# Heat Lamp isn't keeping the cage over warm



## hedgie_lover_17 (Apr 22, 2015)

I have a dome heat lamp with a dark tinted heat bulb inside. The temp falls to 68 to 74. I'm wondering if my cage is to tall? I have attached a pic of my cage from amazon. I also looked at the box that my heat lamp came in and it says it only holds up to 60 watts. You're suppose to use 75 watts or 100 watts to heat my hedgehogs. My light bulb is 75 watts. So is it the lamp not holding all the heat it is suppose too? I'm thinking of buying another heat lamp but a clamp on one. Would that work? If I did get another one I would also buy a temp controller so she wouldn't over heat. What do you guys think I should do?


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

Yeah, that's definitely too cold. 74* should be the minimum temperature, not the high. You should get a bigger lamp - you want a 10" lamp that can hold a bulb up to 250 watts. You also want to get a Ceramic Heat Emitter (CHE) bulb since it will not emit light, just heat. Colored heat bulbs still give off light & will often bother the hedgehog at night, so they're not acceptable to use. And yes, a thermostat is also something you should buy, so I'm glad you're already planning to! That will turn the CHE lamp on & off as needed to keep a steady temperature, which is JUST as important as what that temperature is. You should try to keep your hedgie's cage around 75* & see how she does with that.


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## Kalandra (Aug 25, 2008)

I agree with the lamp being changed, since the bulb size is over rated for the lamp. However, something else to think about if you haven't already.

I use a very similar style cage for quarantine of new hedgehogs. The last rescue I took in I used a CHE setup with the cage and ended up tying a piece of fleece around the lower half of the cage to help hold heat in. It helped tremendously. 

Another item is placement of the thermometer. If it is placed too high up on a wall it will turn off sooner than if it is placed near the floor.


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## hedgie_lover_17 (Apr 22, 2015)

Guys thanks for replying!!! After I posted this in the early morning I looked deeper into the forum. Its probably amazing she hasn't gone into hibernation. My guess is maybe the pet shore didn't keep their cage very warm? So she more use to it. I'm a little mad because it was the pet store that sold me that lamp and bulb for a hedgehog. That's a wasted 25 dollars all together. I can't get the new bulb or lamp or temp controler until I get money in a week. I already have a space heater so in the mean I have placed that near her cage. Her cage temp is up to about 76.


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