Heat Wave

[Grael]

ok ive been reading thru the forums and ive noticed some ppl say to put ur heat matt on the side of the tank not the bottom just incase the T wants to burrow and they burrow to cool down now my A.Geniculata is in a plastic tank which is 7 x4 inchs and about 5 inchs high and shes just under 2 inchs herself shes got about an inch of mixed potting soil verma a water dish and her hide.

Half the tank has the heat matt under it but she the temp doesnt seem to b getting any higher then 73ish if i put the heat matt around the tank will it get it to the right temp? or should i wait until shes in her bigger tank? thanks again ppl

(sorry for all the questions new to the hobby )

 

[Aboreal Rayne]

Heat Mat

Grael,

I use heat mats under my tanks, I've never had a problem eith my T's. Tarantula's can modify body temp by moving to diffrent depths of thier burrow. If they are too cool they will go deeper into the burrow, closer to the heat mat. And if they're ok then they'll come out to say hi like my P. Fascata does all the time!! (She has this set up and seems not only to be happy, but quite active as well

 

[Wade]

The problem with all heating devices is it's so easy to overdo it. Mounting on the side at least reduces the possibility of heating the cage in a way that the spider can't get away from it. Other methods will also work, so long as you take precautions to prevent overheating. Always remember, excessive heat can kill much faster than coolness.

You should also know that 73f is a perfectly acceptable temp for nearly all tarantulas. It will not eat as much or grow as fast as it would if it were, say, 10 degrees warmer, but you're certainly not doing it any harm. Many of us here don't use any supplemental heat at all, tarantulas are generally perfectly comfortable from the high 60's to the mid-90's. Long periods at the extreme ends of the range may cause problems, but temporary dips and spikes (within reason) are generally harmless. 75-85 is considered by most to be the ideal range, and you're pretty close to that now.

Wade

 

[ceaser68]

I put mine on the bottom as well. but none of mine are burrowing at this point in time either ! and i can maintain a temp of about 70 to 76 degrees.. and a humidty of around 75 to 85 %..

 

[Grael]

thanks wade i mist everyday too to keep her moist she seems quite happy if not shy wont leave her hide not even when shes is hungry! she waits at the entrance of her hide for a cricket to come near her then eat it >_<

 

[bodc21]

i thought it wasnt safe to use heating pads with plastic tanks?

 

[Wade]

Although I generally don't use them with my inverts I do use them with some of my reptiles, here's what I've learned.

Any heat pad can be dangerous if it's not allowed some air circulation around it. If you have a flat bottomed cage with substrate inside sitting on top of a heat pad that is in turn on a wooden shelf, the pad can easily overheat and melt the plastic or even catch fire. I do not like the pads that attach directly to the cage with adhesive for this reason. I prefer to have a pad that lays below the cage , which is in turned propped up around 1/4" above the pad, allowing a space for air to circulate. I have found wooden lattice strips to be the ideal thickness to elevate a tank, one on each end and the pad inserted into the resulting slot. Mounting a pad on the wall behind the cage (not the cage itself) is annother way to provide heat, but from the side. The shape of most cages will create the airspace without additional spacers.

A device called a lamp dimmer or rheostat (sp?) can be used to adjust the temperature of most heat mats (probably not the fancy ones with built-in thermostats, however). These can be purchased at most hardware stores in the lighting section as they are often used with table lamps.

It's probably not necssary to mist daily. When I have a T that I feel needs moist conditions, I'll overflow the waterbowl a bit to moisten that end. This creates a moisture gradient. If the spider seems to prefer the moist end, then I know it may need more moisture. Even then, I usually just use water. Tarantulas are usually pretty good about letting you know they want more moisture. They stand on or in the water bowl!

Wade

Wade

 

[ithuriel]

hi , i have heat mats stuck on the sides of my tanks , no problems. if they want more heat they rest next to the side with the mat. i also keep my substrate dry n no longer mist , just have a water bowl that i keep topped up , had no problems with molts or mites though my b.vagans likes to take a drink every now n again , she used to do this even when i misted n used to moisten the substrate. hmmmm sometimes i can waffle on a bit

 

[rob]

i thought it wasnt safe to use heating pads with plastic tanks?

The ZOO MED site says their mini-therm heater is made for plastic and acrylic terrariums. Zoo Med Site

 

[ceaser68]

i thought it wasnt safe to use heating pads with plastic tanks?

all my tanks except the slings are in 10 gallon glass and i monitor the temp of the soil bedding as well..

 

[deifiler]

ive read stories regarding heatin from underneath, heres a breif summary:

someones H.lividum made a deep burrow, right down to the bottom of the glass infact, it proceeded to moult, then in midmoult, the heat was too strong and it dehydrated, couldnt move or anything, so died, and proceeded to become 'baked' to the glass

www.brum-tarantulas.com its on their forum if you want the full story