Anyone ever used a radiant heat panel for heat?

[SS4Luck]

Hey guys,

I used to keep a bunch of chams 4+ years ago and go out of them because i was always on the go and couldn't give them the care they needed but have decided its time to pick up another panther or 4.

I have a few RHPs from smaller cages I had for my retics and i was figuring running a RHP with a probe in the "basking" spot to a herpstat should work just as good and evenly as a light. Plus Im going to be keeping them in my bedroom which can/will fluctuate between 65-75 so something that self adjusts would be nice.

Im going to start building a base and hood for the cages next week, going to do 4 36 x 18 x 18 cages next to each other in a 74 x 20 base with a built in drainage catch/run off. (I know eventually they will more than likely need 4 x 2 x 2 cages and i will build another base and hood when the time comes. I personally prefer the 36 x 18 x 18 cages for growing babies into adulthood)

But the build for that will come later, Im more interested about the heat panels and peoples opinion on them. The cages will have a UVB and grow light in the hoods, so light won't be an issue.

 

[fluxlizard]

If the panels are intended as the primary source of heat, then I'd sort of disagree about light not being an issue. I realize what you are thinking because you intend to provide "cold" lighting as well as the panel, but my thinking:

Chameleons (and most diurnal lizards) are very "visually" oriented animals. Light and heat go hand in hand from a lizard's perspective.

If you were to provide a heat panel and a heat light and put them side by side at the same temperature, I think a cold lizard will go to the light every time. Because they use sunlight for this in nature, so instinct will take them to the light.

So, I guess I'm not a fan of the heat panel for the only heat source. Maybe for secondary heat to provide a warm zone and thermal gradient if you are using the light only as a "hot spot" and not to warm the entire cage. Then maybe in that situation a panel would be useful to provide additional warmth over a larger area. But as a single source of heat, I wouldn't think it a great idea.

But then again I've never tried it. Maybe if the panel is near the flourescent lighting, the effect will be similar for the lizards...

 

[SS4Luck]

I see where you're coming from and don't think you're 100% grasping what Id be building. The RHP and the tube lights would all be on at the same time, causing the heat and lights to be associated together. If you go outside, there isn't a "basking spot" light and heat go hand and hand, which is what i was going to try and mimic here.


Then as far as night heat you can put a night temp drop in just to make sure the top of the cage stays 66-68* incase its one of the nights where my room gets into the low 60s. Im working on drawing up schematics for it, ill post it in a little bit.

 

[fluxlizard]

I see where you're coming from and don't think you're 100% grasping what Id be building. The RHP and the tube lights would all be on at the same time, causing the heat and lights to be associated together. If you go outside, there isn't a "basking spot" light and heat go hand and hand, which is what i was going to try and mimic here.


Then as far as night heat you can put a night temp drop in just to make sure the top of the cage stays 66-68* incase its one of the nights where my room gets into the low 60s. Im working on drawing up schematics for it, ill post it in a little bit.
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Maybe I don't "get it" but I think if you re-read my last sentence, then I sort of do. I just don't have great confidence in it. But like I said, I've never tried it, and I do think your try would be interesting.

Couple of comments on your thinking in your latest post though-

First sunlight, and artificial basking spots.

Artificial basking spots- I'm not a proponent or fan of doing what many do which is to create a "hot spot" in a cool cage. I try to set up thermal gradients. Lizards' thermoregulatory control is "analogue" in nature, not "digital" (not hot or cold, but they have a range available). I don't use thermometers and I don't use dimmers on my lights, etc, to dial in exact temperatures. I provide true gradients and the chameleons are great at finding what they need. Hot spots are too "finicky" when it comes to ambient room conditions and it is easy to burn a lizard compared to a gradient. At least that is my take on it. Nature is never exactly the same temp every day or even every moment of the day- far from it.

Everything in direct sunlight is in the "basking spot". But nature has microclimates available and thermogradients the lizards can work with. Out in the sun, deep in a bush, down in the grass, on the shady side of the tree, in the breeze, etc. Direct sun is usually too warm for most lizards after sitting in it a short while. They can then move into shade, or deeper shade, into more light or less light to control temperature. As you say, light and temp are closely related.

Fluorescents do not cast shadows much, and in a cage, the intensity gradient of lighting is less dramatic than incandescents. Shadows and stuff are greatly less dramatic. They are not much like "sunlight" when it comes to stuff like that. They are closer to shade conditions under some big trees in a forest without much undergrowth. Which is why I'm not sure if your attempt will work- unless your cage is huge, light will be similar to nature's shade conditions throughout much variation in light intensity throughout your enclosure regardless of placement of the tube.

But please don't accept my comments as anything other than my thoughts. If you try it, I'll be very interested to see how it works for you over the long term. You just asked for everyone's thoughts, so I'm giving you mine. But my thoughts are just speculation, never having tried it myself. I do try many things with my lizards, so I find your thinking interesting.

Night temps-

For most species you won't need or want night heat. Even my newborn hatchling panthers I allow down to 50 without problems, and veileds can go even lower (I bring mine indoors when temps hit 40).

Just my 2 cents. I'll be interested in seeing how you do.

 

[adrouin]

I use a ceramic heater for my panthers basking spot. It's in a darker corner of his cage but he learned where to bask and warms himself up all the time under it. Chameleons may associate light with heat but they can also learn to bask without it.

 

[Mike Fisher]

If you are going to use the juice, add more light. The amount artificial light we can provide under the best of circumstances is woefully inadequate compared to sunlight. I've never been able to put too much light into an enclosure.

 

[Mike Fisher]

Artificial basking spots- I'm not a proponent or fan of doing what many do which is to create a "hot spot" in a cool cage.

This is a good point, chams can get thermal shock that way. Most thermal burns are caused from this.

 

[frikitiki]

Yes .... I have successfully kept all my adult breeders with radiant heat panels instead of spot lamps. I have been using them for about 3 yrs now and they have been working fine. I use in conjunction with a thermostat of course.