Aussie Pythons and Snakes

mertle · #1 13-Jul-06, 03:06 PM

Hi guys!

I was just looking on a site that said no heat rocks for beardies and that they should only have overhead heating?? I didn't think this was right so I am handing this over to you the esteemed owners! Who know loads more than i do!

JasonL · #2 13-Jul-06, 03:08 PM

they have a bad reputation for stuffing up and burning animals, other than that they are fine to use :wink:

AustHerps · #3 13-Jul-06, 03:10 PM

The vast majority of beardies' heat receptors are on the top of their bodies (atop the head)... so they can't tell they're getting too hot underneath

mertle · #4 13-Jul-06, 03:17 PM

I have seen one with a thermostat that stops at 31 deg would this be ok for an adult beardie?? what do you guys use?

the_brad · #5 13-Jul-06, 03:19 PM

beardys like to bask which will bring on natural behaveour they also must have uv, besides if they get craped on they can crack

JasonL · #6 13-Jul-06, 03:20 PM

they are only supposed to get mildly warm but the thermostat tends to break and they cook. as long as it is in working order it would be fine but there are better ways to heat them ie spot bulbs.

mertle · #7 13-Jul-06, 03:20 PM

So a natural rock with the basking light above it would be the best thing?

JasonL · #8 13-Jul-06, 03:24 PM

yes, just make sure the rock is sitting on the bottom of the tank and not on top of the substrate so the beardie cant dig under it and squash itself. Just use a standard spot globe from any hardware.

Sdaji · #9 13-Jul-06, 03:28 PM

You'll be better off with spotlights for bearded dragons, rather than floor heat. Floor heat is great for things like nocturnal snakes, which crawl around on the ground at night (low air temperature, higher ground temperature). Bearded dragons are diurnal sun loving reptiles. There is an important difference between gaining heat through radiation (eg by sitting in the sun) and conduction (eg flattening your belly against the warm ground). If a bearded dragon obtains heat from a hot surface, it is virtually always during the day, which means the object (a rock/log/etc) is in the sun. To simulate this, you're best off aiming a spotlight at a rock, the rock gets warm, the radiant heat will hit the lizard when it sits on it and everyone is happy. It is unnuatural for a bearded dragon to typically seek out heat in the shade.

I'd suspicious about bearded dragons having trouble understanding that their belly is too hot as I've seen them in areas where the surface temperature is over 65 degrees celcius (well beyond the lethal limit for a beardy's body temperature, meaning that it is vital that they have the ability to recognise and avoid excessive surface temperatures). The lizards are often still active in these conditions, but they'll do things like climbing up into bushes (where the air temperature isn't much different).

junglepython2 · #10 13-Jul-06, 03:29 PM

I have used heat rocks with beardies and they are fine, however not necessary. I like to use them more in the cooler months if the temps drop a bit low so they always have somewhere warm even at night. But a basking light is fine.

JasonL · #11 13-Jul-06, 03:32 PM

Quote:

I'd suspicious about bearded dragons having trouble understanding that their belly is too hot

Yes, I would also agree.

soulweaver · #12 13-Jul-06, 03:37 PM

IMO i would never use a heat rock, have heard to many stories of things going bad with heat rocks.

These things vary from burnt animals to burnt cages, and in one case part of the room. It the stat in them fails there is nothing to stop them from heating up.

In this case i would stick to over head heating with beardies. If unde floor heating is needed for something else, then i would use a heat mat. And run them through a probe stat. All can be bought at herpshop.