Heat Rock or No heat rock ?

[coura]

I think it happens to iguanas also

 

[Jfitz]

I had one burn the hell out of my sav when I was young,very sad.A freind burned his BP on one as well.Both lived but scared for life.Best thing to do is this,,,,,,,,,,,and Im a pro at this so only listen to me,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,this will make the heat rock better in many ways,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,cut the cord off and throw it in your garden.When you cut the cord,make sure its unplugged,lol.

i like jays advice

 

[jason longboard]

I think remorsal is running to get rid of all his hot rocks,lol.You seemed quite concerned bro,lol.Im gonna go back to your bearded pics and look for one.I think the herps can sense the heat,but the nerves are deep and I think by the time they realize its that hot it may be too late.The rocks can really shove alot of heat in a very tight spot very quickly.Dang it guys,this is making me wish I had my own heat pad so I could lay on my belly and digest my lunch faster,I got heart burn,lol.

 

[reptech]

dr j is right and that was a great explanation

 

[killerfish]

Sounds like eveyone agrees

HEAT ROCKS = BAD

 

[RARE AFISHINADO]

while I agree heatrock are old school garbage I have a hard time believing reptiles cant feel heat from their underside,,,

if this was true the animals would not seek out the heat of a heat rock or heat pad....

 

[Chris_LCMNH]

while I agree heatrock are old school garbage I have a hard time believing reptiles cant feel heat from their underside,,,

if this was true the animals would not seek out the heat of a heat rock or heat pad....

Or for that matter, they wouldn't naturally bask on heat retaining surfaces in the wild; surfaces like boulders, rocks, or even road surfaces (snakes particularly). It's not an issue of these animals not detecting belly heat, they can, otherwise basking lights and heating devices (heat tape [flexwatt], heat pads, radiant heat panels [for arboreal species], or hot rocks [which are virtually the same thing as heat tape or pad]) would be pointless for these poikilothermic (=animals that regulate internal body temperature through behavior) animals. Diurnal reptiles contain what's called the parietal eye. It's a...

photosensory organ connected to the pineal body, active in triggering hormone production (including reproduction) and thermoregulation. It is sensitive to changes in light and dark, it does not form images, having only a rudimentary retina and lens. It is visible as an opalescent gray spot on the top of some lizard's heads; also referred to as "pineal eye" or "third eye."

Nocturnal and crepuscular species typically lack this 'eye'.

The problem with hot rocks, as well as heat pads, heat tape, and radiant heat panels, are not with the devices themselves, but rather their use. ALL should be plugged into a QUALITY thermostat as all can malfunction resulting in either 2 possible disasters: 1) it not longer heats resulting in a cold cage, or 2) temps sky rocket resulting in potential thermal burns. Another problem with these heating devices vs a basking lamp is "cold cage". When using a heat pad, heat tape, or hot rock it should be do so so that the heat can be displaced, avoiding hot spots and the animal being able to come into direct contact with the device. In the situation of a cold cage, you have an environment which is not suitable for the animal, i.e., ambient temps are too low even for the low even of temperature gradients. This results in a cold animal (remember reptiles are poikliothermic, they rely on ambient and surface temperatures to thermoregulate), in a cold tank, sitting on a hot surface. The result: thermal burns.

Whenever I've used hot rocks (I don't anymore) it was in habitats where I could setup the tank with a "safe" substrate (safe = fire proof, like sand or gravel and the like) deep enough to bury the hot rock. A basking light was also placed over the hot rock, and the hot rock was plugged into a thermostat set to go no higher than 88°F in most cases.

More food for thought, many diurnal desert lizard species aren't active until their core body temp is over 90°F. Species like chuckwallas and desert iguanas don't typically become active unless they can get their core temp over 100°F! The collared lizards here where I work are provided a basking spot with a surface temp of 135°F. Ackies (aka spiny tailed monitors) have been observed basking and active with rock surfaces approaching 200°F in Australia. I believe in a book on Bearded Dragons by Phillipe de Vosjoli and Bob Mailoux (spelling - aka Mr. Sandfire Dragon Ranch) they mention basking surface temps to be 135°F. They also discuss the proper use of hot rocks.

Again, heating pads and heat tape can be just as dangerous.

 

[jason longboard]

my point was not that they couldnt sense the heat.I just was under the belief that by the time they feel that it may have a hot spot and be malfunctioning do to poor design that it could have already burned the outer layer of skin or scales.These things were being used before alot of herp knowledge was even available.Ppl would ue them for the main heat source so for a sav or beard for instance,they would stay curled around or on the rock for far to long,and if their were hot spots I think they would eventually sense that and move away from the spot but sometimes too late,if not,then how did they get such bad burns?Anyways,I never thought they couldn't sense it,just always read that unlike us,their more sensitive nerves are deeper through their skin and it may take longer,Im guessin thats a good feature to have in case your a bit stranded on hot sand or rock while trying to find shade in the desert.Of course sex might not be as sensational.lol.

 

[coura]

Or for that matter, they wouldn't naturally bask on heat retaining surfaces in the wild; surfaces like boulders, rocks, or even road surfaces (snakes particularly). It's not an issue of these animals not detecting belly heat, they can, otherwise basking lights and heating devices (heat tape [flexwatt], heat pads, radiant heat panels [for arboreal species], or hot rocks [which are virtually the same thing as heat tape or pad]) would be pointless for these poikilothermic (=animals that regulate internal body temperature through behavior) animals. Diurnal reptiles contain what's called the parietal eye. It's a...



Nocturnal and crepuscular species typically lack this 'eye'.

The problem with hot rocks, as well as heat pads, heat tape, and radiant heat panels, are not with the devices themselves, but rather their use. ALL should be plugged into a QUALITY thermostat as all can malfunction resulting in either 2 possible disasters: 1) it not longer heats resulting in a cold cage, or 2) temps sky rocket resulting in potential thermal burns. Another problem with these heating devices vs a basking lamp is "cold cage". When using a heat pad, heat tape, or hot rock it should be do so so that the heat can be displaced, avoiding hot spots and the animal being able to come into direct contact with the device. In the situation of a cold cage, you have an environment which is not suitable for the animal, i.e., ambient temps are too low even for the low even of temperature gradients. This results in a cold animal (remember reptiles are poikliothermic, they rely on ambient and surface temperatures to thermoregulate), in a cold tank, sitting on a hot surface. The result: thermal burns.

Whenever I've used hot rocks (I don't anymore) it was in habitats where I could setup the tank with a "safe" substrate (safe = fire proof, like sand or gravel and the like) deep enough to bury the hot rock. A basking light was also placed over the hot rock, and the hot rock was plugged into a thermostat set to go no higher than 88°F in most cases.

More food for thought, many diurnal desert lizard species aren't active until their core body temp is over 90°F. Species like chuckwallas and desert iguanas don't typically become active unless they can get their core temp over 100°F! The collared lizards here where I work are provided a basking spot with a surface temp of 135°F. Ackies (aka spiny tailed monitors) have been observed basking and active with rock surfaces approaching 200°F in Australia. I believe in a book on Bearded Dragons by Phillipe de Vosjoli and Bob Mailoux (spelling - aka Mr. Sandfire Dragon Ranch) they mention basking surface temps to be 135°F. They also discuss the proper use of hot rocks.

Again, heating pads and heat tape can be just as dangerous.

Here ya go

 

[coura]

while I agree heatrock are old school garbage I have a hard time believing reptiles cant feel heat from their underside,,,
Weard for us mamals but true for reptiles I it werent thouse horrible burns that from time to time pop up here and there, would never happen