Plastic bin tank heating

[CritterKeeper21]

Basically my baby C. Sculpturatus is in their own tank and I'm trying to figure out how to heat it. I bought a tiny heat pad because I was told it was safe for plastic, got it home, and the instructions explicitly say not to use on plastic. It's a 2 watt Thrive heat mat. I figure it shouldn't get hot enough to melt the plastic but there must be some reason that it requires this be mounted to glass. Only thing I can figure is that it needs the glass to move heat away from the pad to keep the pad from malfunctioning. If that's the case then I can just get a separate sheet of glass from a hardware store right? Then I can just set the tank on that? Please help me

 

[KaroKoenig]

It may not melt the plastic, especially not at a measly 2W. It may, however, warp it - which is rather undesirable as well. And if - just IF - that thing burns, well... Also, I don't know if scorpions should be heated from below at all. For tarantulas, that's a no-go.

Indirect warming would be much better.

 

[CritterKeeper21]

It may not melt the plastic, especially not at a measly 2W. It may, however, warp it - which is rather undesirable as well. And if - just IF - that thing burns, well... Also, I don't know if scorpions should be heated from below at all. For tarantulas, that's a no-go.

Indirect warming would be much better.

How would you recommend heating it then? This was just my only idea.

 

[viper69]

How would you recommend heating it then? This was just my only idea.

For Ts we recommend increase ambient temp with space heater. If you HAVE to put heater on tank mount vertically is a last resort.

Scorps I don’t know

 

[KaroKoenig]

If you HAVE to put heater on tank mount vertically is a last resort.

Yeah. Still wouldn't do much on plastic or plexiglass in terms of heating. Best bet is probably putting the box into a bigger box and heat that one.

 

[viper69]

Yeah. Still wouldn't do much on plastic or plexiglass in terms of heating. Best bet is probably putting the box into a bigger box and heat that one.

That’s also something we do successfully.