Heating Enclosure

[chosen2030]

I was wondering if anyone could answer a few questions about heating for me - I was planning on using a UTH to bring up the temp in my 12x12x18. What size UTH should I use and where would be the best placement? I currently have the foam exo terra background that comes with the terrarium in there, would the heat pad still raise the temp even if I placed it behind the background or should I take the background out? Have anyone ever used Zoo Med Repti Heat Cable inside your Red-Eyed Leaf Frog enclosure Thanks for your help!

[boa10jeh]

I was wondering if anyone could answer a few questions about heating for me - I was planning on using a UTH to bring up the temp in my 12x12x18. What size UTH should I use and where would be the best placement? I currently have the foam exo terra background that comes with the terrarium in there, would the heat pad still raise the temp even if I placed it behind the background or should I take the background out? Have anyone ever used Zoo Med Repti Heat Cable inside your Red-Eyed Leaf Frog enclosure Thanks for your help!

The heat mat definitely won't work if you put it behind the background, as the foam they're made of insulates very well. There are a couple of problems with heat mats in that they heat up things they are touching, and things immediately above them, hence the name 'under tank heater' so they are great for going underneath vivariums containing ground dwelling snakes for example. I have used a UTH stuck to the outside wall of a glass terrarium in the past, but found that it didnt really do anything to raise the ambient temperature, and just heated that wall. My red eyed tree frogs are in a large exo terra terrarium heated with a ceramic bulb directed over the mesh lid, so they cant burn themselves, and on a pulse proportional stat, with day/night function. Its also placed away from any perches or anything that they have, as they wont bask, but need ambient temperature as well as a temperature gradient. I have never used a heat cable of any kind so I'm afraid I can't be of much help there, but I hope this was helpful otherwise note though that I'm also a junior member, more experienced keepers may disagree with what I've said, but thats just what I've found, hope this helps!