Need help regarding heat source for Dubias

[TeacherChel]

Ok, I have dubia and plan on breeding them, but I am having a problem. It is the heat source, I am a nervous wreck about leaving a heating pad on. I live in an older house and have my dubias in my closet under the stairwell. Not only is it dark in there, but it is safely out of the way from my small children and three curious cats!!! What is the safest method to keep them warm? The floor is plank and there is no insulation under the house so my closet going to be very warm as winter comes.

 

[Chubz]

i too have mine in a closet it seems to hold heat well i just use a regular heating pad under my tote. I've only had mine a few weeks and i hope they start breeding, I really dont know though because I really dont look in the tote, Only when i put food in there for them. So i guess when i clean it i'll find out if there are any babies. :mrgreen:

 

[TeacherChel]

I'm not worried about the closet retaining the heat,it is the possibility of fire that worries me. Do I need to put something down like tile on top of the wood floor so it doesn't get hot enough that it catches fire? I don't mean that I will have the heating pad turned up that high, it is just keeping the pad on for long periods of time that make me worry about fire.

 

[bigmonkeyjoe]

I have mine in the basement, although it's cooler down there because heat rises and cool air lowers, I keep a neodyn(sp) light bulb on 24/7 inside the extra large tote. I also keep a human heat pad underneath and use it as a suppliment heat source as needed (low to high). The pad and the light do not reach a temperature hot enough to melt rubbermaid products(see rubbermaid web site for melting info). All has worked out fine. I do keep a rep thermstat hot glued into the lid and a glass chemestry thermometer inside to verify accuracy.

 

[augsburg1530]

A human type heat pad will not get hot enough to catch wood on fire. If you are worried about the planks, get a zoo med under tank heat pad and stick it to the side of your tote that way it is up off the floor and you can put your mind at rest and not worry about the wood planks.

Hope that helps,

Eric

 

[1happymommy]

I put tile under my heat pad because I was afraid the carpet would catch fire. I wasn't to paranoid just being safe.

 

[patrickb]

One other option is to get a small little metal type of stand that will fit in the closet and lift it up off of the wood. That way any excessive heat would be able to radiate away instead of being wedged between the tote and the floor. However, it really won't be necessary but if it will put your mind at ease a little more... :wink:

 

[tbelanger]

I've had a corn snake for several years now and they require a heat pad on one side of the tank. I was worried about fire too so I put marble tiles under one end and one on the other to balance the tank. I used marble simply because I had it at the moment, but any form of tile that is close to the size of the heat pad is good. I have pretty much had that heating pad on for at least three years constantly and have never had a problem. I use a human heating pad by the way. I think you should be fine, but if you are worried use tile or something just in case.

 

[Geoff22]

Just so you know, the ignition temp for wood is upwards of 220+ degrees that means to start a fire your heating pad would have to give off 220+ degrees which is not going to happen. But if it will make ya feel better you can put something between the tote and the wood, like Slabs of plastic or tile or something.

 

[augsburg1530]

It takes a lot of heat to ignite wood. Paper ignites at 451°F and quickly raises to near 1000°F. In wood, at 450°F the wood particles begin evolving volatiles. Carbon ignites between 765°F and 1115°F. The volatiles, which include hydrogen, Methane, Ethylene, Ethane, Benzene and Carbon Monoxide ignite within a range of 1000°F to 1300°F.

Still, to put your mind at ease all the suggestions so far are workable and would give you a greater peace of mind.

Eric

 

[JimboSlice]

can a heat rock be used also? Put inside the tank? will this be enough heat on one side for the dubias?

 

[TeacherChel]

Thank you all for the wonderful advise. I am going to use some tile and put a heating pad under my tote today. My beardies love the dubia so much and I love how easy they are to keep.

 

[patrickb]

can a heat rock be used also? Put inside the tank? will this be enough heat on one side for the dubias?

I consider heat rocks to be total junk. I don't think it would produce enough radiant or ambient heat to adequately raise the temperature of the air around the egg crates enough. Heat rocks generally are only good for producing high levels of spot heat, which quickly dissipates through the air and is neglible for climate control.

 

[TeacherChel]

My heating pad has a setting for low/medium/high. What should I set it at? I currently have it at medium.

 

[Ryan Maguire]

I got one of those metal trays at the dollar store (that you cook a turkey in) and turned it upside down and put the rubbermaid bin on top. lets heat out the bottom and its off the ground!