Scorpion Heating question

[The Bear]

Help with heating question please, I have tried to find some thread for days but can't find one. Right now I keep 1 Emp, 2 3rd-4th instar E. italicus, 1 3rd instar H. trillius, 4 C. exilicauda and 2 3rd instar C. limbatus all in my bedroom which is kept at room temperature 60-70F 16-21C. In the summer it was ok because with my window open it was 80-90s 27-32C during the day but now that its 30F outside I can't do that so I think its time to use heat lamps or heat pads.

The local pet shop has ceramic heat lamps and a lot of different bulbs which is my problem. Which light bulb is best to use? I don't think they have red bulbs but I saw an infrared there.

 

[ReptileMan27]

Your best bets for bulbs are a red bulb or a infared bulb. Those heat emitters work to but are really expensive. You can also use a UTH(under tank heater), If you use a UTH make sure to put it on the side of the cage instead of on the bottom because scorpions burrow to get away from the heat. Good luck

 

[Normski2020uk]

Totaly agree, I use 2 small heat pads taped to the side of the tank to keep the Temp up during the winter linked to a thermostate in the summer so if the temp gets to high it cuts out. DO NOT use heat lamps, they through out a tremendos amount of heat, and its consentrated not difused lick a normal light bulb. You could cook your scorps.

 

[The Bear]

Thanks for the replies. I went with a heat lamp with a red infrared bulb and got a medium heat pad for the emp. The lamp is great because I can use it on all of my scorplings because there containers are so small.

What if I put the heat pad on half the bottom of the tank? What will give off more heat, on the side or the bottom?

 

[Normski2020uk]

If you place any heat source under your tank, the first thing that will happen is you wil dry up all the soil in that section, this will inturn suck moisture from the area surounding it. Any burrows in this dry/drying area are at risk of collapsing, also Scorps burrow to get away from heat, so puting heat under the tank means should they burrow over the heat matt, you could injer or kill them (dependant on the type you have). If you place it on the side of the tank, above ground level this works for me, also by placeing the matt nuder the cage, your liveing area is not geting the full benafit, as the soil insulates. I would go for placeing the mat on the back of your tank, insulate with tin foil and cardboard so you do not loss any heat, and see how it goes, No harm with swaping and changeing. Testing and trialing is how we learn!! Enjoy

 

[The Bear]

Thanks for the fast reply Norm. Im putting the pad on the back of my emp tank now. Unfortionatly I bought a mat that can't be removed once aplied so I hope I get it right the first time

 

[Fluid Filter]

DOH! Your better off just taping it to the tank so you can move it later if you need too. No worries though, if it's a zoomed heatpad it'll probably fall off on its own after a month or two.