Heat Rocks still suck

LeilaNami

Arachnoking
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My hate of heat rocks was reaffirmed today. A family came in with a ball python. I had talked to one of them last night and he described what sounded like a burn injury. The poor baby had a half dollar size burn. It was blistering already and streaked with blood. They were just given this snake from a family that had him for six years...with a heat rock. I just told the guy to trash it which he plans to and directed him to a vet. Unfortunately the only 24hr vet open was an hour away but the guy was so worried about the baby that he was more than willing to drive over there.
 

AviculariaLover

Arachnoknight
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That sounds horrible, but I'm glad the guy listened and is getting the snake proper treatment. We used to have heatrocks for lizards when my dad had them in his dental office (many years ago), but I've never allowed them in my snake cages! To not waste the larger one, for one cage I keep it on the outside of the tank, against the edge, for extra warmth.

For the others I might just cut off the cords and use them as decorative rocks, I'd never sell them to someone to have them use it for a reptile.

Hope the ball python pulls through! It can be really tough taking care of injuries like that, my ball python got chewed up by a mouse (never fed live after that!) and it was tough keeping the wounds medicated and clean, but she pulled through and only has some minor visible scars. The worst part is the shedding... it looks like it's healing up nicely, and the shed rips everything off again. Took a few sheds for the scar tissue to really develop enough to not rip off.
 

LeilaNami

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Yeah the guy was just a little misguided. I had to tell his friend to take the BP off sand as well. I'm fine with heat rocks as long as they're never turned on ;P The poor little snake was well enough to strike at me every couple of minutes
 

Falyn

Arachnosquire
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Apr 22, 2005
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Aww poor lil guy.. Heat rocks are evil, I refuse to use them in any of my tanks and never recommend them to anyone there are better way to heat a tank.. Hope the snake heals up ok though.
 

Staley

Arachnobaron
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Cant you bury the heatrock under the sand? or if its substrate under the dirt/Soil.
wouldent that make more sense?
 

Snipes

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are heat rocks good for ANYTHING? I don't know why they still sell em.
 

Falyn

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are heat rocks good for ANYTHING? I don't know why they still sell em.
PAPERWEIGHTS...

Cant you bury the heatrock under the sand? or if its substrate under the dirt/Soil.
wouldent that make more sense?
To many animals bury for them still to be fully safe...
 

K-TRAIN

Arachnobaron
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My hate of heat rocks was reaffirmed today. A family came in with a ball python. I had talked to one of them last night and he described what sounded like a burn injury. The poor baby had a half dollar size burn. It was blistering already and streaked with blood. They were just given this snake from a family that had him for six years...with a heat rock. I just told the guy to trash it which he plans to and directed him to a vet. Unfortunately the only 24hr vet open was an hour away but the guy was so worried about the baby that he was more than willing to drive over there.
heat rocks arent that bad. i use one in my uromastyx tank. (i used to hate them too till i realized they arent as bad as people say.) but thats just my opinion. there better for large lizards, like uromastyx and other large desert species.
 

LeilaNami

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uh no. They're not safe and they are as bad as everyone say. No matter how big the reptile, there's still a risk of burns. They're not as sensitive on their bellies so when they sit on the rock all day, they end up getting severe burns. Use a bulb and heating pad that are much safer.
 

Mushroom Spore

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uh no. They're not safe and they are as bad as everyone say. No matter how big the reptile, there's still a risk of burns. They're not as sensitive on their bellies so when they sit on the rock all day, they end up getting severe burns. Use a bulb and heating pad that are much safer.
Don't bother, this is the same guy that insisted that ball pythons can and should be kept without any sort of heat, picks up "random venomous snakes" and brags about it, and responds to all forms of criticism with variations on the ancient theme of "you don't know me, you can't tell me what to do."

Quite frankly, I'm not surprised to find out he uses hot rocks as well.
 

Avic_Addict

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Apr 2, 2007
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heat rocks arent that bad. i use one in my uromastyx tank. (i used to hate them too till i realized they arent as bad as people say.) but thats just my opinion. there better for large lizards, like uromastyx and other large desert species.
Yes, they are that bad, and anyone who insists on using them despite the masses of evidence against them is either ignorant, arrogant or too cheap to provide proper heating. Sorry to sound harsh/rude (I'm not usually - it takes a lot to wind me up), but I am SICK TO DEATH of seeing animals in excruciating pain with horrendous wounds because their owners still insist on using inappropriate heating. Have you ever seen a boa with its (cooked) intestines hanging out while the poor thing just sits and looks at you? I have, and its a sight and smell that I won't forget in a hurry believe me.

Most heat rocks (and heat mats) give off heat in direct proportion to the downwards pressure exerted upon it, i.e., a small lizard/snake sat on a heatrock will elicit less heat from it than a large lizard/snake (hence why underbody heating should NEVER be used for any type of boid). So saying they are better for larger lizards is incorrect - a larger lizard like a uro is even more likely to burn itself than say, a gecko, due to its increased body mass. Whereas heatmats can be used safely when run on a relaible thermostat (anyone who doesn't use stats please see above) there is no way to accurately control the temperature of a hot rock, and therin lies the danger.
 

markface

Arachnoknight
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Apr 19, 2007
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are heat rocks good for ANYTHING? I don't know why they still sell em.
if you cut the cord off of them , some make nice decorations .

if you want to use belly heat for a reptile then it should be an under tank heater set up with a good thermostat . that way the animal doesnt come into direct contact with the heat source and , it is regulated so it doesnt over heat the animal .
 

LeilaNami

Arachnoking
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Ugh...I shot him a PM and he replied that he has a bulb and a heat mat but doesn't use them. He assured me he would change it if his Uro uses it more than usual :embarrassed: :wall:. What I don't understand is why don't you use the safer equipment NOW instead of waiting for your reptile to hurt itself
 
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