Using Pro Heat Radiant Heat System

[murtasma]

I was surfing the web and saw this product from the same people that make the ProMist misting system.
http://www.pro-products.com/proheat.html

Does anyone have any experiance using these panels in place of lights for heat generation? If no one has any experiance with them do you see a problem using them in place of lights?

Also what about replacing my lights for my leopard geckos with these pads instead?

 

[TylerStewart]

I use Pro Heat panels in some of my aboreal snake cages connected to a Helix controller... Mine are the 30W size, and I think could work for chameleons if you were keeping montanes or babies. You'd have to provide light and UV-B with at least Reptisun bulbs, but you could put these in an overhead corner so they didn't block the light and aim the heat into the cage. The problems would be:

1. Possible lack of enough heat. They don't get as hot as a veiled or panther would like it. You could get a higher wattage size (wattage is based on square inches; you can't buy a 75W panel that is small), but it would cover the whole top of the cage and still might not be hot enough. Even with no controller, I doubt they'd raise temps more than 10 degrees in a ventilated screen cage.

2. They're not supposed to get wet. Humid is ok, but not wet. You'd have to be careful with your misters or drippers.

3. Expense. They start at about $65 (if I remember right) and go up from there. A Home Depot clamp light and bulb would run you less than $10.

4. Blocking lights. Just the square footage required on even the smallest panels would take up the majority of the top of the cage.

Here's a picture of the cages I have them mounted in. They're the white box in the top center of each cage. In these cages that are about 99.5% sealed off, they raise the temps from about 76 up to 84 in the hot spot. They're controlled with the Helix, but even if you just plugged them in directly to the wall, it wouldn't be over 90 in there. If you were to use them in a ventilated screen cage, most of that heat would be lost. It's a really soft heat. You can touch the panel and barely feel it. It takes a minute or two of being right under the panel to start to feel the heat radiating from it. I'd probably buy a massive one of these to mount over my bed on the cold winter nights (or over the shower, that'd be nice), but wouldn't bother using one if you were keeping a veiled or a panther.

For a leopard gecko, I would stick with 4" heat tape along the back of the cages or bins. It's cheap, simple and easy to mess with. It gets hotter, too.

 

[Dankmeleon]

do these panels make the environment more dry?

 

[murtasma]

Thanks Tyler great response you answered all much questions and more. From the sounds of it these don't seem like a good solution for chameleons I'll stick with the heat lamps.

Thank you!

BTW: It looks like you work for bluebeatreptile. I will probably be ordered a cage from you guys sometime this afternoon

 

[reyesjoshuacruz]

do chams need to see light to notice a basking spot? or can they just detect the hot spot with out visuals ?

 

[murtasma]

I doubt seeing the light would have any affect on the chameleon. They should be able to detect the heat through the skin.