Can ceramic heat emitters be used for heat?

[PsykotikLovbyrd]

I have really bad luck with UTH. Several have just up and stopped working and today one actually cracked the bottom of the tank my ball lives in. They aren`t exactly cheap to replace either. I am not sure if it is the brand (I use Zoo Med), or if I am doing something wrong. I will be moving Gaia to a larger tank soon (probably next month), and was planning on using a UTH on her new tank. I am wondering though if a CHE might be a better idea? Are there other good heating options? The UTH has always kept the temperatures where they need to be. Right now her tank is a ten gallon because she is only about a foot and a half. If UTH are needed, would a CHE be alright until I move her next month to the larger tank so I don`t have to get two of them?

[frostysBP]

Were you using a thermostat....if the glass got hot enough to crack then something is overheating.

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[PsykotikLovbyrd]

I haven`t been using a thermostat, and it has been fine up until now. Thing is, I had just cleaned the tank. So I wonder if that had anything to do with it. But it looks like it did fail. My snake is fine, she is not burnt or anything. But I have also had a few that just shut off and would not turn back on. I just seem to have bad luck with them.

[frostysBP]

It because they are not made to run full boar all day everyday that is extremely unsafe for you and your snake...to say it has be fine up until now is crazy and just downright irresponsible...you evidently are having problems if the tank cracked and I will guarantee you that your temps are not correct. You are very lucky your snake has not been burnt or your house hasent burned down...please unplug it if it is still on and get a thermostat to properly regulate it...ultratherm uth are good quality. Herpstat thermostat is what I personally recommend.

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[frostysBP]

How are you geting your temps and were from???

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[Blueraven99]

I used and UTH heating pad for one Day when I got my snake, I had a temperature probe directly on the glass to monitor Temps. It got to 125. I unplugged and got a thermostat online with 2 day shipping. They get ridiculously hot really fast. It's incredibly unsafe.

[PsykotikLovbyrd]

No I unplugged it.

I would really appreciate if you not call me irresponsible. Gaia is very well cared for. She sheds completely every time, never refuses food, has no respiratory issues, and is in good health. I know this because I took her to the vet not too long ago. Everyone makes mistakes, that doesn`t make them irresponsible. It makes them human. My room stays at a pretty constant temperature. Her tank does too, I know this because I have thermometers and humidity gauges in there. It only went over 90 degrees once and that was right after I got a bearded dragon whose heaters make my entire room an oven. I now keep a fan on and have not had an issue since. Everything I read when researching getting her said that UTH are safe without a thermostat. My question was not about if I am not using the UTH right, it was about if a CHE is acceptable for the sole heat source or at least if it will work short term until I get her a larger tank next month so I don`t end up having to get another UTH anyway. I have a feeling I may have broken hers while I was cleaning her tank today. I am sure you did not mean to come across as talking down to me, but you kind of did. I take pride in having well cared for pets. They all have great enclosures and they are all well loved. Please don`t respond to this thread anymore since you do not have an answer to my original question which is, can ceramic heat emitters work short term.

[PsykotikLovbyrd]

Also, one more thing, the two that have just up and stopped working did so after less than one week so were probably defective.

[frostysBP]

Welcome to a public forum...it is very irsponsable to say its was fine when it got hot enough to crack glass... and yes you can use a che a the only heat source if your can provide the proper temperature gradient. ...you must not be getting accurate temps if it only got to 90...im not telling this to belittle you im tell this to help you. You dont want to end up learning the hard way..

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[PsykotikLovbyrd]

"yes you can use a che a the only heat source if your can provide the proper temperature gradient... "

That was all you had to say.

I have gauges all through her tank to make sure everything is correct. Before the glass cracked it probably did get higher than 90, but I was not right there watching. Are you right in front of your enclosures watching the gauges all the time? I check her tank morning and night, and as I said before, it has always been pretty constant. Like I said, I had just cleaned her tank. I think I may have torn a wire or twisted something by accident when I was putting her tank back where it belongs, so that may very well have caused the issue. I am sure you did not say it to belittle me, and I appreciate you were trying to help, but you came across as very condescending and insulting. My animals are all very well loved and cared for and I would never put them in harms way on purpose. But if I broke her UTH that easily, I really want something a bit more durable or that I can put in a safe place easier while I am cleaning the tank. So I will probably go with a CHE for that reason.