Heating Pad

[skeet9924]

I'm considering getting a zoo med heating pad for my terrarium. I currently have the exo terra rain forest one attached to the bottom and it is doing nothing.

Does this one work better? And also should I place it on the bottom of my tank or the side wall. Oh and I have a red eyed tree frog.

Thanks!!

[butcher]

I have my Exoterra on the side for my red eyes, but I also use a 25 watt 2.0 uvb bulb, and it works well. It will depend on the size of your viv and room temp. on what you will need.

[skeet9924]

I have the 18 x 18 exo terra...The room he is in is pretty chilly all the time as its mid winter here....what exo terra pad do you use the rain forest or the desert?

[butcher]

I have the Rainforest pad med. size. My room temp is around 23C.

[matty123]

i use the desert ones never let me down

[skeet9924]

Thanks...my room is about 18C on a daily basis...I currently have a infa red bulb heating the tank as it doesnt seem the exo terra pad did anything ( but it is on the bottom)

[tmalla1]

I currently have an UTH and havent attached it yet because ive seen where it can cause a stress fracture in the glass of the tank. My tank has a false bottom with water and hydroballs and was wondering if attaching the heating pad would cause the fracture? Thanks for the help.

[matty123]

make sure you have a gap between the bottom of the tank and the stand it is on so there is air flow that will prevent any fracture

[DonLisk]

Since you have a frog that is mostly in the branch and leaf areas of the tank and not spending its time on the substrate, your best bet is to apply the heat from the UTH from a side of the enclosure.

Heat from below the substrate has to make it through the drainage layer, and the the substrate so your not going to get as much from it as you would on a side near where your frog spends most of his/her time.

As Matty stated, if your going to use one under the tank, its best to have some airflow under it to reduce chances of a fractured piece of glass.

[skeet9924]

This may sound stupid.. Probably shows how amateur I am at this.. But what should I use as a drainage layer.. I don't have one.. Can I use regular aquarium stones? I know your supposed to be careful with them because of the frog accidentally eating them.. Will it harm him not to have one for now? He just started to go normal colors and get comfortable in his environment I don't want to stress him out yet. Plus I have a hard time keeping the humidity up in his tank I have to spray 3-4 times a day plus keep the substrate soaked. I'm going into town this week to buy a waterfall and a fogger..

[DonLisk]

You have a few choices for creating a drainage layer. The drainage layer is for allowing natural moisture from misting to filter through the substrate (usually coco-fiber such as Eco Earth or Plantation Soil) and collect below for evaporation or siphoned removal.

Aquarium stones are fine or Hydroballs which should also be available at a good pet store.
Once you place in about a 1 1/2 inch layer of balls or stone, cover it with a piece of window screen material or landscapers weed barrier material. The material will allow for moisture to seep through and not allow the soil to mix in with the stone or hydroballs.

Have the screen material slightly larger than the area your covering to have some come up each side but not higher than the depth of the top substrate. Also allow for an area where you can lift up the screen and slide a siphon hose down into.


You can also make a drainage layer from eggcrate which is the louvers in a ceiling light. The is a sample of this method here: http://www.frogforum.net/vivarium-te...se-bottom.html