# Heating arrangement?



## Prayingmantisqueen (Oct 27, 2018)

I am trying to get a better set up since I want to go bigger... Mantisgirl13 I am going to copy your closet set up a little, okay? So I plan to put a space heater in there at night on medium heat so it will turn on and off during the night... I will experiment with it a bit... 

Our house is around 70-72 degrees and my heat pad turns off after 20 min or so because its for people. I need to get reptile heat pads that don't turn off with out a temperature gauge telling them too. So they stay on... I am also interested in the heat coil thingys that Synapze is trying out... Oh and limited budget...

What are you all's ideas? Will any of this work?


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## MantisGirl13 (Oct 28, 2018)

A space heater will work for species that are good at around room temp   (I have one in my room for this reason, copycat ?) 

You can get really cheap heat pads on EBAY but they take a while to ship. Amazon is your next best option for heat pads. 

- MantisGirl13


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## Prayingmantisqueen (Oct 28, 2018)

Thanks @MantisGirl13

Sorry i ddn't mean to copy cat you, didn't even know you had one! Ha ha ??


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## ohaple (Oct 28, 2018)

I have been happy with my adhesive heat padfrom zoo med. I think it is an 8x6. It raises the temperature to 80 without much problem, but you need one per enclosure. I have htem on a thermostat to turn off and on.


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## MantisGirl13 (Oct 28, 2018)

@Prayingmantisqueen I know, I'm teasing? 

- MantisGirl13


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## Prayingmantisqueen (Oct 28, 2018)

Ha ha I know @MantisGirl13

Thanks @ohaple!!


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## MantisGirl13 (Oct 28, 2018)

? Lol

- MantisGirl13


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## ohaple (Oct 30, 2018)

The major considerations I have used in finding adequate heating are:


cheap startup cost

cheap operating cost/electricity

safe for long term use

Number 3 is a particular concern to me. While some 56k house fires per year in the US are from space heaters and similar devices, they can be used safely. Just be cautious and careful with your use: https://www.nationwide.com/space-heater-safety-infographic.jsp

I found the cheapest option to be heat pads with thermostats, especially since the mantids are kept in a large room that we don't want to have at 80 degrees. Each pad is $15-30, and thermostats are $20-30. You can run multiple heat pads on one thermostat if accurate temperature is not critical.

Heat pads also seem to be one of the safest options. The heat coils are kept in fire-resistant bags so all but the most serious failure will keep the fire risk contained. To make it a step safer, I have been careful to keep them only on furniture that has a low fire risk like glass or plastic faux-wood. Even putting a glass shelf on top of wherever you keep the heat pads will help with fire risk. Even the critical failures I saw only resulted in furniture damage, not house fires.

Energy use is also a concern, since my setup will use one large heat pad, two smaller ones, and three lights. I am trying to avoid a 300w setup. Many space heaters are 750-2000W, while the pads are more like 5-20W. LED light bars are typically 3-20 as well, allowing my whole system to be under 100W when everything is on. Being controlled by thermostats and timers, I would guess I average closer to 30W usage. At 50W average, you are looking at about $4.32 in electricity most places. The most popular space heaters on amazon are 1500W. Even if run half the time, you are looking at a 750W average. 750W average costs about *$64.80 per month. *Its for those reasons that I would not use a space heater unless you also want to heat the room for human comfort.


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## Prayingmantisqueen (Oct 30, 2018)

Thanks @ohaple that is an extensive list. So I have everyone in a closet with light on and space heater in the day but I have to turn it off at night cause parents are scared of fire (and I am too kind) risk, so I definately would prefer heat pads. How much did your 8x6 Zoo Med cost? Do you have to buy a special thermostat especially made for heat pads or would a regular one work? IDK... I am not an electrition..! ? 

My dad is especially worried about the cost. I dont want to add to the bills anymore than they already are!

Good ideas and answers! Thanks!


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## ohaple (Oct 30, 2018)

They are about $15 each on amazon with Prime shipping: http://a.co/d/bc0af3Z

The potential problem with that pad is that they specifically say not to use it with plastic or acrylic. We have used it with acrylic without problem, but you could end up with warping. The smaller "mini" unit is rated to work with critter keeper style containers, so that may be a better route depending on what you are trying to heat.

If you buy a typical thermostat, they will work with any heat pad. All they do is turn an outlet on or off depending on what the temperature probe is reading. This is the one we bought for $20: http://a.co/d/b9N35Xo

If you have multiple mats, you could hook the thermostat to a power strip and then hook all of the heat pads to the power strip, so they would then all be controlled with the temperature probe.

You can sell it to your dad like this:   ?  "Dad, I was looking at my space heater and noticed its a 1500W unit. That means we are spending almost $65 per month to keep this closet warm. If we switch to heat mats, we will save about $60 per month.  Even though it will cost us _____ to get the new heat pads, you would recover the cost in only ___ months, and its also a safer option so you won't have to worry that I forgot to shut it off at night."

If you have many containers, a heat cable like some people have been tinkering with might be a better option. http://a.co/d/2anX2KF


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## Synapze (Oct 30, 2018)

ohaple said:


> If you have many containers﻿,﻿ a heat cable﻿ like some people have been tinkering with might be a better option﻿. http://a.co/d/2anX2KF


I've been using heating cables and I have a suggestion. I don't know how many enclosures you have, but be aware that most heat cables have a cold lead. For example, you may purchase a 15ft cable with a five foot cold lead, so you'll only have 10ft of heated cable. If you go the cable route make sure you check the specs for cold lead length. The great thing about cable is if you raise nymphs in 32 oz cups, a strand running close to the cups, but not touching them, will maintain temperature. Make sure you have a digital thermometer close to the cup so you can carefully adjust the distance of the cable to reach the ideal temperature. You will need a thermostat when using a heat cable. I use 50 watt cables with 2 runs for large enclosures and a single cable near any nymphs in 32oz cups. So far, so good.


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## Prayingmantisqueen (Oct 31, 2018)

Well I have about 10 enclosures so I am considering both mats and cables... That is a good tip @Synapze about the cold lead... I will keep it in mind. I am mostly worried about keeping my ghosts warm (when they come) and I will have 4. The chinese female wouldnt benefit anyway because she is free reign in my room. But the others would. 

Since everyone is distributed on 2 shelves maybe the heat pads would be better... Idk. Thoughts?


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## ohaple (Oct 31, 2018)

Prayingmantisqueen said:


> Well I have about 10 enclosures so I am considering both mats and cables... That is a good tip @Synapze about the cold lead... I will keep it in mind. I am mostly worried about keeping my ghosts warm (when they come) and I will have 4. The chinese female wouldnt benefit anyway because she is free reign in my room. But the others would.
> 
> Since everyone is distributed on 2 shelves maybe the heat pads would be better... Idk. Thoughts?


If I had 10 enclosures and 2 shelves I would do one or two heat cables myself. It will help keep the startup cost low. Still control it with a thermostat and keep the thermostat in your most sensitive mantis' enclosure.


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## Synapze (Oct 31, 2018)

Prayingmantisqueen said:


> The﻿ chinese female wouldnt benefit anyway because she is free ﻿reign in my room.


How does that work out for you? I'd love to let one have free reign... even my spouse wouldn't mind. ?



Prayingmantisqueen said:


> Since﻿ everyone is distributed on 2 shelves maybe the heat pads would be ﻿better... Idk. Thoughts?


Heat pads would work just as well. The cables offer some added advantages, but they seem to be mainly for snakes\reptiles. They can be wrapped around branches to create a heat gradient, etc. I use 23ft cables so I can place double runs on both shelves of each of my shelving units. 

I say the cables work like a charm, but I only need approximately 5° increase on the coldest nights which there aren't too many in my location. You may want to go with heat pads, that way you won't run the risk of trying cables and find that they don't serve your needs especially if you're on a budget. 

That being said, @ohaple has more experience with heating enclosures.


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## ohaple (Oct 31, 2018)

Synapze said:


> That being said, @ohaple has more experience with heating enclosures.


That's kind, but probably an overstatement. I haven't dealt with heating for more than a month. I like to think that I am good at researching and problem solving, but I don't have extensive experience in this field.

I only suggested the heat cable to keep costs low. Usually one cable is cheaper than several heat pads. But they do make long heat pads, you could use one per shelf and that would also be pretty cheap.


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## Prayingmantisqueen (Oct 31, 2018)

Great thoughts!! 

I will consider both options wisely!



Synapze said:


> How﻿ does﻿ that work out for you? I'd love to let one have free reign... even my spouse wouldn't mind. ?﻿


Now she is adult and not as heat sensitive (our house is 70-72 F) and she is "native" so I let her free reign. She mostly hangs out by the window and it is double blessing because my brothers always ask if 'there is a mantis out' and if I say yes then they don't usually come in. She is only free reign in my room. Although I do have to clean up droppings with the vaccum she is pretty clean (of course!). I feed her with prey on a tooth pick which she grabs off toothpick and eats.

I like her alot (she has the same affect as Chonise did, I can imagine what she is "thinking")..

When she gets close to laying an ooth I usually put her in her house and when its laid I let her out again.


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