Heat Lamp Setup

[Ocelotbren]

I am hoping to get rhomboderas this winter and will need to up the temperature a bit for them in the colder months.  I know a basic desk lamp with an incandescent bulb is an option, but if possible, I thought it would be nice to use a heat emitter that doesn't produce light, such as:

https://www.amazon.com/BYB-Ceramic-Infrared-Emitter-Brooder/dp/B00HFNZ59Q/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1513020629&sr=8-4&keywords=heat+lamp

How do people that use heat lamps (light producing or not) set it up?  Do you just lay it on the mesh like seems to be common for reptile terrariums?  Wouldn't that run the risk of burning mantis toes?  Plus I replaced the metal mesh with fiberglass and I'm not sure if that could be an issue too.

I'm just not sure how to actually mount the above heat emitter (or any other heat lamp) once I get it into a socket.  Sometimes they come with a clamp, but I don't know what to clamp it to; there isn't much on the Exo Terras that I could clamp to as far as I know.  Ideally I'd like to heat two enclosures at once with it too so I would prefer some type of desk lamp format with an arm that I can position over both enclosures.

I've also heard of people using heat mats, but does that heat penetrate much beyond the substrate?  Since mantids tend to hang out up high.

I've never had a pet that needs a heat lamp before at all so I am a complete newbie in that regard haha.  Pictures of setups or a description would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

 

[Aristalochia]

Im not sure how exoterra's but I liked to put them in a ceramic socket with a reflector to point the heat down into the enclosure. Havent used em with mantids yet but I'd be worried about burning them if the bulbs inside the enclosure.

 

[Ocelotbren]

Yeah, that is exactly what I had in mind, a ceramic socket with a reflector aimed down at the terrariums, but my question is, how do you actually mount it in the correct position above the terrarium?  Do you clamp it to something, or do you have a stand that holds it at the right height?

 

[Aristalochia]

Oh, well I either dangled to cord from a hook or just let the reflector sit on top of the screened top. Not sure this is very helpful..but it is what I did

 

[Ocelotbren]

Oh I see.  I was worried about it being too hot for mantids, who hang from the ceiling a lot, if I just let it sit on top of the mesh.  So I was looking for a way to have it suspended an appropriate distance above the terrariums to get the right temperature inside.  Dangling the cord from a hook could be an option, although it would take some reconfiguration of my bug corner to do it haha.

Thanks.

 

[agent A]

most lamps come with a clamp

i usually clamp the lamp to an edge of a piece of furniture and aim the lamp at the cages. the lamp is 8x15 inches from the cages

nowadays, however, i just keep my room in the upper 70s with a space heater

 

[PrayingMantisPets]

Heat emitters get really hot and never burn out. My friend has one for his pet iguanas and he puts it in a zoo med dual dome light fixture (forgot the name of it) 

it gets insainly hot, sometimes you don’t even think it’s on and you tough it and get burned.

 

[rantology]

I use a halogen light for low wattage heat/ bask spot.. they get VERY hot close to the bulb so you need to have them mounted a few inches above the screen. The zilla lamp comes with hook-springs and metal feet you can screw in to achieve this luckily. ( my setup for it) 

 

[Ocelotbren]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

@mantisloverguy6000 Cool, I see.  I think I won't be able to clamp it to furniture and have it high enough for my needs, but I'll keep that in mind if my setup changes.

@PrayingMantisPets I looked up the dual dome you mentioned and it lists a lamp stand it can be used with, which is how I discovered that such a thing exists.  I was trying to essentially find something like that but didn't know what search terms to use.  I found one and I think that's what I'm going to use now, and dangle a Zilla dome with a heat emitter from it.

@rantology Thanks for sharing a picture of your setup.  That is the type of idea I'm going for...suspending the heater above the terrarium so I can get the desired temperature by adjusting height.

 

[Ocelotbren]

So I went with the Zoo Med mini deep dome lamp fixture, and it arrived today, but it says right on the box that it's not to be used with heat emitters!  Hmm.  It doesn't say anything like that on the Amazon page.  @PrayingMantisPets you said your friend has a heat emitter in one?  The dual one, but I would guess it's the same otherwise.  I read one review that said they used a 60W emitter in it and haven't had any issues, but I opted to return the fixture and buy the Zoo Med wire cage clamp lamp instead, which is intended for heat emitters.  Just to be safe.  The main downside with that is that it has a clamp instead of a hook to hang from, but I guess I can just clamp it to the lamp stand.

 

[PrayingMantisPets]

https://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-Desert-Heat-Lighting/dp/B00CYDE9JY/ref=sr_1_12?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1513978803&sr=1-12&keywords=zoo+med+dome 

this is what he has. His heat bulbs kept burning out so he went with a heat emitter and he has perfect results. 

Ill ask him for more details for what w the emitter is.

 

[Ocelotbren]

@PrayingMantisPets Sorry for the delay, I was away for the holidays.  Thanks for sharing the link.  The wire cage clamp lamp arrived right before we left and I haven't had a chance to test out my setup yet, but it seems like it will do what I need.