Heating cable

[Ivyna J. Spyder]

For my updated red foot enclosure I plan to have a drainage layer for my soil/mulch. Currently she's in a 40 gallon with heat tape outside on the bottom which warms up the water in the drainage layer and creates extra humidity.

But in an all wood enclosure, would I put the heat cord at the very bottom under the drainage layer? Or right above the drainage layer? I plan to make one using egg crate and PVC spacers, but I'm not sure it's safe to attach the heat cable to the egg crate since it's plastic.

 

[lynnedit]

Seems wisest to put the cable under the drainage layer, or embedded in it. I imagine you have your cable controlled with a thermostat with a probe, right? That way you can keep it from overheating.
This cable is waterproof
http://www.bigappleherp.com/Big-Apple-Flexible-Heat-Ropes . I used their thermostat, working very well.
I attached mine with zip ties to plastic garden wire like this, for example
http://www.homedepot.com/buy/outdoors/fencing/tenax/3-ft-x-25-ft-green-poultry-fence-22362.html
but I like your idea of making a stiffer grid to attach it to.
In any case, no problem at all attaching it to plastic, with the thermostat.

 

[Ivyna J. Spyder]

Thanks, I will look into those!

I'm thinking the heating cable could be attached to the underside of the egg crate, so it can heat the water below.

I'm also not sure if I should put heating cable along the entire floor... It's a 4x4 enclosure so it's pretty big. Maybe just on half or 3/4?

 

[Zamric]

I have my heat cable taped to the bottom of my enclosure....on the inside. Tho I dont have a drain level, I do have soil as a substrate and the heat cable keeps the ground warm and all the water I put in (about a quart every 2 or 3 days) and the water I mist with (another 2 cups a day), keeps the humidity at about 75-80% constantly. I've had no problems with burying this heat cable in saturated soil. I WOULD NOT use egg crate with a heat cable!

 

[Ivyna J. Spyder]

What sort of tape do you use? :O And is this a wooden enclosure or glass? I plan to have a wooden enclosure, either just sealed with Drylock, or Drylock and a pond liner... I'm wondering if it would be safe to put the heating cable on a pond liner if I go that direction :T

 

[Zamric]

What sort of tape do you use? :O And is this a wooden enclosure or glass? I plan to have a wooden enclosure, either just sealed with Drylock, or Drylock and a pond liner... I'm wondering if it would be safe to put the heating cable on a pond liner if I go that direction :T

I used electrical tape and it's a glass enclosure

 

[lynnedit]

Go to the web site about the BigApple heat rope. You can have it taped or attached inside or outside a tort table or equivalent, and also use it in outside enclosures! So it is pretty versatile.
A gravel underlayment in in your planned wooden enclosure would certainly work, but you can put this cable in soil too. With a wood enclosure, you would definitely have to put the cable inside the enclosure, because wood doesn't transmit the heat very well.
Here is a nice thread:
http://www.tortoiseforum.org/Thread-Happy-Habitat-Rebuilding-Day#axzz1r2i0uP34