Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I got a retired case from a pet store a couple days ago for a good price and I'm having some trouble with a plan of attack for heating it.
I would prefer to use a UTH (as I do in my lil aquarium) but I don't see how I would pull that off with thisenclosure. On the larger cabinets, I'll probably just go with a red blb, as they're at least bi enough to provide some temp separation from side to side.
My main concern is the top row of enclosures. They're rather small (I plan to use them mainly to hatch young'uns.

Any ideas? I had thought about some of the heat rope that Big Apple Herp carries, but since I have no experience with it, I'm rather leary.

Thanks alot!

J

My only though on heating would be to drill a hole a use a human heating pad...

I would love a unit like that

first, that is an awesome tank!
if you don't mind me asking, what did u have to pay for that?

try going to beanfarm.com
they have some UTHs that can go under tank or inside the tank under the substrate. these heaters do not have the adhesive on them. they come in a variety of sizes and are priced decent.

good luck.
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0.1 bearded dragon - sydney
0.1 king snake & 0.2.3 corn snakes
1 red eye tree frogs, 3 green tree frogs, 2 firebelly toads
5 anoles,6.0 bettas & numerous tropicals
1.2 dogs (dachshund-pepper, brittany spaniel-jenni, lab-kaci)
1 hubby & 2 boys

www.skayart.com

Thanks. I'm looking at that site now, I guess those ultratherm pads are made to work inside the cage, huh? Worth considering.
I paid $200 for the case. I've had to do all the wiring and replace 1 piece of glass on it (and clean it out). I think it was quite a good deal!

Thanks,

J

You could try putting an area heater in the room with the case, which would work really well in a small room. Then, you don't have to worry about individual heat.

Being a woodworker as well as gecko keeper let me throw in my 2 cents. Go in through the back. Its probably 1/4 inch ply. Drill a starter hole at the bottom corner of each enclosure, and a end hole at the other bottom end. Use a hand scroll saw to cut a thin openening between the holes. Flex watt heat tape can then be slid in , covered by paper/substrate, with all wiring concealed behind the case.

DO NOT MESS UP THE BEAUTIFUL OAK FACE. If you do your a dummy.

Jeff

get skeets of glass or plexiglass and put the heat tape under this making sure the geckos can get to it...and then you can just do the paralell circut for the rest..make sure the slits for the flex watt are verythin so you dont have escaped crickets the flex watt is no more than 2mm thick...
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-Bryan

Perfect.
Here's what I'm thinking-
I could jig a slit in the back big enough for the glass to slide through, and I could attatch the heat tapeto the glass, then slide it in. Fill up the back of it w/ sealer of some sort, through some substrate on top of the glass, voiola.

I very much like that idea, but one question-
How much room (if any) would I have to leave below the taped glass? I'd think I'd have to leave a lil bit of room for slight ventilation.

Thanks so much guys!

J

Well as mentioned before heat tape is only 2mm thick. If you left a 5mm gap between the glass and the bottom of the shelf you'd be fine. You could just support the glass in each corner with a 5mm high piece of dowling. EX just cut some small cylinders and use them in the corners to support the glass and toss some astroturf ontop of the glass and your good to go.
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The universe is vast and we are so small.
There is only one thing we can truly control.
Whether we are good or evil.
__________________________________________
0.2.0 Normal Leopard Gecko's
1.0.0 Patternless Leopard Gecko
0.1.0 Veiled Chameleon
1.0.0 Bearded Dragon

Dont seal the tape in , you may need to remove it later. Drill Small vent holes up higher to vent off excessive heat. Small enough to not let crickets out. Keep everything small and thin to prevent a jailbreak.

Flexwatt tape is about 1 mm thick. Thin stuff. Slide it it. Use spray adhesive from a hardware store to keep it secure, cover it with carpet. 10 bucks for 100 square feet at said hardware store. DONE

Jeff

That's the kind of answer I was looking for!
Are you saying to insert the flex tape into the "floor" of each enclosure or are you saying I could actually have it setting on the floor w/ substrate on top of it?
I'm sure you mean the former and not the latter, cause that would be too easy.
No way would I mess up the face! I've already been doing a lil drilling in the backs of the cases anyway to wire em up for light in there.

Thanks alot!

J