The Zoo Med Deep Dome Lamp Fixture has an extra long dome, which means just about any size bulb is hidden and protected inside. This looks much better than a lamp sticking out. And it’s safer since you don’t risk touching a hot bulb (the dome can still get hot, so you’ll still want to be careful).

The polished interior reflects light & heat better than other domes. This allows more heat and UV rays get to your pet, which is important to keeping your pet healthy.

Who knew a lamp fixture could help keep your boxie healthy?!

Keep reading for more about Zoo Med’s Deep Dome Lamp Fixture:

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What You Get                     Use & Safety                     Quality
Pros & Cons                     Check Prices                     Pros & Cons

What You Get With The Deep Dome Lamp Fixture

This dome lamp is a sturdy metal dome with a ceramic fixture. It’s painted black so it’ll look good with just about any set-up.

The size is a little on the big side for some people. It’s 9 inches tall and 8.5 inches around. Some reviewers found that the size overpowered their relatively small set-ups. But they liked everything else about it and intended to keep using it.

It has an on/off switch on a nice long cord, making it easy to use and to reposition as necessary.

It does not have a clamp, but it does have a sturdy hanger you can use to hang it on a lamp stand (Zoo Med sells lamp stands in two sizes). Some reptile keepers set the lamp on top of the habitat (which is possible because the bulb doesn’t stick out). This seems much less safe than hanging it securely (much easier to knock it down), but it is, of course, your choice.

The cord has a polarized plug (the kind with one wide blade that will only fit into the outlet one way). This offers extra safety.

Zoo Med also offers a 1-year warranty on this fixture.

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Use and Safety Precautions

Of course you know how to use a lamp: Screw in the bulb and turn it on! But it’s important that you not exceed a lamp’s electrical rating. In this case, that means don’t use a bulb bigger than 160 watts. Since box turtles don’t need as much heat as some reptiles, that shouldn’t be a problem for you.

Other than that, you can use this lamp with just about any bulb, including those that require a ceramic fixture, like mercury vapor bulbs. In fact, Zoo Med recommends this fixture as ideal for use with its Power Sun UV lamps and ReptiSun compact fluorescents.

If you’re having trouble with your bulb, one trick is to pull the little metal tab inside the fixture up just a little to help it make better contact with the bulb.

A few other safety precautions to keep in mind:

• Make sure the plug is pushed all the way into the outlet
• Unplug it if you won’t be using it for a while
• Use it only indoors and in dry conditions
• Hang it outside your pet’s habitat only (never inside)
• Do not cover the dome with anything
• Do not use if the cord is damaged
• Do not use with a bulb bigger than 160 watts
• Do not modify the plug if you can’t get it to fit into your outlet

Doing any of these things could be dangerous. They will also void the warranty.

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Reviewer Thoughts on the Quality of This Deep Dome Lamp

Many reviewers liked the sturdy metal construction and felt it would be long-lasting. They also felt the metal hanger was strong and could support the dome safely.

Both reviewers and their reptiles appreciate how well the dome reflects heat into a relatively small area. The reptiles showed their appreciation by spending lots of time in their cozy basking areas.

Many reviewers also liked the cord length and the ease of using the on/off switch. Others highly recommend using a timer instead of the switch. This seems to be a matter of preference (automation is certainly simpler!).

Several reviewers liked how well the fixtures worked in the beginning, but they were disappointed that it stopped working in two years or less (a couple within just a few months). At least a couple shorted out with sparks, causing a fire hazard (but no actual fire). It’s impossible to know if the problem was with the manufacture of the product or if they were mishandled.

Overall, more reviewers were very happy with their deep dome fixtures and several said they owned and used more than one.

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Pros and Cons Summary

 
There are many more pros than cons with this product. The main con seems to be the possibility of the cord shorting out. You will have to decide if this is a risk you are willing to take. But keep in mind that any electrical cord can fail/short out if put under too much stress.

Pros:

• It’s long enough to completely cover most bulbs, which looks better and is safer than having bulbs sticking out the end
• With the bulb completely inside the dome, there less glare from bright bulbs
• The long cord makes it easy to reposition lamp
• If you’re not using a timer, the on/off switch makes it easy to control the light.
• The polished interior reflects more light (including UV) & heat into your pet’s basking area, helping him stay warm and healthy
• The sturdy construction is long-lasting

Cons:

• Some reviewers found the wide diameter too big for their set-ups (although several were using them anyway)
• Several reviewers had the cord fail within a relatively short time.

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Check Availability and Prices

You can find this popular product at many web stores, including these two:

• Entirely Pets, which was having a sale when we visited
• Amazon

 

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