Heat pad vs. heat lamp

[Pants__cat]

so I am setting up an enclosure for a mature G rosea and was wondering what your guys thoughts were for heat sources. I have a heating pad (covers about a third of the tank bottom) and a desk lamp that provides a moderate amount of warmth. I like the heat pad cause I don't have to turn it off at night. Pros and cons?

 

[Enn49]

Personally I like Heat pads as long as they are controlled by a thermostat to prevent over heating.

 

[kormath]

I would strongly suggest neither. To much of a risk of desiccation with either option. If the ambient room temp is in the mid 70 to mid 80 range they'll do fine.

 

[Evanthomas]

Neither, if you're comfortable she's comfortable.

 

[Pasodama]

As with a couple of posters, I, too, wouldn't use either as long as the room is at a comfortable temp.
However, if ever it became an absolute necessity, I would use a heat pad (with a thermostat), not a lamp.

 

[IamKrush]

I wouldn't use either. a room temp of 70-70+ is good enough imo.

 

[Austin S.]

I am strongly against either.
Room temperature of around 70-75 in enough.

However,
When it comes to breeding certain specific species, a heat lamp is required. In your case, it is not necessary.

 

[Cody-Myles]

Just a note for future reference:
Lamps use a tonne of electricity to run as they use a lot of wattage but mats use very little.
I have a corn snake and wanted a beardie but beardies have to have lamps and the lamps I have are 75W and 150W but my snake has a 14W mat..... uses less anergy than a light bulb [emoji1303]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Whitelightning777]

As stated, you don't HAVE to use any outside heat sources.

I've found that the activity level and appetites are much much better at a higher temperature and the spiders seem happier and appear more relaxed not so huddled up in some crevice or corner.

I don't have that species so do tons of your own research. The potential benefit of higher temps is that hunger strikes may be less frequent. Rose hairs are reported to have issues with refusal to eat properly.

Personally, I use lamps a with variable voltage rheostat switches and 25 watt bulbs to raise the temps up to about 80 degrees, no higher.

I've been completely successful with it, zero fatalities or injuries. Since I started with all slings and no adults, I'm trying to get them to the half grown/juvenile stage as fast as possible by keeping them all at about 80 degrees.


There is a huge difference of opinion when it comes to having a rose hair as your very first one, especially those that are wild caught and not captive bred which is usually the case. Watch lots of videos and articles with rose hair as first spider with Google search.

I was turned off by it myself because harvesting wild caught ones poses ethical problems by endangering the species on one hand plus my lack of time and ability to captive breed on the other.

The reported behavior problems with erratic eating habits and wide mood swings didn't impress me much either.

But, the red color form is gorgeous!!


The main thing to keep in mind is that the lamp should be at least 8" physically away from the roof of the enclosure.

Test all the temps before adding any actual critter to the enclosure!!!!!!!!

A quick and dirty method (assuming the lamp is straight above) is to touch your forehead with one hand and the lid of the enclosure with the other. The lid should be noticably cooler.

Also always use a digital thermometer of the type where you point it at a given location and it instantly reads the temperature.

Check the water dish TWICE a day no matter what and keep it 1/2-2/3rds full at all times. Heat sources cause rapid evaporation when the humidity is low.

If you're away and can't do that, fill the water dish and turn them all off until you can once again check them twice a day. The winter + gas heat like in my condo dries anything up quickly.


Every spider is different even within the same species.

 

[Entity]

No heat mats and definitely no lights! and quit holding your tarantula on your face young lady!

 

[Whitelightning777]

T on one's face?????

There was that guy who was bitten by an OBT on purpose....

 

[WolfSpider]

Sadly for me (I tend to get cold easily) my wife is at that wonderful time in life when her internal temperature gauge randomly overheats. So, my house is kept cold in the winter (67ish). My T room (7x4 feet) is near the outer part of the house, so it can get 63 or so in that room. To save my marriage and my Ts, I bought a portable space heater. Now my T’s can live in peace at 75 degrees. (Sometimes, I go in the room and sleep with them on the floor....it’s only room that is comfortable.)

 

[Whitelightning777]

See what the Ts do at about 80. You're heating the room anyway and they'll grow faster and eat much much better. I keep mine that way, which is optional but I'm getting great results.