Heat lamps - Page 1

Can anyone recommend the best type of heat lamp, or other heat source for a whelping room, many people here use infra red lamps that are used for chickens they are easily available and cheap but someone told me they can damage the eyes of the female and puppies. Any thoughts? Also how warm should the whelping room be kept?

I have heat lamps with both the red and white bulbs. The white ones I like better, but I find they get too warm with it, guess it depends on where you are located. Mine usually do better with a heating pad so they can move on and off as they like and mom isn't trying to escape due to being too warm.

Oh in regards to temp, you'll see where they say 80-90 degrees. I find that way too warm for mom and pups. I keep mine around 75 degrees. If the pups are spread too far apart, it's too warm, bundled on top of each other, too cold.

Heat lamps can get way too hot and it doesn't take much to dehydrate the pups with one because of the dryness and if it's uncomfortable for mom she will start moving everyone around .... I also keep the room and the box in particular right around 75 degrees F. I keep a small thermometer right on the rail.... I use portable heaters if it's cold out for the room and I have those frisbee shaped pink discs that you put in the microwave and they go under the blankets and keep heat for about 6 hours... sorry cannot remember the name but they are in every catalog in the whelping supply section and retail for $20 or under....

Caution with heat lamps! They work very well BUT they must be kept a distance above the whelping box so as to not get too warm. The red bulbs block out the infra red rays which can "burn" or actually have a "cooking" effect. I could not recommend white bulbs. Puppies in the first 24 hours after birth can only raise their body temperature 1 or 2 degrees above the ambient air temperature. As they mature this ability obviously increases. The first 2 to 3 days 85 to 90 degrees "where the puppies are laying" is good. Not necessary to heat the entire room to that temperature. Morgan

I would use nothing but a heat lamp. If I have to transport puppies (which I did once) I would use the pad that heats up in the microwave. If it is to hot move the heat lamp back a bit or higher. I do not point the heat lamp right at the box (I have a stand that is dog proof). If colder or not indoors I would use a thermometer to test the temp and adjust the heat lamp closer or further from the whelp box floor. I've always been told not to use an electric heat pad. DJ :-)

We bought heatlamps from a farming supply catalog which were meant for little piglets. The lamps are about 2 feet long and hang on a chain, so you can regulate the area which is heated. We also bought a thermostat (from the same company - it goes with it) to regulate the temperature. In the winter, even Mom likes to lay under it sometimes. When you use it, pay attention to the puppies. If neonates lay in a big heap, they do so for warmth. If they are apart from each other, they are warm. We crank up the heat the first 72 hours anyway because of the CHV.