Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I wanted my Cobra T Rex heat pad inside the cage I am building. Sould I rout a grove out of the mdf for where the cord connects to the pad, silicone around the pad then the FRP glue on rest of the mdf, then put the FRP down? Or would it be better to glue down the FRP on the MDF, lay the heat pad on the FRP; silicone around it, then plexiglass over it??

I don't like either approach.

I would instead cut a rectangle out of the floor of the cage that is 2" longer and wider than your heat-pad. Keep this opening at least 2" away from the sides of the cage. Farther if you used long screws or some other fastener than needs to be avoided. Also route a shallow groove for the cord to run out the back.

Then laminate your FRP over the entire floor. The heat-pad can be attached to the underside of the FRP and it will transmit heat well. Use the properly rated foil tape to attach the heat-pad.

The will give an air space to your heat-pad which increases safety a bit. It also makes your cage lighter. You can also put a small piece of Reflectix (a type of insulation) inside of this air space.

I've had issues with using heating pads in direct contact with plexiglass, The constant heat breaks down the plexiglass and it can release some very nasty stuff into the cage. One of the byproducts of plexiglass breaking down is a chemical very close to that found in some Nerve Agents, to be specific, Phosgene. I'd use a nice good ole 1/4 inch max piece of glass in place of plexiglass, but hey, that's just me, Or am I the only one who listens to the makers of the plexiglass??

Disreguard my previous reply to this, all I saw was the word plexiglass and the wanring bells went off in my head. After closer examination, I have not used FRP in the past, so I will go quietly into the dark .... Sorry again!

Thanks all, I am going with the hole through the bottom and tape to the FRP. I just got in some junk mail in a big envelope made of Reflectix that I will use. I'll save the Plexiglass and put it on a heating pad under my mother-in-law's pillow.

>>I just got in some junk mail in a big envelope made of Reflectix that I will use.

I doubt this is Reflectix and probably should not be placed near a heat source.

Reflectix is very similar to the heat blockers that some people place over their car windows while they are parked outside. Here is a picture of a temporary snake room I lined with Reflectix.

I have seen it sold by the foot at Ace Harware. It may not be Reflectix but it is very similar.

Great, now I'm going to be an accessory to attempted murder!