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We have a box of hot rocks. let me count- 27 to be exact. they've been "kindly donated" over the years- I'm rodoing the vast majority of our cages this weekend- I'm going to cut the cords of a few of them and use them as 'basking rocks'.
We have all different sizes and only 1- count them 1 that has a temp. set knob. Its nice. don't have to worry about it getting too hot.

Is there any reptile that can safely use a hot rock?

Thanks
Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

Its funny, you tear apart a ZooMed heat pad for example, and you find nichrome resistance heating wire. Break open a hot rock, and you find the same thing (in certain brands.)

So, the only difference is that one is in the cage and gets direct contact to the animal, while the other is below the cage and gets almost direct contact by the animal.

Not all species of snake are suited to a hot rock. In fact, probably few. And one has to make sure that the surface is not too hot. Also, few snakes use the top surface - they use the sides. So you have to get creative (like angle the rock a bit) and maybe put some rock or tile for the heater to heat up as well.

A hot rock was my method of choice for the baby zonata I had here. Worked great. I've used them for baby rosies as well. I would usually put a "leaner" rock against it, or a piece of ceramic tile.

Here is how I set it up: got two of them and plugged both in to a temperature controller. One rock went in the cage. The other went in a plastic shoebox with the same substrate as the cage. Attach the probe of the controller to the one in the plastic box. By controlling that one, you control both. Worked fine.

Adults may not get enough surface area contact to make a hot rock worthwhile, as I found with large rosies. But a small snake that uses rocks in nature will do fine with a hot rock used as described. So, while they aren't the best heater for all species or for larger animals, they can work in some cases for some snakes. Also, hot rocks tend to dehydrate the animals, so regular hydration of the snake is necessary.
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Mark

I've had some that got up to 113-115 degrees when I measured the temp on them so I stopped using them all together...

Almost every reptile can safely use a hot rock but there are some requirements. The big problem with hot rocks is ignorance.

People assume that if they give the snake a hot surface or any reptile for that matter. That with a warm surface that reptile can properly thermoregulate and properly digest prey items. That is ignorant, why because hot rocks provide just a hot surface while doing nothing for the rest of the enclosure. In essense the rock can be 100 and the air temps in the cage may be like 60, that not only is a improper gradient but it will get make the reptile stay on teh rock longer to heat up to the same temperature, resulting in burns.

Keep in mind that heat tape, heat pads, UTH's, and hot rocks work on the same principle. They heat an element in a material that than creates a warm surface. So when used incorrectly each can create its own set of problems. This is why I am an advocate of RHP's or other devices.

Not only is RH better for the animal but it takes less to achieve the same goal.

Also I am not apposed to any of the above devices assuming they are used properly. Placing a hot rock in a cage that is already 80* (air temp) would be the same as placing a rock under a incandesent light, assuming close proximity.

With reptiles its all about variable's there is no one answer there are a bunch of these help those don't.

Also keep in mind some manufactures hot rocks are better than others, some get very hot spots where as some diperse heat across their surfcae better. In fact I used to recommend a brand of hot rocks that were made out of granite with a heat code epoxied in its core, heated wonderfully. I recommended it has a option not as the primary basking or heat source.

Best of Luck
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Jeremy

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds" July 16, 1945 Robert Oppenheimer

1.1 Double Het "Sharp" Snow RTB's
1.1 Hypomelenistic RTB's
0.2 Pastel Hypo RTB's
1.0 Double Het Stripe Albino RTB's
0.1 Suriname RTB
0.1 Anerthrystic RTB
0.0.9 Red Bearded Dragons
1.1 Rhinoceros Iguana's
1.0 Green Iguana
1.0 Ball Python
1.1 Cream Golden Retrieviers
1.0 Pomeriaian
0.3 Catus Terribilis
0.1 Spouse
1.0 Child

Like others posted they do have heat control issues and back in the day, I had one that zapped me when it was wet. Yes, it was still working just like always but when it was wet, it was conducting current!! That was right about the time ther ewads a lot of buzz about them being unsafe for the snakes, aka to hot and burning snakes. So I stopped using them, I even had a dozen I had bought on closeout sale that I threw away unopened.
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Thanks,

Dave Colling

www.rainbows-r-us-reptiles.com

0.1 Wife (WC and still very fiesty)
0.2 kids (CBB, a big part of our selective breeding program)

LOL, to many snakes to list, last count:
19.29 BRB
13.18 BCI
And those are only the breeders

lots.lots.lots feeder mice and rats

thanks to everyone who replied. I think I'll just stick with my original plan- cut the rest of the cords of and give the lizards nice looking cage-decor. sounds much safer.
thanks
Beth
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The rescue site: www.freewebs.com/okreptilerescue

That's what I did with my old ones.

an extra large flat hotrock that had an accurate temperature control that would go from 80 degrees to about 115(maybe with a place that showed the actual temperature the rock was)....That would be sooo useful.
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