# Dubia roaches heat mat question...



## iamthegame06 (Mar 24, 2013)

i just started my dubia colony about 3 weeks ago.. what i did for the heating was i put a small heater in front of their enclosure (rubbermaid tub) and it worked, i started seeing a bunch of nymphs..but here's the problem, i live in an apartment and my inverts and roaches are in my room so it gets pretty hot in my room with that heater on, even if i leave the window open..so im thinking of using a heat mat instead..i always see posts about how people would use heat mats from walgreens, walmart, etc. so i went to walmart today and i asked if they had any heat mats and they were all around $25-$30, from what i've read it should be cheaper than that? i cant use the zoomed ones since they cant be used on plastic..i've also read about the heat tapes? but some people say that it melts plastic too and that you would have to buy a thermostat for it..what do you guys use for your dubias? a specific brand name and where i can get it from would also help a lot..thanks!


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## ShredderEmp (Mar 24, 2013)

I keep my Blaptica dubias in a plastic tub that has the heater underneath. The heater is just a regular plug in heat pad. I think it's used for back pains.


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## Insektzuchen (Mar 24, 2013)

*ZooMed's small UTH can be used on plastic*

The small Zoomed UTH can be used on plastic Kritter Keepers and definitely on Rubbermaid or Sterlite tubs.  I just place mine against the heater that runs along the floorboard of the room.  I've got 2 colonies going.  One with golden dubias, the other with black ones.


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## iamthegame06 (Mar 24, 2013)

what's the brand name? and where did you get it from? how much did it costs? because the ones I saw at Walmart was like around $25..


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## Marijan2 (Mar 24, 2013)

I use heating cable for mine, as i have ultiple roach specimens that require heating it's perfect. It costs a few bucks more though. Just be sure to take 25W one, anything bigger will heat too much(aka you need to put something inbetween mat/cable and plastic) and smaller will not heat enough


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## buddah4207 (Mar 24, 2013)

I have a ZooMed heater on the bottom of a sterlite tub with no problems but lots of nymphs


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## singaporesling (Mar 25, 2013)

My dubia are breeding with no heat pads at all.  They are placed a few inches above a floor vent sitting on the bottom rack of my shelf.  It reaches 80 inside their tub and it seems to be warm enough


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## elportoed (Mar 25, 2013)

In socal, you dont need heater for them to thrive.  But if you need to jump start them, try using heat lamp.  I had mine set up with a red infrared bulb, and a rhetostat (spelling?) to control the lamp intensity.  After they start breeding, you probably can stop using the lamp.


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## MrCrackerpants (Mar 25, 2013)

I use this

http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-heat-cables/11442-504969/zoo-med-repti-heat-cable.html?utm_source=googleproductads&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term={keyword}&gclid=CPaKhr-lmbYCFQ70nAodaEYAhg

I used the Zoo Med UTH but after 3 years they eventually burned and quit. One of them developed a burn spot and melted a hole through the bottom of a thick Sterilite tote. I have never had any issues with the cable. They are cheap and mine have lasted a long time. I use one to heat 3 massive colonies with thousands of roaches.


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## 3skulls (Mar 25, 2013)

Watch out on the ZooMeds. I have a few of the smaller ones laying around. Plugged one in and hit it with my temp gun. The temps where up over 115*f in a few mins. 

I use Flexwatt on a t-stat. 
Google The Bean Farm or Big Apple Herp. Look under reptile heating. 

Just be safe!!


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## iamthegame06 (Mar 29, 2013)

thanks for the response guys! i'm gonna try to do the heat lamp thing since i already have one that im not using, i just need to get the infrared bulbs for it..if that doesnt work, i'll try MrCrackerpants' suggestion on the heat cables..  thanks guys!

Reactions: Like 1


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