rubbermaid

[xtremes2221]

what is the best way to heat a rubbermaid (i.e. lamp, uth, etc.)

would a lamp melt it, or would i have to put inside, and just make sure the snake cant get burned,

thanks

[Vengeance]

I think with a rubbermaid your best bet is an UTH or heat tape.

[emroul]

Or a human heating pad, with NO auto shut-off. I use these for all my rubbermaids that aren't being heated in a rack with heat tape; they work just as good. You can get them at any Walmart, Target, or drug store. ;)

:)Jennifer

[Vengeance]

Also if you use a UTH you will need a rheostat to control the tempatures. The UTH can get really hot without one.

[sapphire_moon]

or if you can't get a rheostat, just find a lamp dimmer. I have 2 rubbermaid like containers that are heated by UTH and just use a lamp dimmer, works great.

[kevyn]

Heat tape is great. But so is the uth and the heat pads are great. Having a room with a high ambiant temperature helps.

[Jeff_Favelle]

or if you can't get a rheostat, just find a lamp dimmer.

A lamp dimmer IS a rheostat.

[lostwithin]

hey, well just too be diffrent, ive used rubbermaid containers, and my prefrence it heat lamps i find it more natural for them too be able too bask in hoter spots, n e way what i do it modify the top buy cutting out a large enough section too place the lamp on keeping about 1 inch space from rim of the lamp too any plastic, then i cover the hole with wire screening, easiest way too do that is lay it on the plastic snd get some short screws coming up through the plastic into a thin wooden framework surounding the whole, then the screen is firmly attached and your lamp works great, plus it adds some air flow too the cage, ive done this for 2 cages, one of which was outgrown and now makes a great temp. cage for moving animals, hope this helps,
Devon

[sapphire_moon]

ya, but it's less expensive! And you can get it at any hardware store or even wal-mart!
I looked at a rheostat in a pet store.......holy crap! I could have bought 2 corns and 2 new enclosures for the price they wanted!

Belly heat is better for ball pythons digestion (just my opinons)

[Linds]

Originally posted by Jeff_Favelle
A lamp dimmer IS a rheostat.

Is it? ;) ...

Originally posted by Stockwell
The term "Rheostat" is often used by herpers to mean "light dimmer"
It's not terribly important to most herpers but being an electronics specialist, I will just quickly state that dimmers are not Rheostats, by definition.
I Rheostat is a variable resistor, and nobody is using those in Herpetoculture. (just a minor technical point)
Dimmers are actually phase controllers, they aren't variable resistors.
They work by controlling the percentage of each cycle of line voltage that is actually applied to the load.
the "load" being your lamp, heat tape, heat rope etc.

Dimmers are actually choppers. So essentially when you are turning them down, you are simply adjusting the chopping rate, so that they are not on for the full cycle of line, and its the same effect as plugging and unplugging very rapidly.
Current only flows for the duration that the load is on, so this of course effects the heat output.

[Jeff_Favelle]

I wonder if the cheapo dimmers we use, then could effectively reduce the life expectancy of our bulbs? That would suck, but its good info to know.

[Linds]

Yeah... guess they act similar to analog thermostats, and we know those wear out heat tape and such :/

[xtremes2221]

thanks you have all been really helpful