Heating pad?

[hunterk997]

Have a Russian tortoise, and her basking spot is at 85* and I don't think it's warm enough, so is it safe to use those heating mats that you put under the tank? I thought I saw it was dangerous but I'm not sure.

 

[Tom]

Over head heat is best and most "natural". Increase the wattage or lower your bulb to get a warmer basking spot.

 

[hunterk997]

I increased the wattage to 72 watt (I don't know why they didn't have a 75 watt) and it raised it to 85* and my parents insist using an aquarium is okay for my tortoise (I know it's not) so I can't really lower the bulb.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

Try a100 watt

 

[hunterk997]

That's the other thing, my dome only allows for a 75 watt.

 

[theelectraco]

What type of bulb is it exactly. Is it one of the silver lined bulbs for " intense basking" or is it a standard bulb? I use a 75w and get 95 degrees for basking. Set on top of screen, not at an angle, 12 inches above substrate.

 

[hunterk997]

It's just a normal bulb. Is a basking bulb different? Or would it not really make a difference?

 

[theelectraco]

Basking bulbs out off more of a focused beam of heat and get hotter than a standard bulb. You can find them in the reptile lighting supplies at a pet store or also at Home Depot in the bulb section.

 

[GeoTerraTestudo]

Lizards and snakes are adapted to basking on sun-warmed rocks, so that's why hot rocks are good for them. Turtles, on the other hand, are adapted to absorbing heat through their shell, so that's why overhead heating is better for them.

Tortoises need large, open enclosures. Set up your Russian's pen so that the cool side is in the 70s, and the hot spot is 95-100*F. You can use a 100 to 150 Watt bulb or ceramic heat emitter in the right housing, and at the proper height and power to attain this. You can also put it on a thermostat if you need to.

Heating pads are more designed for increasing the ambient temperature into the right range, but they're not really meant to serve as basking spots.