Heat Rocks
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Pythoninfinite
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One of the best things about heat cords is that they are relatively low energy users for the heat they deliver, so far cheaper to run. Using lhigh wattage ights or heat emitters to heat the air in an enclosure is a very wasteful way to go these days.
Important note: If you cut or rout grooves in the particleboard or MDF floor of your enclosure, you must ensure that water from spillage or misting/spraying cannot run under the tile/slab and get into the grooves, or it will quickly destroy the floor of your enclosure...
Jamie
Important note: If you cut or rout grooves in the particleboard or MDF floor of your enclosure, you must ensure that water from spillage or misting/spraying cannot run under the tile/slab and get into the grooves, or it will quickly destroy the floor of your enclosure...
Jamie
Leeloofluff
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Just make sure its on a good quality thermostat, one time i had a heat cord between a tile onna thermostat, and it still got to 79 degrees!
Havnt used one like that since.
Havnt used one like that since.
Womagaunt
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Many Heat Rocks cause burns. Lizards don't know they are getting burned until it is too late. They lack the nerve structures in their bellies to detect when they are too hot.Lizards and snakes bask in the sun to thermoregulate. They sense solar power from above. It is unnatural for them to lay on a hot object that never cools down to obtain heat.Heat Rocks do not warm the air in a cage. Many times I've seen some poor lizard plastered to his hot rock because the rest of the cage is "freezing" to him.I've heard many people say "My lizard LOVES his heat rock. He is on it all the time!" This is a stupid statement attributed to! Of course he is always on the heat rock, he can't move around the cage because it is too cold! Hope this helped 
user 30368
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hate hate HATE!!!!! I used a medium sized heat rock and was assured by the shop keeper that it was 110% safe. It burnt my Stimi's tummy. So now i have cut the cord on it and use it as a cage decoration under a heat lamp to absorb and hold the heat.
I really dont know why they are on the market. They are so dangerous.
I really dont know why they are on the market. They are so dangerous.
I remember going to a store a few years ago, and got into a heated (pun intended) debate about heat rocks. He was adamant they were perfectly fine, but I wasn't convinced because of all the bad things I've heard, especially about reptiles being burned. They seem a little frightening, hence why I thought I'd see what everyone's thoughts were on here. I think I'll be passing on ever buying a heat rock, I don't want to burn my Montaloons.
MR_IAN_DAVO
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I have a slightly different view & it all comes down to what you buy. I have used heat rocks here for my snakes only for about 7 years now. What you need to define is the purchase that you make. There are heat rocks & then there are heat rocks that i would not touch.
I use Reptisun heat rocks with an inbiult thermostat, that is the key. Inbiult thermostat, i have had them fail too, but like Blue said earlier this company seems to have it down pat, as when they fail, they just don't work, No Heat. They come in different sizes that is small,medium & large. They have an inbiult thermostat that from memory heats to about 32 degrees celcius & then shuts off & works in a range from i think 28c to 32c. They have a led light on one end so as you know when it is on & heating.
I have also had the other ones with no inbiult thermostat & they just keep heating & in warm climates can heat to unbelievable high temps.
Also as was said earlier they should not be used as the sole heating for a reptile, depending on the type of reptile as they only provide a warm spot for the reptile to lay & no real basking under heat takes place & will not warm the end of a cage.
I have great success useing them under hides like an upside down cat litter tray, where the snake can use as a warm hide both during the day/night & when heat lights are out & nothing more.
Once again it is only what you buy & i have had great use of these Reptisun THERMOSTAT controled heat rocks.
Cheers Ian.
I use Reptisun heat rocks with an inbiult thermostat, that is the key. Inbiult thermostat, i have had them fail too, but like Blue said earlier this company seems to have it down pat, as when they fail, they just don't work, No Heat. They come in different sizes that is small,medium & large. They have an inbiult thermostat that from memory heats to about 32 degrees celcius & then shuts off & works in a range from i think 28c to 32c. They have a led light on one end so as you know when it is on & heating.
I have also had the other ones with no inbiult thermostat & they just keep heating & in warm climates can heat to unbelievable high temps.
Also as was said earlier they should not be used as the sole heating for a reptile, depending on the type of reptile as they only provide a warm spot for the reptile to lay & no real basking under heat takes place & will not warm the end of a cage.
I have great success useing them under hides like an upside down cat litter tray, where the snake can use as a warm hide both during the day/night & when heat lights are out & nothing more.
Once again it is only what you buy & i have had great use of these Reptisun THERMOSTAT controled heat rocks.
Cheers Ian.
I have the exact heat cord setup Blue is talking about and they work a treat.
Care still needs to be taken during design and tested inside the enclosure as blue suggested ad/remove or widen loops if necessary. I have managed steady temps of around 60 degrees from a 15 watt cord.
Care still needs to be taken during design and tested inside the enclosure as blue suggested ad/remove or widen loops if necessary. I have managed steady temps of around 60 degrees from a 15 watt cord.
user 30368
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I'm googling "Reptisun heat rock" and i can't find a thing. Only fluro globes??
MR_IAN_DAVO
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I will ask the missus as she buys them for me & i am not about to pull my enclosures apart tonight to confirm the brand.
That is how i see it & they work great for me. I will see if i can find proper brand, but that is what i thought they were.
Cheers Ian
I will ask the missus as she buys them for me & i am not about to pull my enclosures apart tonight to confirm the brand.
That is how i see it & they work great for me. I will see if i can find proper brand, but that is what i thought they were.
Cheers Ian
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Ok i apologise, we did just check out the brand of one that i have had in service for many years. The brand is 'Resun' from what i can work out & the missus has been buying them from that site they call e-bay. Sorry for the confusion. I would be surprised if other brands are not available to this type of standard. I will say it again i have had no problems with them unless they fail & then they just fail & NO HEAT.
Just my findings.
Cheers Ian.
I will ask the missus as she buys them for me & i am not about to pull my enclosures apart tonight to confirm the brand.
That is how i see it & they work great for me. I will see if i can find proper brand, but that is what i thought they were.
Cheers Ian
I will ask the missus as she buys them for me & i am not about to pull my enclosures apart tonight to confirm the brand.
That is how i see it & they work great for me. I will see if i can find proper brand, but that is what i thought they were.
Cheers Ian
- - - Updated - - -
Ok i apologise, we did just check out the brand of one that i have had in service for many years. The brand is 'Resun' from what i can work out & the missus has been buying them from that site they call e-bay. Sorry for the confusion. I would be surprised if other brands are not available to this type of standard. I will say it again i have had no problems with them unless they fail & then they just fail & NO HEAT.
Just my findings.
Cheers Ian.
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Have you had a chance to check Google yet on the Resun heat rock.
I would love to hear the feedback. Honestly i have used them with great success but that is JMO.
I would not tell you tall stories for the detriment of your animals nor for money gain. I swear on the bible that these things that i use are good & safe & have done so for seven years. Just buy the ones with an inbiult thermostat.
Cheers
Ian
That is how i see it & they work great for me. I will see if i can find proper brand, but that is what i thought they were.
Cheers Ian
I will ask the missus as she buys them for me & i am not about to pull my enclosures apart tonight to confirm the brand.
That is how i see it & they work great for me. I will see if i can find proper brand, but that is what i thought they were.
Cheers Ian
- - - Updated - - -
Ok i apologise, we did just check out the brand of one that i have had in service for many years. The brand is 'Resun' from what i can work out & the missus has been buying them from that site they call e-bay. Sorry for the confusion. I would be surprised if other brands are not available to this type of standard. I will say it again i have had no problems with them unless they fail & then they just fail & NO HEAT.
Just my findings.
Cheers Ian.
I will ask the missus as she buys them for me & i am not about to pull my enclosures apart tonight to confirm the brand.
That is how i see it & they work great for me. I will see if i can find proper brand, but that is what i thought they were.
Cheers Ian
I will ask the missus as she buys them for me & i am not about to pull my enclosures apart tonight to confirm the brand.
That is how i see it & they work great for me. I will see if i can find proper brand, but that is what i thought they were.
Cheers Ian
- - - Updated - - -
Ok i apologise, we did just check out the brand of one that i have had in service for many years. The brand is 'Resun' from what i can work out & the missus has been buying them from that site they call e-bay. Sorry for the confusion. I would be surprised if other brands are not available to this type of standard. I will say it again i have had no problems with them unless they fail & then they just fail & NO HEAT.
Just my findings.
Cheers Ian.
- - - Updated - - -
Have you had a chance to check Google yet on the Resun heat rock.
I would love to hear the feedback. Honestly i have used them with great success but that is JMO.
I would not tell you tall stories for the detriment of your animals nor for money gain. I swear on the bible that these things that i use are good & safe & have done so for seven years. Just buy the ones with an inbiult thermostat.
Cheers
Ian
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user 30368
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ok, looked up Resun and it only leads me to an e-bay item, but it doesn't have or say a brand name. But it does claim to be a heat rock with built in thermostat. Perhaps thats the one you are speaking of
Its $80 to buy, and $40 p&h.
I'll keep looking. and see what else i can dig up....
ok, looked up Resun and it only leads me to an e-bay item, but it doesn't have or say a brand name. But it does claim to be a heat rock with built in thermostat. Perhaps thats the one you are speaking of
Its $80 to buy, and $40 p&h.
I'll keep looking. and see what else i can dig up....
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p.s. mine was a "reptile one" that sizzled my stimson.
Its $80 to buy, and $40 p&h.
I'll keep looking. and see what else i can dig up....
ok, looked up Resun and it only leads me to an e-bay item, but it doesn't have or say a brand name. But it does claim to be a heat rock with built in thermostat. Perhaps thats the one you are speaking of
Its $80 to buy, and $40 p&h.
I'll keep looking. and see what else i can dig up....
- - - Updated - - -
p.s. mine was a "reptile one" that sizzled my stimson.
MR_IAN_DAVO
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Stimilove do you know if the "reptile one" heat rock had a biult in thermostat? I would say not?
If you are a google searcher i would love to hear your findings. Maybe through e-bay you might find out more about the subject or the heat rocks in discussion. They work good for me.
Cheers
ian
I think the starting price for small is about $25 + postage & large is about $80 + postage not bad considering it has a thermostat.
If you are a google searcher i would love to hear your findings. Maybe through e-bay you might find out more about the subject or the heat rocks in discussion. They work good for me.
Cheers
ian
I think the starting price for small is about $25 + postage & large is about $80 + postage not bad considering it has a thermostat.
user 30368
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no the retile one doesn't have a thermostat. The advice i was given was "its only a low wattage device, so it wont get hot enough to burn anything". Not slagging off the seller, he may have had great luck with them - but i didn't from my experience.
Looks like the thermostat heat rock you have is a top selling brand in china. Hence the reason its on e-bay. It has an excellent write up.
B
Bluetongue1
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The figure I quoted as 35[SUP]o[/SUP]C with a 15 W cord is one looped evenly under the full area of a 35 cm square tile placed in an open living area of probably 25[SUP]o[/SUP]C. Clearly, the temperature that it will reach in an enclosure depends upon the ambient air temperature outside of the enclosure and the thermodynamics of the enclosure itself. This why you need to run until the temperature stabilises and you can determine how warm it gets in situ. I would suggest that 24 hours would be the absolute minimum to run it and 48 or 72 more desirable.
By having a separate base with the routing in it, you can move it or replace it while your actual enclosure remains intact. As suggested by Pythoninfinite, the wooden base, like any wooden construct, should be waterproofed. This is easily done by applying 3 or 4 coats of polyurethane – readily available at a hardware or paint store.
You are not restricted to a single square shape. Cut the base out as one piece in the shape and size you want. Then simply use tiles cut to fit over the top. Apply waterproof grout between the pieces and you a designer made heating area.
Bottom heating will allow conductive heating of reptiles that lay on it. It will also heat the air above the tile and this will move upwards by convection. So if you have a top and bottom vent at the cool end, the tile will generate a convection current that draws in cooler air across the bottom of the enclosure and expels warmer air across the top of the enclosure.
Some pythons like to bask and others do not. For example, Stimson’s Pythons do not readily bask and are will usually camp amongst rocks that have been warmed by the sun in order to take up body heat. Many arboreal or semi-arboreal pythons will bask in the relative safety of a high perch. An enclosure for such animals should reflect that. There should be good height to as well as the ground space. And there should climbing branches forked just below ceiling level, to allow secure and comfortable perching. The upper vent should be placed at a height of about 2/3 from the base of the cage. This will allow a layer of warm air to be trapped close to ceiling surrounding the perching areas. If insufficient heat is generated and retained by the floor tile and additional radiant heat source should be placed to provide the necessary extra heat near the ceiling. Don’t forget to cage it and make sure the cage is large enough for you to touch it indefinitely without being burned.
I apologise for the length, but when you say “I have a python” it could be any of a dozen plus different types, each with its own preferences and needs.
Blue
By having a separate base with the routing in it, you can move it or replace it while your actual enclosure remains intact. As suggested by Pythoninfinite, the wooden base, like any wooden construct, should be waterproofed. This is easily done by applying 3 or 4 coats of polyurethane – readily available at a hardware or paint store.
You are not restricted to a single square shape. Cut the base out as one piece in the shape and size you want. Then simply use tiles cut to fit over the top. Apply waterproof grout between the pieces and you a designer made heating area.
Bottom heating will allow conductive heating of reptiles that lay on it. It will also heat the air above the tile and this will move upwards by convection. So if you have a top and bottom vent at the cool end, the tile will generate a convection current that draws in cooler air across the bottom of the enclosure and expels warmer air across the top of the enclosure.
Some pythons like to bask and others do not. For example, Stimson’s Pythons do not readily bask and are will usually camp amongst rocks that have been warmed by the sun in order to take up body heat. Many arboreal or semi-arboreal pythons will bask in the relative safety of a high perch. An enclosure for such animals should reflect that. There should be good height to as well as the ground space. And there should climbing branches forked just below ceiling level, to allow secure and comfortable perching. The upper vent should be placed at a height of about 2/3 from the base of the cage. This will allow a layer of warm air to be trapped close to ceiling surrounding the perching areas. If insufficient heat is generated and retained by the floor tile and additional radiant heat source should be placed to provide the necessary extra heat near the ceiling. Don’t forget to cage it and make sure the cage is large enough for you to touch it indefinitely without being burned.
I apologise for the length, but when you say “I have a python” it could be any of a dozen plus different types, each with its own preferences and needs.
Blue
MR_IAN_DAVO
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Blue you definately put a lot of thought & knowledge into your posts, mate i know how long it takes you, you are a champion. I thankyou for that as i can hardly even spell properly.
Mate have you had much to do with heat rocks? The way i see it is that there is two types - one with inbiult thermostat & one without. The one without will keep heating & eventually get too hot & burn your reptile, no dought about that.
The other is these heat rocks with inbiult thermostats that stop heating at about 32c these are whart i use & would reccomend to anyone. I have used them now for about 7 years & the only fault is that stop heating. I then throw them in the bin & buy another one.
Cheers
Ian.
Blue you definately put a lot of thought & knowledge into your posts, mate i know how long it takes you, you are a champion. I thankyou for that as i can hardly even spell properly.
Mate have you had much to do with heat rocks? The way i see it is that there is two types - one with inbiult thermostat & one without. The one without will keep heating & eventually get too hot & burn your reptile, no dought about that.
The other is these heat rocks with inbiult thermostats that stop heating at about 32c these are whart i use & would reccomend to anyone. I have used them now for about 7 years & the only fault is that stop heating. I then throw them in the bin & buy another one.
Cheers
Ian.
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Hey Stimi I hate to say it but life just aint like that. There is allways someone out there to sell you some crap that you don't want.
I also hate to say that i told you so. I have said this in the past & will say it again. Do not believe everything that you hear or read, sometimes wisdom & knowledge can play apart. Now i did not say that i had any of them.
Cheers Ian.
Mate have you had much to do with heat rocks? The way i see it is that there is two types - one with inbiult thermostat & one without. The one without will keep heating & eventually get too hot & burn your reptile, no dought about that.
The other is these heat rocks with inbiult thermostats that stop heating at about 32c these are whart i use & would reccomend to anyone. I have used them now for about 7 years & the only fault is that stop heating. I then throw them in the bin & buy another one.
Cheers
Ian.
Blue you definately put a lot of thought & knowledge into your posts, mate i know how long it takes you, you are a champion. I thankyou for that as i can hardly even spell properly.
Mate have you had much to do with heat rocks? The way i see it is that there is two types - one with inbiult thermostat & one without. The one without will keep heating & eventually get too hot & burn your reptile, no dought about that.
The other is these heat rocks with inbiult thermostats that stop heating at about 32c these are whart i use & would reccomend to anyone. I have used them now for about 7 years & the only fault is that stop heating. I then throw them in the bin & buy another one.
Cheers
Ian.
- - - Updated - - -
Hey Stimi I hate to say it but life just aint like that. There is allways someone out there to sell you some crap that you don't want.
I also hate to say that i told you so. I have said this in the past & will say it again. Do not believe everything that you hear or read, sometimes wisdom & knowledge can play apart. Now i did not say that i had any of them.
Cheers Ian.
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hey blue sorry I didn't get back before ,I cannot remember the brand of hotrock. Possibly reptile one????? and no it doesn't have a thermostat,I am still using one for my pygmy beardies.
The heat cord is a great invention that I use in some of my other enclosures under the sand and I also use heat mats under my glass floors
The heat cord is a great invention that I use in some of my other enclosures under the sand and I also use heat mats under my glass floors
user 30368
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i was cought out once. It wont happen again. I stick to the basics now. Ceramic heat lamps, heat cords and always a thermostat. I was a "first timer" with my first snake, and was given bad advice. I am now on to snake number 4 (along with lizards) and i know exactly what to do now.
MR_IAN_DAVO
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Even with the inventive heat chord or heat matt that Blue suggests & i have seen this set up on many cages, mainly heat seeking snakes like Death adders. They love it. But for a Python you still need to keep in those cooler regimes & not get to high 30s or early 40s. Desert animals love this, but not Pythons. So a thermostat would still be needed for hot weather as you have no way of stopping the heat with a heat chord just as a non thermostat heat rock???? Incorporate a thermostat. & why not just go for the E-Bay item that has worked so well for me over 7 years????
Cheers
Ian
Cheers
Ian
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