Heated tile OK in enclosure?

[LABZOO]

Hello;

I am making an enclosure for my sulcata and would like to avoid heat lamps as much as possible, I was thinking of using heated tiles (like in a bathroom). Has anyone had issues with this and/or have tried this method? I was thinking of doing half the enclosure + the hide. Any thoughts would be welcomed.

Cheers

 

[wellington]

I will eventually be doing that. However, I will be using wood, not tile. The tile will be too slippery and could cause leg damage and deformities in the way their legs grow and then affect the way they walk.

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Also a concern with tile for me, is if one breaks. Not only could it cause injury to your sully, but possibly the heating element. Tiles break easy, if the floor under them are not level. The weight of an adult sully would worry me. Besides the way they can bulldoze whatever they want. Look I to the same type if heating, but that goes under wood. I think you can also put it under cement which would also be safer then tiles.

 

[Gtphale]

I used them in my snake tanks under a wood floor. Worked great.

 

[Dizisdalife]

Len has done this sort of thing. He had a thread showing how he made the tiles and installed them. You can start with this thread. Not sure if it is the one I had in mind. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-82952.html

 

[wellington]

Yes, Len has done this and seems to work great. Keep in mind though, it's just a hide. The tort doesn't really walk much on it. An enclosure, would be a different story

 

[Yvonne G]

Barb, I'm not sure, but I THINK that you put substrate over the tiles.

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-21937.html

http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-82952.html

 

[Tom]

I don't trust the heating elements to not over heat and function reliably. If you are going to go that route I highly recommend you get a Kane heat mat. They come with an embedded safety thermostat that will cut them off if ever the temps gets too high. They also have a regular thermostat that you control to set the temp where you want it. I sleep better at night knowing that I have the extra layer of protection in the event of a malfunction. I had too many hot rocks burn up in the old days...

Regular home style heated tiles are not made to be used the way we use them.

 

[wellington]

Yvonne, yes you could for sure do that. However, depending on the substrate maybe, the tile will still be slippery and now slippery with substrate. If you can get some well textured tile, they would work better, but a lot harder to clean. I would think it would have an effect on a tortoise and walking, lifting, the same as a large tortoise getting very little exercise? Where the wood, be it flooring or plywood, can be treated, painted and even grip sand tossed in for added footing if needed, and cheaper.

 

[LABZOO]

Under wood? I have never seen it installed under wood, I will have to check that out! I have been looking for tile that is natural and unpolished, something rough like slate? The base of the enclosure will be a 4'x8', 3/4" plywood base, supported on a 2x4 frame with supports every 16" (design is still in the moaking)- still deciding on the substrate but I wanted to have areas with different substrates. I figured it can hold the weight if I chose to tile a portion of it?

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Len has done this sort of thing. He had a thread showing how he made the tiles and installed them. You can start with this thread. Not sure if it is the one I had in mind. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-82952.html

Perfect, Thanks!

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Len has done this sort of thing. He had a thread showing how he made the tiles and installed them. You can start with this thread. Not sure if it is the one I had in mind. http://www.tortoiseforum.org/thread-82952.html

Perfect, Thanks!

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I don't trust the heating elements to not over heat and function reliably. If you are going to go that route I highly recommend you get a Kane heat mat. They come with an embedded safety thermostat that will cut them off if ever the temps gets too high. They also have a regular thermostat that you control to set the temp where you want it. I sleep better at night knowing that I have the extra layer of protection in the event of a malfunction. I had too many hot rocks burn up in the old days...

Regular home style heated tiles are not made to be used the way we use them.

Ok I will proceed with caution