Heating help!

[MeTree]

What is the wattage on your heat pad? I know I am just using a 4W in a 10g tank, which is slightly underated, but in Texas it hardly ever gets colder than 35*F outside during the winter, and we don't let it get that cold inside! An 8W would be more appropriate. I have even heard of people using more than the recomended wattage in conjuction with a Rheostat, although at this point I am not sure that I can recomend that, although it does sound like a neat idea.

I have heard of people not being able to properly heat their Pacman Frog tanks, so they actually put their Pacman Frog into full aevistation for the winter. This is a common practice with breeding, but not very common otherwise. Some people say that there is a little bit of a risk involved, and it needs to be done properly with pretty consitant temperatures (usually somewhere around 40*F, but not alot colder). Only hearing of one non-breeding related instance of Pacman Frog aevistation (I am sure there are many more), I cannot at this point recomend aevistation, but I am also not discouraging it as long as someone else recomends it.

[GrifTheGreat]

You can use a regular light and bulb like Jcal said. You don't want to go above 50 watts though, especially with a small tank. The heat can be too intensified and cause skin and eye damage. It will also burn off the humidity a lot faster.

[Sublime]

Nah, I wouldn't put your frog through aestivation. Especially if you're a newcomer to this hobby; young pacman frogs should not be put through aestivation. This has caused premature deaths from not regulating the environment, young, and too long. Stay away from aestivation unless you've done a lot of research on it.

The only thing I could suggest, is to build an insulated box with blankets or fiberglass to keep the tank in there with a dome fixture light. Fiberglass probably wouldn't be the best option though because of the reaction on the skin and it's not technically 'amphibian safe' even though it's a good insulator.

Use only a recommended UTH wattage because the surface area of the heat coming from one that is over rated for the size could burn your animal - although good practices is using a rheostat like MeTree suggested. A 45-50 watt incandescent light with the same wattage of a night light on should do the job putting your animal in an insulated bin.

[MeTree]

Thanks for the info. Like I said, I had only heard some of that stuff from one or two places, so I was in no position to recomend it (which I was trying not to).

[Guenhwyvar]

I'd never do that, I'd spend the whole Winter worrying about him. I have him in his little tub with a light on top. It gets as low as 14-20F here, there was a fire in our neighbors apt and the insulation was never replaced, so keeping the house warm is getting hard this year. i'll just keep him in his little tank for now and maybe throughout the winter.
You think he'll be okay in his 6qt tub until feb? Should I drill larger holes in it or keep it closed up?

[Sublime]

Thanks for the info. Like I said, I had only heard some of that stuff from one or two places, so I was in no position to recomend it (which I was trying not to).

Yeah I understand, I'm not trying to bash your opinion or advice at all. Just trying to reinforce it.

I'd never do that, I'd spend the whole Winter worrying about him. I have him in his little tub with a light on top. It gets as low as 14-20F here, there was a fire in our neighbors apt and the insulation was never replaced, so keeping the house warm is getting hard this year. i'll just keep him in his little tank for now and maybe throughout the winter.
You think he'll be okay in his 6qt tub until feb? Should I drill larger holes in it or keep it closed up?

6qt is really small, even for a baby pacman. I mean it's a lot easier to regulate the temps in a smaller bin like that, but I would only use that temporarily until you can work out a solution with your bigger tank that you have. The advice given from everybody should help you get the temperature back up so you can move him back into the other one. 14-20F, man that's hard to keep warm though. Can you get like an external heater for your room or some type of burners.

You should definitely do an insulated bin if it's that cold and you can't get some sort of heat appliance in the room you're keeping him in.

[DirtyBird]

What about using one of those blue/purplish Exo Terra Moonlight bulbs to help boost the heat? Its not as bright, but puts out good warmth. Thats what ive been using at night, and day to keep it around 83 day, 80 night temp.

[GrifTheGreat]

What about using one of those blue/purplish Exo Terra Moonlight bulbs to help boost the heat? Its not as bright, but puts out good warmth. Thats what ive been using at night, and day to keep it around 83 day, 80 night temp.

Even bulbs like that can make it difficult to raise the heat where its needed because the ambient air surrounding the outside of the tank. If the outside air is too cold it can creep through the ventilation and glass. Some sort of insulated box sounds good. Infrared lights no more than 50 watts are good. Especially for night time use. Placing the frog in the room where you and your dogs sleep will help at night as you body and the dogs will raise the ambient air temp within the room which will help raise temps in the frogs enclosure. As was said above even a standard house bulb will produce heat to help raise temps. Keep us posted on what you decide. If you have a desk lamp you could even place that over the lid of the tank.