I have some plastic tubs for some new snakes, will a heater be ok attached to the plastic..?
Reptile & Amphibian Forums
Welcome to kingsnake.com's message board system. Here you may share and discuss information with others about your favorite reptile and amphibian related topics such as care and feeding, caging requirements, permits and licenses, and more. Launched in 1997, the kingsnake.com message board system is one of the oldest and largest systems on the internet.
Under cage heater and plastic
mkper5
Jun 07, 2007 10:38 PM
Replies (4)
liquidleaf
Jun 08, 2007 07:34 AM
It depends on the heater and the type of plastic.
I once used a small UTH without a thermostat (supposedly safe for 'critter keepers') that melted through the bottom of a small plastic critter keeper. Fortunately there was nothing in it at the time.
Flexwatt is generally the safest type of heater to use with plastic bins, it's low wattage, but any UTH (flexwatt or the adhesive types) MUST be used with a thermostat or rheostat. Otherwise, uneven or uncontrolled heat-up (or a malfunction) can cause the plastic to be melted.
I use Exoterra adhesive heat pads on the underside of my Vision plastic cages, with thermostats, and have had no problems. I've also used Flexwatt underneath plastic storage bins (again, with thermostats), with no problems.
Moral of the story - make sure to use a thermostat or rheostat to make sure the heat pad doesn't get out of control.
-----
Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com
1.0 Ball Python, 1.0 Hog Island Boa (RIP DeeDee), 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 0.1 Green Tree Python
ronman
Jun 09, 2007 08:57 PM
What rheo's and thermostats do you recommend. I currently am using Helix DBS-1000, but at $100 an enclosure, I was wondering if they was a good cheap alternative. On the flip side, the helix thermostats work like a charm!
Lia
Jun 09, 2007 09:20 PM
I use cobra UTH with lamp dimmers bought at home depot works great warm to touch at 3/4 on and no melt no problems .
liquidleaf
Jun 10, 2007 10:14 AM
Well, you can use your Helix with more than one UTH, as long as the bins are the same size and the UTHs are all the same type/wattage. If you want a more inexpensive thermostat (say if you are already using your Helix for a completely different type of cage), I use quite a few of the Alife thermostats, which are sometimes sold under different names, usually for $25 - 30. Some people say they are not very reliable, but I have not had a problem yet with the 5 I have. They have probes and each thermostat can have 3 devices plugged into it.
I usually get mine at LLL because they usually have the best price, but I have seen them in local pet stores on occasion, and Big Apple has a 'rebranded' version (you can tell, it's the same exact thermostat) for slightly more $.
Good luck!
-----
Lauren Madar - OphidiaGems.com | CageMakers
1.0 Ball Python, 1.0 Hog Island Boa (RIP DeeDee), 1.1 Hypo BCI, 1.1 Surinam BCC, 0.1 Green Tree Python
