heat ropes under ~4 inches of my mulch. Thus the CHE's work well for me year round.

 

[Madkins007]

Unless I have missed a class that explained it differently, warm air rises and cold air falls. I like the CHE for night time, no light. I also think a thermostats would be a must for a room that you don't live in yourself.

I did not phrase that as well as I could have. As heat rises from the habitat, cold from below is pulled up into it- like your cold floors in the morning. Insulating the bottom minimizes this.