Excavator Clay

[jjhill001]

What's the deal with the clay saying not to use it with an undertank heater? It doesn't really give a reason why. Only thing I can think of is heat causing it to get super hot. My heat pad never goes above 95 or so I wouldn't think that would be enough to do any harm to anything. Anyone have a better explanation?

[Tyguy35]

Maybe cause the clay to cray and fall apart faster then a light would.

[Tsubaki]

It doesn't sound effective to me, a pad under the soil. Animals dig under the soil to escape the heat, instead they find an unnaturally hot spot. Also previously mentioned it would dry out the substrate, causing it to crumble when dug into. And if the uth can't transfer it's heat well enough to the surface, it could easily break. That's what I'd figure anyway.

[SSSSnakes]

Originally Posted by Tsubaki

Animals dig under the soil to escape the heat, instead they find an unnaturally hot spot.

Great point.

[jjhill001]

Originally Posted by Tsubaki

It doesn't sound effective to me, a pad under the soil. Animals dig under the soil to escape the heat, instead they find an unnaturally hot spot. Also previously mentioned it would dry out the substrate, causing it to crumble when dug into. And if the uth can't transfer it's heat well enough to the surface, it could easily break. That's what I'd figure anyway.

Yeah but my snake usually just goes to the other side of the terrarium if he/she gets warm. I don't see how that heat would be better than say a 100 watt bulb right on it either.

[Tsubaki]

Snakes aren't usually a species kept on Excavator clay.

[reptiledude987]

I think the other reason it says that is because if theres a thick layer over the heat pad it simply wont conduct the heat.

[bigsnakegirl785]

I've also heard if it gets wet, it goes back to being sticky clay and they could get some dried onto their foot, or their foot stuck in the clay when it dried again. (Not sure if that's true as I've never used it, but figured maybe someone here might have heard of it.)