Heat Cord Help!!

[Twiggz]

Hi just wanting to know if its safe to bury heat cord inside an intended Ring Tailed Gecko enclosure. It would only be a low wattage cord, say 13-15W, and would be burried under say 6cm of sand/peat substrate.

I just need some opinions as to whether it would be safe for the inhabitants to have the heating source placed internally.

I want to avoid heating it externally to the enclosure if possible.

Regards
Twiggz

 

[hornet]

i just put mine under the enclosure, in between the glass at the bottom and polystyrene

 

[Twiggz]

yeah- i want to avoid that though.

I dont really need a high wattage mat, and am trying to avoid buying another thermostat.
I just think that using a low wattage mat and placing it under the enclosure- it woud be a struggle to heat the substrate as the timber base would hold the majority of the heat.

Did that make any sense?

 

[hornet]

ahh ok so its a timber base, well if its only a low wattaged heat cord it will be fine

 

[ari]

Hi

I would suggest siliconing 1/4 of the base & 1/4 from the bottom of one end side - I wouldn't put the heat cord in the enclosure but on the outside only. I have found a 15W sufficient on the outside with out the use of a dimmer or thermostate - but then I guess for safety reason maybe use one or the other to stop possible over heating.

Ring Tails do get heat stressed.

 

[hornet]

i thought ring taileds would love the heat?

 

[cris]

Just bury it like you wre going to it will be fine, although i think it would need to near the surface or it wont do much. Just play around with it untill you get the temperatures you want.

 

[Twiggz]

So is that how yours are heated ari?
With a 15w cord under one end?
I was thinking that if it came to placing a heat source externally then a mat would be the way to go then.
I've read that ringies should be housed with a hot spot of mid to high 20's. But nothing beyond 30 as it would be fatal. That was in Dannys paper i think.