What is the best way to provide heat

[Lylelovett666]

Living in Seattle of course the temp is curving downward and will continue to do so for the next 11 months.I'll need to provide some sort of heat for my bugs and was wondering what others use.Heat lamps, heating pads etc,what's most effective way of providing toastiness?

Thanks

 

[PhilinYuma]

For mantids, heat lamps or halogen full spectrum lamps seem to work well.

 

[gripen]

+1

 

[angelofdeathzz]

I tend to use curly floro's in a shop light(clamp chrome type), a 23 watt bulb and shop housing can be had for around $6-8 and can raise a 12x12x12 enclosure 15-20 degrees, plus there energy efficient and last longer than normal power wasting filament bulbs. 4 tanks can be heated for less than 100 watts...

If the enclosure is smaller they also have 9-13-18 watt curlies.

 

[LLCoolJew]

Sounds good to me. I went with a substrate heating pad, and it sucks. I decided to mount it on the side of the tank, and it only brings temps up to the high 70's, at best.

I'm moving onto lights...!

LL

 

[Psychobunny]

Most under tank heaters suck. I use a large size one from Bean Farm, they make the very best UTH's and keep it

regulated to 85-90F using a digital thermometer with probe taped directly to the pad and a lamp dimmer to

control the temp.

I have been keeping reptiles for many years and have tried every brand of UTH on the market. Trust me, most of them

are worthless!! esp the ones that have a "sticky" peel off backing which, once mounted, can not be easily removed.

The Bean Farm pads have no sticky backing, and are made to never go above the mid 90's F. So depending on your

needs, it does not require a thermostat or dimmer because the temp will never "run away" and go up to 120F, cooking

your reptiles!!!! they are also reliable and last for years!!

Believe me, I have thrown a lot of cheesy UTH's in the trash (ZooMed, Zilla and Exo-Terra included!!)

I also use a infrared thermometer to regularly check the actual temps inside the cages.

Problem with me is, I stack my 12'' net cubes, so the cubes up top are always a few degrees cooler, though they

are always in the mid 70's at night and low 80's in the day.

I think it's important to have some air curculation too, so I keep a fan running on the far corner (way away from the mantid

cages) of the room.

Mantids wont eat if they are cold

 

[sporeworld]

+1 on go with lamps.

+1 on heat pads kinda suck.

I didn't like heat rocks, either (although, for small tanks, they worked out alright). Heating wire was OK in a tank similar to the one you show here, but I'd still go with the lamps. It made the whole enclosure about the same temp, and I like giving them options.

I have a box of old heating pads that I onlt take out if I've got a lot of ooths to incubate.

 

[Psychobunny]

Mantis cages are all on a UTH which is the same area as the table.

Also, the thermometer which has a wired probe attached to the UTH to monitor the temp.

Finally, the IR thermometer allows me to see the actual temps inside each enclosure;

 

[angelofdeathzz]

I use the large Zilla sticky under the tank heater in my large Exo Terra on all the time to heat my Idolos at night, keeps night temp at 75-76 when the house is more like 65-67,then the 23 watt curly floros to get the tank to 88-90 during the day with great success, the ooths don't lie, I think? lol.