Heated Rocks???

[PepperJack]

I keep seeing on other websites that heated rocks are frowned upon and are dangerous. I would like some opinions on this matter because I was thinking of getting one for night heat in my enclosure.

 

[Tom]

Totally unsafe and they often result in burns. WHen an animal sits on them they can get some spots that are just too hot. There are many safe, better ways to off night heat. If the top is not covered then these will often not heat up the enclosure anyway.

 

[PepperJack]

Suggestions? My enclosure is open and made of wood (tortoise table) and I would like to avoid adding another lamp.

 

[Tom]

Had to go back and check, but it looks like you've got a cherry head. Ceramic heating elements on a thermostat can work, but really, unless the whole room is warm and humid, I don't know how to maintain the dry substrate and humid air that your tortoise needs in an open topped enclosure. Maintaining heat is just one more challenge as you are seeing.

Check this out: http://www.tortoiseforum.org/threads/closed-chambers.32333/

It makes maintaining heat and humidity really easy.

 

[biochemnerd808]

I have personally seen (and treated) tortoises with belly burns from hot rocks. Tortoises aren't wired to move away if their belly gets too warm if they aren't also being heated from above - they get their heat from the sunshine. If the top of their shell is chilly they will sit and sit and sit on that darn hot rock until the tissue on their plastron is all burnt up and dead. It's not a pretty sight when that starts sloughing off, and aside from having to grow a new plastron (which takes YEARS) the tortoises is then exposed and can die of infection.

If you are concerned that your tortoise is getting cold at night, why not create an enclosed night-house, with a CHE on a thermostat (I like the Hydrofarm brand of thermostat - very reliable and tough). This way your tortoise only gets night heat when it is actually necessary.

Tom mentioned a closed chamber environment - your tropical, humidity-loving cherryhead would definitely thrive in such an environment.

 

[PepperJack]

Thanks for the info all! I'm building a top for my already existing enclosure ... I'll post pictures tomorrow for approval

 

[PepperJack]

Here is my upgraded enclosure! All that's left is to hang the lamp inside.

 

[biochemnerd808]

Awesome, that will definitely help seal in more of the heat and humidity. You can even add a layer of that silver bubblewrap-looking insulation stuff to part of that, to help seal in heat as well.