Bottom heat in large vive??

Rudiman · 09-29-12, 08:22 AM

Anyone have suggestions on bottom heat in large custom enclosures? Is it nesessary? Any suggestion? Wattages? Pads? Ropes? Etc.

Scott

infernalis · 09-29-12, 08:42 AM

On average, how warm is it in your house, specifically where the enclosure is located?

Rudiman · 09-29-12, 10:30 AM

No less than 68-70 degrees.

Scott

infernalis · 09-29-12, 11:04 AM

then aside from your nesting idea, I don't see where it's necessary. With all the insulation you have on that enclosure of yours, The substrate won't get a chance to cool off much.

My enclosure is insulated, just a couple weeks ago we had a 24 hour power outage, I kept shining a flashlight into the monitor enclosure and the inside temps never fell below 80, it was the soil holding it so steady, that's a lot of warm mass sitting there.

Heating the dirt from below would defeat thermo regulation too. The burrows and hides would not be cool places to retreat when they want to slow down their metabolism.

Somebody correct me if I am mistaken.

Gatorhunter1231 · 09-29-12, 01:15 PM

Agree with Wayne. Never heated the floor even in my large enclosures.

Rudiman · 09-29-12, 02:00 PM

There's a money saving tip

Gregg M · 09-30-12, 09:55 AM

You may want to bottom heat nesting spots in big cages. We use pi blanket heaters on a thermostat.

Rudiman · 09-30-12, 10:09 AM

What do we think about a heat rope on a rheostat?

Scott

justme · 10-10-12, 12:18 AM

i like pads over heat cable. lizards love to dig rope up and its a very localized heat to begin with. id only use it if i tile over it (heated floor essentially) and substrate on top. same for heat tape

Gatorhunter1231 · 10-10-12, 12:40 PM

Look into Kane heat mats if you decide to go with a heating pad. They are built for pigs, goats, and other farm animals so they are tuff as nails.

AjaMichelle · 10-17-12, 08:37 PM

I am considering how to heat the substrate in my enclosure as well.

It's already insulated and the ambient temperature of the room in which it's contained varies from 75*F to 80*F. I just want to raise the substrate temps immediately under the basking spot some.

I was considering using a radiant heat panel in the enclosure because I've found that it doesn't impact the ambient temperature of my burm enclosure much. I was also considering mounting something on the outside of the enclosure.

Any suggestions?