Heating Controversy - Your Input

Hello,

I have recently been engaged in a discussion both online and via a PM system regarding a practice that I myself do not see as either safe, or useful. I won't mention where this discussion is taking place, or with whom, but I would love to hear everyones thoughts on this.

If anyone knows of this discussion, please don't link to it. I want to hear some unbiased thoughts on this topic.

Here is the scenario. You buy a heat mat (Under Tank Heater) and it is warming the enclosure too much. Of course, you can always buy a rheostat to regulate the heat, so you do but it is still "off".

As a result, and by the request of a "breeder", you wrap a t-shirt around the heat mat to help diffuse the heat.

How many people here have heard of this advice? How many people here practice this advice?

If you practice this, please post where you learned of it.

If you don't, and never would, please post why.

I know some people are reading this and believe I have to be kidding. I can assure you I am not, and would love to hear your input.

I have never heard of it, I was the one who brought it to your attention about it.

I for one say its a bad pratice. Ive never heard anyone suggest or even say something remotely close to that. The cost out weighs the beifits the cause.

Its common sense, wraping a heating device with a cloth. I know you wrap normal heating pads for your back and stuff, but thats only on for a few hours not 24/7. While it dont get as hot as a light. If the pad or reho or other devices fail it could result in a bad situation.

I've never heard of this myself. I buy Under Tank Heater's depending on tank size. And more so than that, I buy typical human heat pads. Sometimes I need to put that pad in a larger tank to properly regulate temps,,,,but wrap in towels ???? that's a new one on me. (and I've been keeping herps for over 35 years)

To put it bluntly that is the most ill advised thing I have ever heard! Wrapping a heating device in a flammable material because it is too hot to use otherwise is just asking for trouble! We are not only talking about possibly killing the animal but having a major fire hazard as well.
NOT ME!

dido!

why wouldn't we just find a smaller heat pad.... I mean, when I have a bulb in that is too hot, I go to a lower wattage.

Hello,

This discussion was started by an unreliable resource, but was posted on a forum. (Where young kids could have read it.) When I interviened and noted how dangerous I believed this practice to be, I was then taken on by the initial poster and someone backing this person up.

The discussion was getting out of hand, so I decided to just drop off from it when I saw a staff member jump in and support exactly what I was writing.

I then took it to the PM system and tried to reason with both users. The person who had initially supported this practice saw things differently via PM. The initial poster however decided I was an "idiot" and didn't know what I was talking about.

Common sense, in my opinion, depicts this as a problem waiting to happen.

While the t-shirt itself would diffuse the heat, where do they think the heat is going? The heat is being trapped inside the shirt! lol I suggested they look up combustion and electrical malfunctions.

I was just curious to see if I was in the minority when stating this is potentially deadly.

Just another avenue for this debate. But a heating pad shorting out could potentially ingnite the substrate as well. I've read of many users that put the heating pad inside the enclosure. Something I've never done and always find a way to keep it external.

I've never heard of this and would never attept to try it. I agree with Mike never to keep a heat source inside the tank, always outside. Not sure where they heard it from but coming where I think its from,,,it doesnt surprise me!!

That's a fire hazard! Whoever's been feeding you that line should be forced to wear a dunce hat for awhile.

I never had heard of this for Under Tank Heaters, but time and again I've been told that about heat rocks. "They're safe if you wrap a sock around them!" Wrong. If you're having problems with the rock heating so severly at one point that it burns your reptile, wrapping it in flammable material may simply cause a fire.

Anyway, I'd never do it. If my Under Tank Heater was malfunctioning, I'd buy a new one, perhaps one that wouldn't reach such high temperatures and suppliment with the basking bulb. You can play with it until your temps come out right.