Hi, i am looking for a heat lamp in preperation for my new litter due in 2wks, but im not sure what bulb to go for, some shops i have spoken to say go for 250w and other are telling me 150w - im so confussed, can someone please tell me what will be the safest thing for babies.
Thanks guys
xxx

Lots of breeders much prefer heatpads as heat lamps tend to heat the whole whelping area, and the bitch gets too hot, just an opinion.

Good luck.

Try Hyperdrug for bulbs etc

i agree i will never use heat lamp again ,mum gets way to hot even if put up at the end of the box it still gets way to hot for them !

If you keep your home suitably warm with the central heating on I don't see any need for heat pads or lamps. Have never used either of them in 7 years of breeding and have never had a problem keeping pups warm.

I think i will need a heat lamp & also heat mats as i do not have central heating , but i have seen a dimmer heat lamp on one of the sites ...... anyone ever used one of these .

Thanks in advance :0)

If you keep your home suitably warm with the central heating on I don't see any need for heat pads or lamps.

Really small pups need it (as does kittens)  -and a lot of people don't have the central heating on overnight, we certainly do not. I could never sleep if the heating was on during the night and the oil would get used up twice as fast too.

I got my lamps (and bulbs) from Diamond Edge, I use the "Dull Emitter" bulbs, which only heat, don't give any light.  They may seem expensive, but one of mine only needed changing for the first time after about 12 years use, and the other is still going strong after about 10 years.  I do use the glowing red ones (250W) in the kennels, but much prefer the other type for pups.  Never had a problem wiht Mum overheating, jsut raise or lower the hanging chain to adjust heat and area covered.  I know that my thoughts on this are contrary to the majority of other board members, but heat lamps work for me without problem, and I don't like the pads at all - you are stuck with 1 position, 1 temperature and if the vet bed gets rucked up at all the pups are not in contact with the heat.

When we have a litter (current litter 3 weeks) we keep the heating on day and night - it is quite simple you keep the radiator on in the room where the pups are with mum (in our case our front lounge) and turn off all the other radiators in the house over night so no-one gets too hot in bed. Probably costs a lot more than using a heat lamp or pad mind you, but I don't mind. As I said, we have done this for 7 years with no problems.