Under tank heating

[InvertaHerp]

Hi, so I have gone ahead with a wooden enclosure. I bought an under the tank heat mat, but read on the package not to use it on a wooden enclosure. Is there anything I can use that you guys recommend for a night time heat source? (not that the room gets too cold) Also, I need it to not emit light just the heat for the tort. The wood is coated in Shellac (on the inside) if that is relevant.

 

[Len B]

Is there anyway you can place a piece of glass between the heat mat and the wood, That way it would be the same as being used on a glass bottom tank.

 

[Redfoot Micah]

You can get a ceramic heat emitter - it has no light...that's what we use. Here's one - this is not the only place to get them, but I just wanted to give you an example. http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753963&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No Just be sure to get a regulator so you can set it at an exact temperature.

 

[oscar]

I use the ceramic heat emitters also, if you decide to use one make sure
your light fixture is ceramic and not plastic because they get pretty hot.

 

[InvertaHerp]

Do you place the ceramic heater in the enclosure? Also, can I cover the metal grate on top of my cage with some seran wrap to hold you humidity? Or what do you recommend?

 

[InvertaHerp]

What do you guys think of the exo terra heat rope? Can I bury that in the sub in a wooden?

 

[FLINTUS]

I would use a CHE as having under soil heating can sometimes cause burns.

 

[InvertaHerp]

How do you recommend attaching it? I have some kind of sun dome thing for the bulbs, forget the brand. It is metal. Anybody want to chime in on the seran wrap?

 

[FLINTUS]

Can we have a pic of your enclosure so we can get abetter idea of the set up?

 

[Redfoot Micah]

Do you place the ceramic heater in the enclosure? Also, can I cover the metal grate on top of my cage with some seran wrap to hold you humidity? Or what do you recommend?

I have the emitter on a hook over the habitat in a basking corner (you can buy fixture & hook at pet stores). They can get extremely hot so because of that, you don't want them too close to your tortoise & I wouldn't recommend saran wrap. You'll have to lean on others for a cover idea...I've heard of some using rubbermaid lids, but we live in Florida

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How do you recommend attaching it? I have some kind of sun dome thing for the bulbs, forget the brand. It is metal. Anybody want to chime in on the seran wrap?

Here's the fixture & hook I have...
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=11147204&f=PAD/psNotAvailInUS/No
Again, this is NOT the only one - thought I'd just pass on an idea. You can adjust the pole up & down. I'm sure others with more experience have ideas too

 

[InvertaHerp]

I could do rubbermaid, but wouldn't that melt? I am gonna see if I can find plexiglass. I am going to pick up a ceramic heat emitter when I return the heat mat. I have a 5.0 uvb/spectrum lighting strip and sun-glo(?) sun daylight bulb.

 

[Redfoot Micah]

I could do rubbermaid, but wouldn't that melt? I am gonna see if I can find plexiglass. I am going to pick up a ceramic heat emitter when I return the heat mat. I have a 5.0 uvb/spectrum lighting strip and sun-glo(?) sun daylight bulb.

Again, others may have more ideas but we put a rubbermaid lid at night over 3/4 of the habitat - far enough from the heat so it won't melt...it was make-shift and I'm sure there are better ideas, but it did work to keep moisture in it.

 

[FLINTUS]

I have a vivarium style set up so all the lights are contained inside.

 

[Madkins007]

There ARE heat ropes you can use inside the habitat that a.) tolerate being wet, and b.) do not get hot enough to melt plastic but are best if kept just a bit off the 'floor'. My favorite is http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Flexible-Heat-Ropes

CHEs are great for heating, even at night, and yes, you can cover the habitat with plastic or aluminum foil to help hold the heat and humidity in. There is a bit of science to this, however, to find a good mix of allowing fresh air flow and trapping enough heat and humidity. We discuss it a bit here- https://sites.google.com/site/tortoiselibrary/Indoor-Housing/humidity-1