# Heat rocks?



## Hunter951 (Oct 26, 2011)

Are heat rocks safe? I bought a timer,the heat rock, and a temperature changer that allows me to change the temp. of the heat rock. Will they burn my tortises? It won't be on all the time, Just at nights.


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## Yvonne G (Oct 26, 2011)

I've never liked to use heat rocks with tortoises. I don't know how they'd work with a rheostat, though.


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## Hunter951 (Oct 26, 2011)

On the back of the heat rock's packaging it says you can buy this other product that lets you lower/higher the temps of the rock.


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## jackrat (Oct 26, 2011)

Never been a big fan of heat rocks.


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## Tom (Oct 26, 2011)

I used to use these all the time, back in the day...

Every once in a while they would just malfunction and start smoldering. They would be hot enough to start a fire if anything were touching them at that point. Don't know how we didn't kill that poor box turtle. When they'd burn up, we'd just go to the pet store and buy another one... Man we were ignorant back then.

I think the newer ones are probably better made and safer, but this still won't be very effective for heating your enclosure and it is potentially dangerous for your tortoise. I wouldn't use one. You'd be better off with an overhead CHE or incandescent black light.


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## Kristina (Oct 26, 2011)

This is why I do not use heat rocks, and never will, temperature control or not. My tortoise's lives are not worth the risk.


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## Jacqui (Oct 26, 2011)

I love my old heat rock...as long as it is NOT plugged in.


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## Madkins007 (Oct 26, 2011)

There are a few problems with heat rocks...

1. They do not generally warm much space- just the rock itself, stuff very close, and a column above it sort of.

2. It does not take much heat to harm a reptile that is sitting there for extended periods. Trying to find the magic point where you get heat without harm is very tricky.

3. Tortoises do not generally bask on rocks the way lizards and snakes do.

On the other hand, the benefits of the hot rock are... Hmmm... Can't really think of any offhand.


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## Hunter951 (Oct 26, 2011)

Madkins007 said:


> There are a few problems with heat rocks...
> 
> 1. They do not generally warm much space- just the rock itself, stuff very close, and a column above it sort of.
> 
> ...



Well we aren't using the heat rock as an all day thing. We live in CA, and its like 80 degrees during the day but around 60 degrees at night. They have a glass terrarium outside that they sleep in during the nights. They arent going to be with the rock all the time, we just want to warm up inside their tank. It is insolated, we just now insolated it. When I feel the rock it is warm, not even close to hot. At 7 in the morning they go outside and spend the whole day till around 5 at night outside.


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## Madkins007 (Oct 26, 2011)

So... how effective is it at heating the area around it? They suck in energy, and usually only do a so-so job of heating. Heating cables or panels on the floor or in the substrate would offer more bang for the buck.


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## StudentoftheReptile (Oct 26, 2011)

A real stone or a rock placed directly underneath a basking lamp OR an undertank heat pad would be much safer. Taking into the overall expense versus the risk to the animal....heat rocks are not worth it.


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## jbean7916 (Oct 27, 2011)

If you are attempting to heat their enclosure, using a UTH (Under Tank Heater), heat tape, CHE (Ceramic heat emmiter) or RHP (Radiant heat panel) would be much more effective.


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## tyler0912 (Oct 27, 2011)

the closest to a heat rock i use is a piece of slate under the basking light?


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