# Anyone else NOT use a heat bulb guard?



## Nanospecs (May 26, 2014)

When i was setting up my beardie's permanent viv, i remember reading someone say these guards can do more harm than good, as they encourage the reptile to try and jump up at them, and they could get their claws stuck in the mesh. Especially since they're made of metal, and get hot. 

My beardie is prone to jumping up at things, so it seemed better to just have a bare, smooth bulb, nothing to grab onto if he should jump. It's as high up as possible anyway, and out of his reach, and there are no branches or anything near it.

Just wondered about other owner's thoughts on this?


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## Zincubus (Sep 6, 2010)

Yikes ..... I daren't run my 250W ceramic without a guard as they appear to get bladdy hot . I reckon if a lizard jumped on this it would simply stick there and melt away !

I'll be interested in everyone's opinion though ..


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## GavinMc (Jan 9, 2013)

For terrestrial lizards I don't use guards as most of my vivariums are pretty tall and there really is no need. For those that are more arboreal minded but still not classed as arboreal, semi-arboreal if you will, I do as you[ Nanospecs ] do and make sure it is out of the way and not touchable. And then for my arboreal species, and those that are mildly retarded, I build a false ceiling in the vivarium and encase the heat source in it. It stops the lizards getting to a bare bulb and also stops them being able to grip the cage styled guards which I get unthinkably hot. 

In my opinion heat guards are almost as bad as bare bulbs, especially the metal ones. I have tested the heat they get to with an IR gun and they get, without remembering the actual temperatures, ridiculously hot. If you have a lizard or snake that could reach the bulb or guard then in my opinion the only way to heat the vivarium is for the heat source to be on the outside of the vivarium. This is essentially what I achieve with the false ceiling - it's just like drilling/cutting a hole on top of the vivarium; covering said hole and then placing a heat source in a dome on top. 

I actually think the false ceiling is much more aesthetically pleasing and will be implementing it into all my vivariums when I have time. Bulbs hanging around just look a mess.



Gavin.


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## Nanospecs (May 26, 2014)

Thanks guys. I just measured the bulb and it's just under 13 inches from his basking platform. 

Here's a pic of his steup, does it look safe?


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