# Heat pad verses heating lamp



## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

Pros and cons?


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## SarahChelonoidis (Oct 11, 2015)

For indoors or outdoors? Closed or open top enclosures?

I use a radiant heat panel indoors in a closed enclosure because it doesn't make a distinct hot spot and is as low of a fire/burn hazard as heaters come. It wouldn't work in an open space though but I like it for my setup.


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## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

My baby is inside now, he has both heat pad and lamp. I use pad at night and light during the day. Just curious about the future for his outdoor home


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## wellington (Oct 11, 2015)

Tortoises heat themselves from the top, sun. Heating pads put on the floor is not recommended, as the tortoise, specially a baby may not realize he is getting too hot and could burn. If place above or even on a side wall, a Kane heating pad on a thermostat then it's much safer. What kind of heating pad are you using? If it's those kind that the pet store sell to place under aquariums, they tend to over heat and short out, not really recommended as safe.


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## dmmj (Oct 11, 2015)

the lamp is better. The majority of blood vessels is in the tortoise shell where they get the heat from the Sun. they heat better with above heat then below 
heat.


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## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

dmmj said:


> the lamp is better. The majority of blood vessels is in the tortoise shell where they get the heat from the Sun. they heat better with above heat then below
> heat.


Thanks


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## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

wellington said:


> Tortoises heat themselves from the top, sun. Heating pads put on the floor is not recommended, as the tortoise, specially a baby may not realize he is getting too hot and could burn. If place above or even on a side wall, a Kane heating pad on a thermostat then it's much safer. What kind of heating pad are you using? If it's those kind that the pet store sell to place under aquariums, they tend to over heat and short out, not really recommended as safe.


It's a heat wave, I have a tep. Gun to monitor his temps so I'm basically still doing that for him.


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## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

I personally think I like the lamp (Or above heat sounds better I suppose) best. I'm still new, and see alot of conflicting info. Trying to weed it down a bit. Thanks for your input


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## SarahChelonoidis (Oct 11, 2015)

Just in case I made it confusing - I use an rbi radiant heat panel that is mounted from above, not an under tank heater. Radiant heat panels are kind of like ceramic heat emitters except they spread the heat out over a large area. http://www.reptilebasics.com/rbi-radiant-heat-panels


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## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

SarahChelonoidis said:


> Just in case I made it confusing - I use an rbi radiant heat panel that is mounted from above, not an under tank heater. Radiant heat panels are kind of like ceramic heat emitters except they spread the heat out over a large area. http://www.reptilebasics.com/rbi-radiant-heat-panels


No confusion


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## ascott (Oct 11, 2015)

LibbyCecil said:


> Pros and cons?



There are pros and cons for each....but they each also have their place...one of those tinkering items based on what you are trying to achieve...


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## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

ascott said:


> There are pros and cons for each....but they each also have their place...one of those tinkering items based on what you are trying to achieve...


I know I can't find much. So in the future when my sulcata lives outside, will a pig blanket be best or above heating? I like above heat now but would it be easier to have a warm spot for him with a below heat source while he is outside??


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## Yvonne G (Oct 11, 2015)

Hi Libby:

I never use heating pads of any kind for babies. They don't understand the concept of being able to move off of them if they get too hot. If you mount the pad on the wall it would be ok, but not on the floor. 

The bigger tortoises don't have this problem. I use Stansfield heat mats for all my larger tortoises.


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## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

Yvonne G said:


> Hi Libby:
> 
> I never use heating pads of any kind for babies. They don't understand the concept of being able to move off of them if they get too hot. If you mount the pad on the wall it would be ok, but not on the floor.
> 
> The bigger tortoises don't have this problem. I use Stansfield heat mats for all my larger tortoises.


Ok, thank you


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## ascott (Oct 11, 2015)

LibbyCecil said:


> I know I can't find much. So in the future when my sulcata lives outside, will a pig blanket be best or above heating? I like above heat now but would it be easier to have a warm spot for him with a below heat source while he is outside??



I could not tell you from first hand...half the torts here bromate and the other half are still little, so within the next couple of years I will have a winter ready outdoor yard for the Redfoot, which will include a dirt floor with heating ropes along with a radiated heater mounted on a small concrete pad..I will also have a hot spot/basking spot area...so I suppose I will be utilizing warmth from below / above /ambient.....right now, two go out into their yard during the day during warm months and back inside just before dark and the two smaller ones go out for morning sun and then back inside to their enclosures when I am on my way out the door for work late am/early afternoon....

There are however lots of folks here on this forum that do utilize pig blankets with radiant heat as well as overhead heating element...I am really surprised that more have not jumped in???? Give it a little bit and I bet they will


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## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

I just want all the info I can get, so thank you very very much


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## Turtulas-Len (Oct 11, 2015)

I prefer heat pad type heat over hot lights and CHEs. Heat pads of some type are the main heat source in my sulcatas five winter houses, Some are on the floor, some are against a wall, some are suspended above near the ceiling. The temp of each pad is regulated using a lamp dimmer or wall mount type dimmer switch.


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## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

Turtulas-Len said:


> I prefer heat pad type heat over hot lights and CHEs. Heat pads of some type are the main heat source in my sulcatas five winter houses, Some are on the floor, some are against a wall, some are suspended above near the ceiling. The temp of each pad is regulated using a lamp dimmer or wall mount type dimmer switch.


Oh a dimmer, nice


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## Nephelle (Oct 11, 2015)

SarahChelonoidis said:


> Just in case I made it confusing - I use an rbi radiant heat panel that is mounted from above, not an under tank heater. Radiant heat panels are kind of like ceramic heat emitters except they spread the heat out over a large area. http://www.reptilebasics.com/rbi-radiant-heat-panels



Thank you for posting that link, Sarah! I have been trying to get a handle on how these work and wasn't exactly sure where to start looking.

Just curious...would this option need to be mounted on wood or glass, or is it something that would work in a plastic tub set up?

Great thread, Libby!!


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## SarahChelonoidis (Oct 11, 2015)

I see no reason why you couldn't mount on plastic although I haven't done it myself. The back stays quite cool to the touch.


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## LibbyCecil (Oct 11, 2015)

This thread will help me make his future outdoor enclosure the best ever  


Nephelle said:


> Thank you for posting that link, Sarah! I have been trying to get a handle on how these work and wasn't exactly sure where to start looking.
> 
> 
> Just curious...would this option need to be mounted on wood or glass, or is it something that would work in a plastic tub set up?
> ...


Oh great question, I have some large cattle troughs I could rig up for my baby. So if they can safely attach to them that would be awesome!


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## TracyD (Oct 24, 2020)

Yvonne G said:


> Hi Libby:
> 
> I never use heating pads of any kind for babies. They don't understand the concept of being able to move off of them if they get too hot. If you mount the pad on the wall it would be ok, but not on the floor.
> 
> The bigger tortoises don't have this problem. I use Stansfield heat mats for all my larger tortoises.


What is considered large? I inherited a three year old Sulcata and he has always been inside with a heat lamp but we are building him an outdoor home and wondering about heating for his house


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## Tom (Oct 25, 2020)

TracyD said:


> What is considered large? I inherited a three year old Sulcata and he has always been inside with a heat lamp but we are building him an outdoor home and wondering about heating for his house


Living outside is large enough. To put a number on it, I'd say anything over 8-10inches is large enough to live outside with a heat mat and over head radiant heat panel.

Here is an example:





Single Tortoise Night Box


I like my larger tortoises to live outside full time. My climate permits this year round with a little help. For people who live where it snows all winter, this type of box is still good for warmer weather, getting them out earlier in Spring, and keeping them out a bit later into fall. You'll...




tortoiseforum.org


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## jsheffield (Oct 25, 2020)

I use waterproof seedling heat mats run through thermostats in my indoor enclosures to help the enclosures reach their baseline temperatures. 

I use spotlight/basking bulbs on timers to help bring the heat up during the daylight hours.

Jamie


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