Radiant heat panels

[frikitiki]

Anybody using Radiant heat panels?

Has any one ever used the Pro-Products Radiant heat panels for there chameleons? http://http://www.pro-products.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=55&Itemid=59 I do use them currently with GREAT success on my Green Tree Pythons. They are way more efficent in the long run then using basking bulbs. I have seen them used in several zoo exhibits as well.
Please chime in with any thoughts.

 

[frikitiki]

bump..... Anybody?

 

[squeekz1992]

I haven't heard of anyone who has used them on chams.

Maybe someone else has tho?

 

[deadhd5]

These will not subsitute for a basking light. Chams in the wild regulate their body temps with sun rays, so they are used to seeking out elevated places exposed to direct warm light. I don't think they would know what to do with those.

Also, you need a temperature gradient in the cage, hotter at the top, and cooler at the bottom. The cham will move between the top and bottom to regulate its body temperature. These panels would create a pretty uniform temperature throughout the cage, so it would not be ideal.

 

[frikitiki]

The panel does provide a true temp gradient... these panels heat items of mass not air temp. The closer to the panel the faster it will absorb the heat. Seems more realistic and the uv bulb would provide the light the closer they get to the light top are of cage the warmer they get. Keep in mind the panel does not have to cover the entire to of cage coupled with a thermostat. Seems to work well with many other arboreal snakes, lizards, amphibeans, and birds.

 

[Barb]

Many of us tortoise people use them. I wouldn't think it would be good for a Cham. Other types of lizards, like a Uro, it would probably be very useful.

 

[Carlton]

The panel does provide a true temp gradient... these panels heat items of mass not air temp. The closer to the panel the faster it will absorb the heat. Seems more realistic and the uv bulb would provide the light the closer they get to the light top are of cage the warmer they get. Keep in mind the panel does not have to cover the entire to of cage coupled with a thermostat. Seems to work well with many other arboreal snakes, lizards, amphibeans, and birds.

Again, as long as you have a bright light source that comes on with the panel during the day it could work. I use a small radiant panel on my bird aviary but haven't used them for chams. I thought heat panels are most efficient when they are on 24/7...and a cham will need a cooling down and a 10 degree temp drop at night along with complete darkness. I'm not sure the type of heat intensity the panel creates would be as suited for a relatively low body temp (can't recall the term I want here...chams have a lower minimal body temp than warm climate or desert herps that absorb heat from the ground as well as sun), small mass animal like a cham, but I really don't know. My understanding of a cham's daily routine includes a morning basking session then retreat into relative shade of foliage for hunting, drinking and border patrol, and one or two shorter basking sessions if the ambient temp drops. A lot of the heat panel's energy might not be used very efficiently. That being said if you have a panel available and can monitor your cham's temp accurately no reason not to set one up and try it. You'd have to monitor the cage humidity carefully though. If everything in the cage is absorbing heat the surfaces are going to dry out faster including the drinking surfaces.

 

[frikitiki]

I would be running a proportional thermostat along with the panel and it would be on a timer and off at night. My room is set up with seperate heat an cooling. My room will drop to about to 71-72 right now with outside night temps in low 30s. Humidity should not be a problem.... got to love that MistKing system along with a good drainage system!!! Temp wize and humidity is very close and comperable with my GTPs.