Heating question...will this work?

[danread]

Yes, your right, i think i was wrong to use the word 'need', as that indicates that higher temps are neccessary for survivial. Like i said, Ts will survive and be perfectly happy at lower temperatures. Its just a matter of me wanting to get and see the best out of my tarantulas, and if that means more activity and a shorter life span at the temperatures i keep them, so be it. Yes i have done a comparative physiology course as part of my degree in biology, and yes, it's true that the metabolism will increase, but since i enjoy watching my Ts feed, i think it's worth it. I also think higher temperatures increase the rate of molting success, if only due to the higher levels of moisture in the air.
On the other hand, there are problems associated with higer temperatures, including a higher risk of mold and fungi. So its basically down to each keepers preferences and what they want to see from their pets.

Cheers

Dan.

 

[Code Monkey]

Re: And.........

Originally posted by minax
As per, Shultz and Shultz, and S. Marshall, temps above 78 F., and in most cases a median temp of 80 F., are much more successful than lower temps. And in some species, breeding is just not possible under lower temps. In fact, Shultz advocates heating not being necessary for houses in the low 70's, unless breeding is being attempted.

I thought about mentioning the breeding aspect, but it's a separate area from general husbandry. I suspect that higher temps may lead to an increased success rate because things are sped up to the point that the egg development outpaces potential problems. Somewhere I am quoted as saying the only reason I would ever heat is if I were breeding, guess I should have included that here .

While we don't why it's more successful, it is a good thing to point out for people to keep in the back of their head if they're here reading all of our nitpicking .

 

[vulpina]

I see nothing wrong with that set up. My T's are all in the same room, I have no extra heat sources other than the temp of the room itself. Everything seems to go well. I would say if the room stays at least 75 it should be good.

Andy

 

[Code Monkey]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Too Hot?

Originally posted by Mister Internet
In fact, MANY higher species including the higher reptilians will do just exactly what you describe... sit on a hot rock and wait to burn to death. I wish I could tell you how many Green Iguanas and Ball Pythons I've seen with THIRD DEGREE burns, or in the worst cases open necrosis, simply from laying on a heat rock unaware that it was being pureed alive.

Yes, from what I've seen you've got two antagonistic behavioral impulses and when the ambient temp is genuinely too cool what you get is a creature whose brain is weighing the fact that the surrounding temp is far too cool for it to move, eat, and digest food versus an area with a elevated temp that doesn't cross the threshhold into their repellent impulses, so it stays on the heat rock regardless of the slow burn.

@Mr. I: I don't think "pureed" is the word you were looking for up there. They're hot, but not so hot their insides are violently boiling and churning themselves into mush

 

[hillie16]

I'm not looking for extremely high temps, I just don't want the temps to drop so low that my T will die. The pad covers half of one end of the tank, and doesn't generate that much heat.

It seems to work pretty good. The temp and humidity were both low last night. I misted the substrate and stuck it on and plugged it in before bed last night. Got up this morning and the T was on that side of the tank and the humidity was up

 

[Mister Internet]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Too Hot?

Originally posted by Code Monkey
Yes, from what I've seen you've got two antagonistic behavioral impulses and when the ambient temp is genuinely too cool what you get is a creature whose brain is weighing the fact that the surrounding temp is far too cool for it to move, eat, and digest food versus an area with a elevated temp that doesn't cross the threshhold into their repellent impulses, so it stays on the heat rock regardless of the slow burn.

@Mr. I: I don't think "pureed" is the word you were looking for up there. They're hot, but not so hot their insides are violently boiling and churning themselves into mush

What, I don't get even a LITTLE artistic license?

And I think you nailed it... it's the same concept as boiling a frog: if you throw a frog in boiling water, it will jump out. However, if you put a frog in tepid water and heat it to boiling, it will stay until the bitter end.

 

[FelixA9]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Too Hot?

Originally posted by Mister Internet
Are you sure about that?

When I said they were "smart" about seeking heat, I meant smart as in "snappy" not smart as in "intelligent". They actually ARE sort of brainless, since they really don't have brains the way you and I think of it. In fact, MANY higher species including the higher reptilians will do just exactly what you describe... sit on a hot rock and wait to burn to death.

I suppose I should say the T I have won't. I've only got one but I've had it a couple years and have spent a lot of time watching it. When I first put the rock in I was concerned a bit because I had heard the line of thought about them being not the greatest idea in the world but it seemed to me that ANY creature would stay away from a source of damaging heat. I set it up in way that the T would have to go to the rock in order to feel the heat. I didn't want to heat the whole cage up and overdo it and end up with a dead t. In the winter it tends to hang out around the rock and in warm weather it doesn't. I keep the room at a constant temp so go figure. The only time I've seen him actually laying on the rock is when he has a molt coming up I'll put some damp paper towels on the rock to bump the humidity a bit. At those times he sits on the thing 24/7. When the rock is bare it'll ocassionally step up on it and the off like "whoa that's too damn hot for me". Anyway I guess I should have been a little more specific. Also the rock is more of a "warm" rock than a hot rock.

Scott

 

[FelixA9]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Too Hot?

Originally posted by Mister Internet
What, I don't get even a LITTLE artistic license?

And I think you nailed it... it's the same concept as boiling a frog: if you throw a frog in boiling water, it will jump out. However, if you put a frog in tepid water and heat it to boiling, it will stay until the bitter end.

Uh. . .http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/frogboil.htm

 

[Mister Internet]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Too Hot?

Originally posted by FelixA9
Uh. . .http://www.snopes.com/critters/wild/frogboil.htm

Ouch, I've finally been Snopesed! And I even heard that anecdote from a biology teacher.... ouch.

 

[FelixA9]

Yeah it surprised me too. The frog thing always seemed to make sense in a weird sort of way.

 

[LPacker79]

They aren't so brainless that they'd sit on a hot rock and wait to burn to death.

Would you say that snakes are? I've seen an awful lot of snakes with burns on their bellies from hot rocks. I would never ever use a hot rock for anything!

 

[Code Monkey]

The only way that I ever used hot rocks was to bury it under and inch or two of substrate so that it provided a diffused warm area. A naked hot rock when the rest of the environment is too cool is a recipe for trouble.