Reptile & Amphibian Forums

What brands do you guys use? I've been trying to find one, but the only ones I can find only have on plug on them. I need something with at least 2 plugs, as i'm using it for a heated tortoise house.

I have the Big Apple thermostats. They are not expensive, only about $30. I have been using mine for about a year now and have no complaints at all. I know everyone says be careful of the cheaper models but I was refered to these by a couple of different frequent posters here that say they have had no problems with them as well. They have three plug receptacles. Just go to bigappleherpetological.com.

Thanks Wise! Does Electrical Tape usually = waterproof?

I would say no. Just curious, why do you need that?

Heating an outside tortoise house, but I can't have it get too hot and damage the sensors. It's proving to be quite the project.

let me know how that works out. I will be doing the same this summer. I will be building outdoor housing for sulcata's to overwinter in.

Just be sure to get the device that best suits your needs.

Remember that a rheostat is a "dumb" device. In other words, you set it at a particular temperature and that's where it stays.

On the other hand, a thermostat is a "smart" device that is capable of monitoring the surrounding temps and shutting itself on and off as necessary to maintain the precise temperature without going over it. This may be very important depending on your particular usage.

Of course, a thermostat tends to be more expensive than a rheostat, due to it's added features. Also, as with any electrical device, DO NOT exceed the rated wattage for the device in question. Many people go the cheap route and use a device that is meant as a lamp dimmer, etc. and not meant to control heat-generating devices. Whereas this will work at the onset, eventually it WILL overheat and potentially cause a fire. DON'T BE FOOLED!!

Rheostats are set at a constant wattage not temperature. The temp of the cage will still change as the room temp changes. These are good if room temp is constant, but how often does that happen. I think this is what you ment but wanted to clarify for those who don't know.