WhyDoPetstoresCarryHeatRocks?

[olstyn]

Good for lizards.

Good for what lizards? I certainly would not let my leopard gecko get near one. *Maybe* if it was hooked up to a Helix or Herpstat, but at that point, why not just get a proper heat source?

[Raptor]

But the question is, what is proper? Heat lamps/ceramics can suck out too much moisture, UTH like heat rocks get far too hot to be used without a thermostat, and heat tape has it's critics who say that it doesn't provide belly heat.

[babyknees]

I too have read somewhere that they're acceptable for some species of lizard.
Out of curiosity: why couldn't they be an acceptable secondary heat source if controlled by a thermostat? I haven't really read much about them I just know not to use them.

[Skiploder]

I don't use heat rocks - never have.

However, I have never met, spoken to or even "conversed" on line with an individual who has injured or severely burned an animal on one.

Nor have I met a person who has recorded the temperature of one of these units of death (other than myself - I was curious and shelled out $12 for one a couple of years ago and shot the surface temps.)

While I'm not advocating their use, I'd love to "hear" from one person who has burned a reptile with one or at least shot the temp of one.

Or is this like the thousands of people who have lost their entire collections to the insidious and deadly pine bedding?

Or the scores of herp keepers who have witnessed ball python cannibalism first hand?

Or the mass of hobbyists who have evidence that heat lamps are horrible?

Or better yet the Mensas who have all the facts and figures showing how you can't keep a snake in a aquarium?

What I have seen is quite a few animals horribly burned by wrapping themselves around unscreened lamps and CHEs. I've also seen burns caused by uncontrolled belly heating tapes and pads. That I can attest to.

[Raptor]

I don't use heat rocks - never have.

However, I have never met, spoken to or even "conversed" on line with an individual who has injured or severely burned an animal on one.

Nor have I met a person who has recorded the temperature of one of these units of death (other than myself - I was curious and shelled out $12 for one a couple of years ago and shot the surface temps.)

While I'm not advocating their use, I'd love to "hear" from one person who has burned a reptile with one or at least shot the temp of one.

Or is this like the thousands of people who have lost their entire collections to the insidious and deadly pine bedding?

Or the scores of herp keepers who have witnessed ball python cannibalism first hand?

Or the mass of hobbyists who have evidence that heat lamps are horrible?

Or better yet the Mensas who have all the facts and figures showing how you can't keep a snake in a aquarium?

What I have seen is quite a few animals horribly burned by wrapping themselves around unscreened lamps and CHEs. I've also seen burns caused by uncontrolled belly heating tapes and pads. That I can attest to.

Well, I can say that neither heat lamps nor aquariums are evil. I have my cornsnake in an aquarium and I use a heat lamp on her. She's thriving quite well.

[flyingsqueak]

While I'm not advocating their use, I'd love to "hear" from one person who has burned a reptile with one or at least shot the temp of one.

When I was a very little girl I had an Eastern Hognose. The internet isn't what it is today (I'm young enough that it existed, but just barely) and there weren't many resources available about proper husbandry. We kept the snake in a 10 or 20 gallon (don't remember which) with a heat rock. Usually we were able to turn the rock off every night, but one night my mother got very ill while we were at her friend's home and we couldn't get back to turn off the rock for two or three days.

We came home to a cooked snake, curled up basically fried on the rock.

We talked to the guy at the local small pet store and he told us that he'd heard of that happening before, but not often. I was only five years old and was so upset about my dead snake that I didn't talk to my mother for over a month.

So from personal experience, I strongly recommend against ever using a heat rock for any species.

[Maixx]

I had one back with my first beardy back in 1992-97. It was the upgraded model with a rheostat built into the cord. I set it so it was warm to the touch and never had a problem with it. But with my snakes I won't use one they don't need it and there are way better, safer ways to heat.

[Skiploder]

Well, I can say that neither heat lamps nor aquariums are evil. I have my cornsnake in an aquarium and I use a heat lamp on her. She's thriving quite well.

I use pine.

I've used heat lamps.

And back in the roaring 70s and 80s all my snakies were kept in aquariums.

But many people today tell me that those things are the hallmark of a bad keeper.

Just saying.......

[Skiploder]

When I was a very little girl I had an Eastern Hognose. The internet isn't what it is today (I'm young enough that it existed, but just barely) and there weren't many resources available about proper husbandry. We kept the snake in a 10 or 20 gallon (don't remember which) with a heat rock. Usually we were able to turn the rock off every night, but one night my mother got very ill while we were at her friend's home and we couldn't get back to turn off the rock for two or three days.

We came home to a cooked snake, curled up basically fried on the rock.

We talked to the guy at the local small pet store and he told us that he'd heard of that happening before, but not often. I was only five years old and was so upset about my dead snake that I didn't talk to my mother for over a month.

So from personal experience, I strongly recommend against ever using a heat rock for any species.

1 story verifying that heat rocks can kill. While I have never kept an eastern hognose I have kept westerns and I have also seen westerns and mexicans basking in the field. A discussion I had with a friend confirmed what I have personally witnessed - heterdon nasicus will bask on rocks/ground where the surface temp of the basking site is in the neighborhood of 100 degrees.

So in order for your eastern to have literally gotten fried, that heat rock must have been incredibly, dangerously, hot.

Still need more ghastly tales of gross bodily harm before they even make a tiny dent into what I've personally seen with other heating sources.

Again, don't get me wrong, I'm not a user or a fan of the heat rock.

FWIW the one I bought out of curiosity peaked at 101 degrees.

The surface of my radiant heat panels get higher than that. Still not enough to cook a snake. When I owned monitors the surface temps they used to bask at were about 40 degrees higher or more.

Got a couple of e-mails from people who have used their heat guns on heat rocks and haven't seen one yet hot enough to cook a reptile.

I once had a young pseustes that managed to find a way (in a Vision cage) to lodge herself on top of a Pro-Products radiant heat panel.

She'd spend a lot of time in there. Sometimes the temp on the top side of that panel registered over 100 degrees and she never got a burn.

Keep those horror stories coming.

[tcutting]

I use a heat lamp and a aquarium. nothing wrong with that. but i dont use the heat lamp by itself i have a UTH. additionally aquariums are just fine just not space efficient nor good for humidity so extra care is needed.