LibbyCecil
New Member
Pros and cons?
Thanksthe 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.
It's a heat wave, I have a tep. Gun to monitor his temps so I'm basically still doing that for him.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.
No confusionJust 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
Pros and cons?
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??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...
Ok, thank youHi 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.
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??
Oh a dimmer, niceI 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.
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