Heating pad in LW Terrarium

combo_breaker · #1 02-28-2010, 02:59 PM

I have been growing a small benji ficus, and a small vine of creeping fig in a 12x12x12 exo-terra cage for a few months now, everything has flourished faster then I expected, so now that the environment is quite dense I am going to order my male Lygodactylus williamsi (later female also) but I wanted to up the humidity for a while, at least till I get my humidifier machine. Sooo I just placed a (i think) 6x3 (maybe 6x4) zoo med heat pad underneath a tank, as I read that it can up the humidity in a tropical terra quite well, water collects quite a lot where the pebbles are (layers go, 1 inch pebble, screen, 2 inch soil base) so I figured with the the water up against that heat, it would evaporate quickly (which is good since i have had problems with plants rotting) and in the mean time create some nice humid climate in there...am I correct? One more thing also, the young ficus clipping (doing well) I didn't notice till I place the cage back that I placed the heat pad kind of under it, I think a little more then a corner of the heat pad is under the ficus, I was wonder if I should be worried if the ficus roots will get burned? or dried out, I water quite a lot, and now I have the heat pad, I am going to more often...should I be worried? Thanks.

p.s. can anyone recommend a 18" florescent bulb that will encourage pant growth, but also animal activity? concerned more of plant growth...thanks again.

WingedWolfPsion · #2 02-28-2010, 10:25 PM

Undertank heat pads need to be controlled with a thermostat or rheostat--simply adjust this to a temperature that won't kill your plant. Gentle warmth at the roots will help the plants grow.

combo_breaker · #3 03-01-2010, 03:57 AM

well, minutes after posting that, I checked the warmth of the heat pad, and it seems that I placed the very corner of the heat pad, which gets very slightly warm, but definitely isn't the hottest part, under the plant, so it does give a slight warmth. I did not know that it can help the plant grow. But does it raise humidity? I looked at the water that collects at the reserve at the bottom of the tank and its almost gone. It looks like humidity is collecting a bit, but I don't know if its like that with, or without the pad. Thanks.