Basking light on top of cage?

[ChamOh]

Hey guys..I've noticed a lot of people have their basking light sitting right on top of their cage. I am doing the same thing at the moment using a 5.5 inch deep dome fixture. With a 34 watt bulb, it creates a nice basking zone for my 3 month old panther. I am concerned though that he could decide to climb on the cage at some point and possibly hang upside down on the top of the cage (I've seen them doing this at pet stores) under the lamp, which could cause a burn (maybe?).

 

[justjumpit621]

If you are concerned and have seen your cham doing this then just lift it up off of the cage a few inches.

 

[warpdrive]

If you are concerned and have seen your cham doing this then just lift it up off of the cage a few inches.

I fully agree. yet understand that this will lower the basking temp and should require a higher watage bulb.

Harry

 

[jojackson]

Generally spot on Harry. A higher wattage may not be nessesary though, My rule of thumb is that slightly cooler is better than slightly hotter, the cham will bask longer is all. Ofcourse this will depend on the ambient temperature.
If the ambient temp is quite cool a higher wattage may work well, but then a higher wattage burns from further away, its a balancing act.
A reliable temp reading is a must!

A 34 watt bulb? are you sure its an incandescent? (gives off heat) I ask because similar wattages here are either pilot bulbs for fridges/stoves, or compact flourescent (power saver) kinds.
I cant imagine 34 watts would burn unless it was almost touching. a 5 inch dome gives some distance anyway, does the dome get hot?

 

[ChamOh]

Hey Jo--thanks for the help. Yep at 34 watt bulb. I was expecting to find a 35 watt myself, but this is all they had. "Soft white, 34 watt, regular, everyday light" is what the package reads. It does give off heat and the dome is warm, but not hot, to the touch. Ambient temp in the room is right around 70 degrees during the day with a very slight drop at night.