Heat Cables?

[Atrax robustus]

Does anyone use cables to heat their roach colonys?
I've got nine large plastic bins of diffrent species and I though one long cable would be easier and maybe cheaper to run than nine separate cables.
Thanks.
AR

 

[Navaros]

I don't see why that wouldn't work as long as they all need the same temperature. Just make sure to use a thermostat! Or at least a rheostat.

 

[scavenger]

I use flex-watt under the back 1/4 of my roach tubs.

 

[Navaros]

I'm going to start using flexwatt on mine once the colonies populations increase and I move them to tubs. For now they are in glass tanks and flex watt doesn't do well with glass. Heat cables are kinda different though. Still, use a thermostat with them no matter what.

 

[Wade]

I don't heat mine at all, but I'm guessing the ambiant temps are a little cooler for you guys.

I do use flexi watt for some reptiles. One thing to be careful of when using flexi watt tape is that it can overheat, melt and possibly even ignite if it's used in a way that doesn't allow airflow around it. Cages should be propped up so they don't restdirectly on the tape, I use lattice strips to raise tanks .25" over the tape itself.

Wade.

 

[Navaros]

I only want to heat mine because I'm interested to see if they would reproduce quicker. But yes flexwatt can combust if used improperly. That's why you need a thermostat. It won't give the tape enough power to get that hot. Same with a rheostat. The heat cable is probably more safe to use IMO. It is what plumbers use to keep pipes from freezing, if anyone doesn't know.

 

[Atrax robustus]

I only want to heat mine because I'm interested to see if they would reproduce quicker.

That's the lines I was thinking along. An injection of heat only a couple of degrees would make all the diffrence, when I mentioned heat cables I was talking about the soil warming ones in B&Q or Homebase.
AR.