Plastic Enclosure Heating

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Merrit321

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Well, I have recently realized that my adopted tortoises' 20-gallon glass aquarium was wayyyy too small and they bumped into the glass, making a racket for the whole house to hear. I plan on putting them in a large plastic storage bin. The issue I have hear is heating. My dad pays loads of money to keep the house at 75 degrees but I spend money to keep a certain spot in my room at 85 degrees. I also own two Leopard Geckos and it's an easy fix for them, I'll just buy a heating mat for their tank and get rid of the bulb all together, but I'm not sure that will work with the plastic bin.

If you know about heating mats on plastic or other cost efficient ways to heat Greek Tortoises in an indoor pin, please let me know.

Thanks,
Merrit
 

Yvonne G

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Don't worry about mats or rocks for heat in a plastic bin for a tortoise. The torotises are much better off, and the plastic bin is safer, when you use over head heat. They make a ceramic heat emitter (CHE) that screws into a porcelain-based light fixture, and also certain of the UVB bulbs give off enough heat to keep your new tortoise healthy. Look in the lighting section to get the best bulb (I can't help in that department, because I don't use them). The CHE gives off heat, but no light, so the UVB that gives off light plus heat is a good solution. You want the night time temp to reduce, so room temperature is usually good enough. However if your room gets much below 65, you probably would want to turn on your CHE for night time.

Yvonne
 

fishtanker

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The mercury vapor lights are pretty sweet, heat and uvb, kinda expensive, but very nice and convenient. I use mercury vapor with my russians. I use a florescent uvb and a ceramic heat emitter for the redfoots. I would stay away from pads with torts, they really like overhead radiant heat is better.

Thanks,
Rick
 

Crazy1

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I own and have breed Greeks I totally agree no heat mat or rocks. Especially with plastic bins. LLreptile, ReptileDepot and there is one Reptileuv all sell MVB. I use both Mercury vapor bulbs as well as CHE (ceramic heat emitters) and long Florecent tube uvb lights with my greeks depending on what enclosure I have them in. But my preference is the MVB for daytime use. I like and have had good luck with the T-Rex 100 watt MVB bulbs.
 

Merrit321

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Thanks for all the response. I'll be looking into those CHEs as soon as I get the bin. Any news on the money saving front? Recession affects tortoises too.
 

Kadaan

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I don't think CHE's are too expensive, and they're definitely cheaper than MVB's.

I have my enclosure in the corner of the room with my computers, so that corner stays a bit warmer than the rest of my apartment ;) (2 desktops/3 monitors, 2 laptops, 4 speaker systems, router, cable modem, etcetc = lots of warmth!)
 
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