Clamp lamps...

[The Tortoise Tree]

I am doing research on tortoise enclosure and I have heard clamp lamps dont really... well... work. what would work as a good substitute?

 

[zovick]

I am doing research on tortoise enclosure and I have heard clamp lamps dont really... well... work. what would work as a good substitute?

They work, they are just dangerous because the clamps can fail and the whole thing can fall from wherever it is mounted and they are therefore a fire hazard especially if being used for heat lamps, etc. You can get a light fixture which can be hung by chains or be mounted directly to the top of your enclosure or to a bar going across the top.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

They work, they are just dangerous because the clamps can fail and the whole thing can fall from wherever it is mounted and they are therefore a fire hazard especially if being used for heat lamps, etc. You can get a light fixture which can be hung by chains or be mounted directly to the top of your enclosure or to a bar going across the top.

What @zovick said

 

[Toddrickfl1]

I am doing research on tortoise enclosure and I have heard clamp lamps dont really... well... work. what would work as a good substitute?

I use zip ties to reinforce mine.

 

[zovick]

I use zip ties to reinforce mine.

A good idea, but do be forewarned I have tried that with those clamp lights over the years and really large tortoises moving around in a tub can cause enough vibration in the tubs to make the bulbs tilt over, even if the clamps are not dislodged from the area where they are mounted. I have two tubs with burn marks in them from large tortoises causing the bulbs to tilt down until they contacted the tub.

I suppose the above problem could be managed all right by clamping the lamp far enough away from the tub so that a tilted bulb couldn't touch anything, but then the heat source would be further from the tortoises and much less effective.

Anyway, I gave up on the use of clamp lights after two valuable tortoise tubs got damaged and began using ceramic sockets which I could hang from above on chains or with shower curtain loops.

 

[Tom]

Use only the ceramic based ones. I remove the clamps and don't use the little cage thing that comes with some of them. I then hang them from over head. This allows you to adjust them up and down to get the correct temperature under them as well.

What species of tortoise are you getting? Baby or adult?

 

[The Tortoise Tree]

Juvenile red footed (sorry this is late)