heat rock

[jason g.]

I was wondering what is the deal with heat rocks. I heard they will sit on them till they essentially cook themselves but I know someone that has a seven year old sully and has had a heat rock in there enclosure it's whole life. Would it hurt if I buried it in the substrate Thanks everyone who reply!

 

[Tom]

Yes it could hurt and it often does. I used to use those back in the old day when I was a child in my box turtle enclosure. We had three of them literally start to combust and start smoldering. Once I put my hand on one that had gone bad and it burned me.

They are usually not made to be buried and this could create some dangerous conditions. You'd be generating heat and the substrate on top would insulate it and hold the heat in would could cause a dangerous situation.

Here's another way to think of it. Your could play Russian roulette many times and only hear a click. But play it long enough and one day the people sitting next to you will hear a loud BOOM!

Hot rocks have proven themselves unreliable and there are safer, better ways to go.

 

[wellington]

I totally agree with Tom. Too many animals have been burned by them. They shouldn't even be allowed to be sold. Like Tom said, there are many other items to use that are much safer. Your friend hopefully will never have his go bad, but if he does, he will be sorry.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Ditto. Its an old-school product that is hazardous and obsolete. There isn't any reptile species out there that cannot be heated with better and safer equipment.

And it's not like they're cheaper. An undertank heat pad or a dome lamp fixture with a heat bulb is gonna cost about the same. So its not like you're saving money by using one either.

 

[jason g.]

I'm exploring all different options other than bulbs. I have a 13 year old that forgot that don't play ball in the house means don't play ball in the house. The ball hit her lights and glass went everywhere. Luckily she was outside but a 59" kiddy pool full of substrate that I just put in a week ago had to all be replaced. So I'm steering towards no glass if at all possible.

 

[StudentoftheReptile]

Well, any belly heat is purely supplemental. If the tortoise is kept indoors a lot, you probably want to get another lamp with a heat bulb. I would suggest a ceramic heat emitter with a ceramic dome fixture.

 

[Edna]

I'm exploring all different options other than bulbs. I have a 13 year old that forgot that don't play ball in the house means don't play ball in the house. The ball hit her lights and glass went everywhere. Luckily she was outside but a 59" kiddy pool full of substrate that I just put in a week ago had to all be replaced. So I'm steering towards no glass if at all possible.

Sounds like a 13 year old that needs to do some yard work to repay the expenses he caused! You shouldn't still be having to child-proof your house. Set the tort up the best way for the tort, glass and bulbs and all, and then explain to the 13 year old the way things will be

 

[jason g.]

Sounds like a 13 year old that needs to do some yard work to repay the expenses he caused! You shouldn't still be having to child-proof your house. Set the tort up the best way for the tort, glass and bulbs and all, and then explain to the 13 year old the way things will be

He does yard work cause that's his job. Lol he's buying the new bulbs or whatever cause he broke them. Fortunately for him I'm not gonna make him pay for the substrate. Kids!! gotta love them. I have a 20,18,13, and 8 year old.

 

[swimqt]

What if you used those wire cages that go around the bulb? It could possibly protect the bulb from whatever flies at it next time.

 

[Edna]

While those cages would protect the bulb from direct impact (concussion), the element would still probably be damaged from the percussion.

 

[swimqt]

That's true, but it would eliminate the need to replace the entire substrate again. Only having to buy an inexpensive bulb is a much easier fix.

 

[jason g.]

I ordered a heating pad, 100 Watt CHE,and a 240 Watt CHE. No more glass.