Hotrocks?

[Fimpster]

I was wondering what everyone’s opinion is on hotrocks/heatrocks. Do any of you use them? Has anyone had a herp get burned by one? I have recently read on the ‘net in several places that they should never be used because of the risk of burns. I have three books on snake-keeping that all say that a hotrock is a good idea. It gives the snake a place to bask and can aid in digestion. All three of my books were published in the late 80’s, early 90’s, so maybe opinions have changed? I just built two new viv’s for my new Red-Tail Boa and Coastal Carpet Python and I put ZooMed hotrock’s in the both of them. Was this a good idea? I certainly don’t need a cooked snake, although they don’t seem hot enough to burn. The box they came in said to put them in the cool end (away from a heat lamp) and that is exactly what I have done. I have recently returned to the hobby, but in the past we (my father and I) always used a hotrock in our many herp cages. We never had a snake (or iguana, or monitor) get burned. I actually don’t see my little girls laying on the hotrocks too much anyhow. Should I get rid of them? Keep them?

Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[marisa]

Please remove the hot rocks. Those books were indeed outdated. The problem with hot rocks is that hot spots can start happening where one part of the rock soars in temp....this can in fact cook your snake. This is one of many problems with them I am sure.

I would remove them as soon as you read this post if they were my snakes. A heating pad works far better, and is far safer than those rocks.
IMHO

Marisa

[Kyle Walkinshaw]

I agree with Marisa entirely about the hot rocks, that is the zoo med ones. What she probably didn't know is that exo terra has come out with a new line of heat stones that have built in censors so that when the rock gets to a certain temperature it will shut off to cool down and then start up again.

Hope this helps

[Pythonian]

the heat is only one problem. another one is that you are putting an electrical device in an enclosure that is supposed to be an environment for an animal. an animal that needs water, humidity, and deficaes and urinates a semi liquidy substance. it is quite possible you could electricute ur animal. I have one heat rock. And i use that only in last case scenarios and i don't even put it in the cage i put it underneath so it's like an undertankheater.. granted the tank is lopsided.. but it's better then freezing ur animal or burning ur animal.

Mike

[Lisa]

Hot rocks are a deffinet NO for snakes, I don't know how many pics i've seen of burnt snakes from hotrocks. get an uth

[eyespy]

I've spent 15 years as a veterinary surgical tech debriding burns from hotrocks. Even the ones with heat sensors can still have quick temperature spikes or give off shocks. Use hotrocks as paperweights or to keep your coffee warm, not with living animals!

[Ed_r]

I really can't see any animal that could benefit from a heat rock. I really can't see why they are still on the market at all. No reptile should ben kept with a heatrock.

[ballpython5000]

i think that maybe the zoo med ones with a rheostat could be suitable but i dont know. it appears that the hot-rock makers have seen the problems they have created and are fixing them. maybe hot-rocks could be an acceptable way to heat herp cages in a few years. but alot of herpers have the opinion that they are horrible no matter what, ever with butt loads of dimmers and thermostats on them.
as for the regular hot-rocks with no rheostat, i would not even waste the money on one. cut the cords off immediatly and use them as decor in the cage, they look kinda nice and dont wanna waste ur money. and i also noticed on zoo med hot-rocks they have a warning about hot-rocks specificly aimed at ball pythons. i dunno if they are more at risk than other snakes, but it says they coil around them.
this is gonna be a very very interesting thread, and plz anyone who uses the newer heat-rocks on rheostats please speak up, i would like to know if those are any safer.

[Big Mike]

It's not weather or not the hot rock has a rheostat or dimmer or thermostat. The problem is that there are temperature differences all over the surface of the hot rock. Snakes can tend to absorb heat until their entire bodies are warmed up. So while they are waiting for part of their tail to warm up (on a cooler spot of the rock) thier belly has burned on the hottest spot of the rock.

Heat pads provide flat and even heating which is much safer.

I don't know why Zoo-Med and other companies are still selling these things. They are probably still a huge seller because that's what has been used in the past and some people don't like to change.

[Pixie]

This is a great thread and one that I had one question about, everything I've read everywhere says they aren't good for snakes and most reptiles.

My question is, are they acceptable for any kind of species of reptile? In the sense that is there some species that require such a hot rock and that wouldn't be harmed by a hot rock?

I've always wondered why they are still on the market and worse, why reptile stores still carry them. I understand big chains not knowing better but reptile stores should know better and not even carry them.

Pixie

[eyespy]

Some of the burns I've seen came from rocks with rheostats or thermostats. They still don't prevent hot spots or shocks. Pixie, I totally agree it makes no sense they are still so easily available. Back in the mid-80's a group of vets petitioned the FDA to take them off the market in the US and got nowhere. Same with calcium-based sands. Getting people to listen to the facts can be so hard sometimes.

[eyespy]

Oh, and another common problem with these rocks is that they are ceramic. If cool water drips on a very hot surface it will crack and then a lot of heat can escape!

[LdyDrgn]

eyespy... if the ceramic were to crack from water dripping, you'd have a much larger problem than heat escaping. You would have an electrical short and possibly a fire....

Heatrocks are bad and so are most commercial adhesive heatpads! If you MUST buy a heatpad by Zoomed or another company, please put it on a rheostat and elevate the bottom of the tank to prevent overheating, burning of the animal and possible glass breakage. Human heat pads are by far a better choice (cheaper and temp can be better controlled).

[JasonBrennan]

Human heat pad are not designed to be left on for extended periods of time, let alone all day and night. I would advise not using human heating pads at all.

Heat rocks are great if you make one simple modification...cut off the cord!!! Then it makes a nice cage decoration and can't hurt your animal. (Please UNPLUG the heat rock before you go cutting the cord off!)

[marisa]

I use a human heating pad and so far I have had nothing but the BEST results. I use mine on 12 hours per day, controlled with a thermastat.

Considering the thermastat keeps it on and off to maintain a temp at around 84, this is WELL below what would be considered normal usage for a human heating pad. Just using it normally causes it to go far above 84.

Just my personal experience though, and I would never use one without a thermastat.

Marisa

[Fimpster]

It sounds like you'll all be happy to know that I am taking the hotrocks out of both of my snake viv's. I built both of my cages with overhead thermostat controlled heat lamps, so heating the cages isn’t a problem. Thanks for the advice everyone. Anyone want to buy a couple of used hotrocks? lol

[LdyDrgn]

Cut the cord on them and use for decoration inside the cages. :)

[Fimpster]

Not a bad idea. I do like the way they look. Kind of an expensive decoration though.

[LdyDrgn]

True, but at least you won't have to go and get and replacement rocks :p

[Fimpster]

Or replacement snakes :(

[Linds]

Natural hot rocks are fine, and can be assist in digestion in many terrestrial species. This can be acheived by placing a rock under a heat lamp/CHE to heat up naturally. The commercial heat rocks are dangerous, and no matter what the claims of improvement are, can still burn/shock your reptile. As for books, well they are jsut words from one person. Take it at will. Hehehe... I think I have an old book around here that claims iguanas need to eat gravel to digest their food :rolleyes:

Originally posted by JasonBrennan
Human heat pad are not designed to be left on for extended periods of time, let alone all day and night. I would advise not using human heating pads at all.


I couldn't agree more! Though many people have used them for years successfully, there are still those that have lost their herps and homes to them as well. They were not designed to be used under those conditions, and operated full time. They were only designed to be left on for short periods. IMHO its better to just spend a little more and buy an UTH or heat tape, and controlled via thermostat or dimmer.

[LdyDrgn]

I have never had problems with the human heat pads. I have had a snake burned by a ZooMed heat mat and so have some friends of mine... to me, using the human pads is the lesser of 2 evils. Just my opinion ;) I agree that heat tape should be used as a preferred method of heating. Just have to keep an eye on it (as well as a rheostat) and watch for any discoloration. Once it changes colors, it is time to toss it. A few of my snakes will be moved over to heat tape as soon as I get the wood sealed and the rack built. Fun fun :D

[gfisher2002]

I don't know about snakes but I've heard they aren't the best for any reptile especially lizards. In my opinion, in the wild, reptiles are heated from the top by the sun(and somewhat from the bottom by the warm rocks they sit on) Heating from only the bottom of an animals body is unnatural. I don't know whether this harms a reptile or makes no difference at all. Just an observation.