Temperatures and heating methods

[Case]

I just got a cobalt blue, and was looking over some different caresheets for them. I noticed that the one here on Arachnopets says that temp should be 80-90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Is this a requirement or just an ideal temp? Temp where my spiders are is usually around 75 degrees. Sometimes a little higher or lower, but generally around 75.
So, do I need to look at ways to provide some additional heat, or will it do okay at room temperature and 80-90 is just considered the ideal?
Also, I have a bunch of different slings and smaller spiders that I've recently acquired, and now that I'm thinking about heat, I wonder if there's a good way to heat all of these guys just a tad so as to speed up growth rates.
How many of you bother raise temps for your spiders? For those that do, do you feel it helps a lot? For those that don't, does everything seem to be going fairly well at room temperature?
And can anyone suggest good methods for raising temp? My local pet store has heating mats for reptiles, but I've heard that these can be a bit much.
I also have a reflector lamp, but have read in the Schultz book that these are really a bad idea to use for T's.
Another idea that's crossed my mind is putting some of my sling vials inside my computer's case and keeping a close eye on moisture levels to make sure they don't dry out.

Any suggestions, information, or advice y'all can lend is appreciated.

Thanks!

Case

 

[TheWidowsPeak]

the only T I use a heating pad for is my T. blondi and I recently unpluged it because it stays around 78 in my room. as for the lividum I don't think that it really needs to be at 80 definatly not 90. I'm no expert but 90 seems a little much. If you could tolerate it maybe keep a space heater in your room that would raise it a few degrees. don't use an undertank heater because it will burrow deeperr to get away from heat and end up cooking itself. the lights won't work either. I would just leave it at room temp.

 

[D-Man]

Case-

The Tarantula Keepers Guide is the T bible, but not always correct. If you keep a modest qty of T's, a heat lamp is fine. I have 5 T's and a 60w infrared lamp is excellent.

Look up Abstract's thread, "So I cooked my A. avic," or something like that.

 

[jwb121377]

I have kept H. lividum at room temps(70-78 degrees) and never have had any problems with them.

 

[TheSpiderHouse]

I keep my T's in a room with a digital ceramic heater. If the temp drops below 75F it turns on, if it goes over 78F it shuts off. Seems to work very well on all my T's (think I have 24 different species). I got the heater at walmart for 20 bucks. Beats buying heaters for every tank.. and worrying about cooking a T.

 

[willywonka]

If you keep your T's at a temperature that you can tolerate then they should do fine. I would get concern if the room temperature falls below 70. In the past I have had the luxury of having a room just for my T's. I was able to use a space heater to keep the temp a bit higher in the winter and during the summer I didn't have to worry. If I was you I would only be concerned if the temperature gets above 90 or below 70.

 

[sunnymarcie]

Stay FAR away from reptile mats! Those things get really HOT!
There is also no way to control the heat on most of them.
My T's are kept at room temperature, and all are just fine. (@70F)
I have Usambara, PZB, Rose hair, Pink toes, curlies, stripe knees.

bigappleherp.com has Flexi-watt heat tape and the gear to wire it up. I am going to try this stuff myself.

If you have many small containers you could put them into
a fish tank with a shallow layer of (moist)vermiculite and heat
the tank. Kinda of a T baby apartment house, LOL. Thats what
I am going to do. I have to make a special top for my tank though.
The old top was broken when we moved.

 

[danread]

sunnymarcie,

I'd have to disagree with you on that one, i've found the heat mats to be an excellent way of heating tanks, as long as a few rulles are followed. One is to not put the heat mat under the tank, as some Ts will burrow to avoid heat and cook themselves. The heat mat should be stuck to the outside of the tank and only cover 1/2 to 2/3 of the back of the tank, giving the T somewhere to go if the temperatures do get too hot. I use heat mats for all my tanks, they're needed during english winters, and have never had any problems.

Cheers,

Dan.

 

[chid]

Originally posted by danread
sunnymarcie,

I'd have to disagree with you on that one, i've found the heat mats to be an excellent way of heating tanks, as long as a few rulles are followed. One is to not put the heat mat under the tank, as some Ts will burrow to avoid heat and cook themselves. The heat mat should be stuck to the outside of the tank and only cover 1/2 to 2/3 of the back of the tank, giving the T somewhere to go if the temperatures do get too hot. I use heat mats for all my tanks, they're needed during english winters, and have never had any problems.

Cheers,

Dan.

I agree Dan. I use them as well and have no trouble as long as you follow the guidelines about the correct size and on the back not underneath.

Originally posted by sunnymarcie
If you have many small containers you could put them into
a fish tank with a shallow layer of (moist)vermiculite and heat
the tank. Kinda of a T baby apartment house, LOL. Thats what
I am going to do. I have to make a special top for my tank though.
The old top was broken when we moved.

.


Thats similar to what i do for the slings but I use a wooden vivarium, but i will try the vermiculite idea as I dont do that but I use a bowl of water and am forever spilling it - good idea Sunnymarcie.

Chid

 

[sunnymarcie]

You guys must get pretty cold winters to have to use mats
on your tanks. How do you keep your houses warm? Mine is
a comfy 70F in the winter and I use air conditioning in the summer. (only when its too hot!)

Case, how is the weather in your area, Texas right?:?

I keep my critters in a room near the center of the house, that
helps with the temp to.

The tank idea is from one of my T books, not sure which one:?

I have tried mats of various types and can't get them to work for me. But I am going to take a shot at that flexi-watt stuff, it sounds
like a better solution. It has an option to control the heat where
most reptile mats do not.
It all comes down to what you decide to use and your conditions,
every place is different.

 

[Venom]

I use heating pads, secured with masking tape, or rubber bands. The pads I use aren't those reptile mats, however. I use the type meant for soothing sore muscles, and they heat nicely, without being TOO powerful. I usually keep my pzb at 75 - 80, and my skeleton at 76 - 82.

I live in Michigan, and it gets very cold here in the winter. ( as low as -10 to -20, without windchill) On top of that, we only keep or house around 62 - 64 in the winter, since we lived in northern Europe for a very long time, and are used to a cooler climate.

 

[Mike G.]

Heating Mats
I use heating mats from ZooMed
You can find them in regular pet stores (at least in Ohio you can), or you can check out the website at zoomed.com and look for "under tank heaters".
I attached them to the back side of my glass aquariums, and they work great. They contain their own adhesive, so they are clean and easy. They only raise the temp a few degrees. They come in 4 or 5 different sizes, and you can also purchase adjustable controls, if necessary, from the same company.
You don't have to worry about cooking the T's. Some mornings, I find my G. aureostriata and recently my L. parahybana actually lying on the side glass against the heater.

Mike G.