Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i was wondering whats the best way to heat your colony./ i have a large rubbermaid container and i already have repti heat cable that i can put on the buttom of the colony but i was wondering what other methods are used out there. thanks peach

I think heat mats are the best. I have a large tank with a heat mat on the bottom of one side so they can choose if they need more warmth or not. Heat lamps are ok but most roaches like to roam around and eat in the dark so it's best to best to give them time to do that without letting them get too cold.

Are heat mats, etc., safe to use with rubbermade or plastic containers?

I use just plain old (actually new) heating pads from Wal-mart on low setting. There reasonably priced and dependable. I used them for over 15 years for everything from my roaches to my baby birds.

This post is a little old; I hope you haven't thrown your heat rope out! I love heat rope;I use it with no problems; it's cheap to run, and it's made to withstand moisture. A 25 watt cable heats the biggest Rubbermaid bin they make more than enough; I had to put mine on a timer! I put a little hole in the bin, thread the heat rope through, cover the cool rope section in the bin with electrical tape to protect it from little jaws, and seal the rope in the hole with hot glue. I don't want to risk burning my house down by using heat mats that aren't supposed to be used with plastic...
Good luck, Y