[thewarning]

Hi everyone. I need a little help with my heat setup. All advice is appreciated. What is the best lamp/reflector dome? I have 4 options here.

1. Fluker's 8.5" Repta Clamp Lamp with Switch

2. Zilla 11596 8-1/2-Inch Premium Reflector Dome

3. Zoo Med Deluxe Porcelain Clamp Lamp with 10-Inch Dome

4. Zoo Med Deluxe Dimmable Clamp Lamp with 10-Inch Dome

The two Zoo Meds look the same. The only difference I can tell is (4) has a dimmer. Both got ok reviews. I like that the Zoo Med's are 10" but the Zilla 8.5" got much better reviews. Any thoughts on which one to get? Also, how many people attach them with a clamp vs. laying it flat on the cage?
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What is the best temperature controller?

1. Zoo Med ReptiTemp 500R Remote Sensor Thermostat
Amazon.com: Zoo Med ReptiTemp 500R Remote Sensor Thermostat: Pet Supplies

2. R-Zilla Controller Temperature, 500-watt
Amazon.com: R-Zilla Controller Temperature, 500-watt: Pet Supplies

3. Zilla 11939 Temperature Controller, 1000-Watt
Amazon.com: Zilla 11939 Temperature Controller, 1000-Watt: Pet Supplies

The Zoo Med didn't get good reviews. The Zilla 500 seems good. The Zilla 1000 has 3 power outlets which is nice and is oddly cheaper than the 500. But the reviews are as low as the Zoo Med.

 

[Lilysmommy]

I've always had the Fluker's lamps and really liked them. Regardless of the brand, though, unless you have a plastic bin for a cage, it's usually best to go with a 10" lamp because they spread the heat out more and do a better job of heating the whole cage. For the lamps that have clamps on them, you shouldn't rely just on the clamp since it can weaken. If you have a wire-topped cage, you can set the lamp directly on the wires without any isuses - the only thing that will happen is it might rub the paint off. I put my lamps directly on the top of the cage and then clamped the tip of the clamp to a wire to keep the lamp from being bumped out of place or off the cage.

The low reviews for the Zilla 1000 have been mentioned before, but I'm not sure what to think of them. I've not heard of anyone in the hedgie community having issues with one, and I never had issues with mine in the 3 years I used it for Lily. The only minor complaint I ever had with it is that it can be difficult to set the temperature since the numbers on the scale don't mean much, but that just means you have to fiddle with it a bit to find where to keep the dial to get the temp you want, then make sure it's not bumped.