Ceramic Heat Emitter?

[pink-ster]

Ok I figured Id post a new thread here because I really really need an answer to this before I get my first hedgie. I have read every entry in the new hedgie owner part of this forum. I'm confused so much about heat..

We have our house at 72-73. I've read so much stuff that now im paranoid my hedgie will be too cold and try to hibernate. Space heaters not really an option. So what i've decided is I guess to get a ceramic heat emitter. I have a large rabbit cage for her, wire top with the weird coating stuff..and plastic bottom. Like your standard super pet rabbit cage.

Now a lot of ppl say to not have this heating the whole cage?? and only part? and some ppl say to use this AND a heat pad?? What I want to do, is just get this thing, set it at 75, put it in the center of the top of the cage so it heats the whole thing and leave it. Is that possible?

Now I have NOO idea what a ceramic heater is.. can anyone show me a link on petsmart.com as to what I need to buy? I've googled and researched for hours with nothing.

Some ppl say heat lamps are too hot..this will be fine right? Because I can set it to 75? Does anyone have any problems with these things breaking or having the thermometer malfunction? I'd die if I roasted my girl to death somehow.. =/

God I just am SO confused after reacting so much conflicting information
If someone would just send me a link of what to buy from petsmart and told me for sure that it works for their hedgies i'd be so grateful..

please?

Thanks.

 

[smhufflepuff]

Good call on needing supplemental heating for your hedgie. 72-73 is likely too chilly for a hedgie. Add to that the temperature usually drops at night and hedgie would definitely become too cold.

If you have a wire-top cage, yes, you can put the ceramic heat emitter assembly on top and it should heat the whole cage (of course, if you have a long cage, you may need two to ensure the heat is evenly distributed).

A ceramic heat emitter is a bulb... like a big, heavy, flat (instead of rounded) light bulb that doesn't emit light. Here's a link. You'll want maybe 100 or 150w.

It gets screwed into a special "lamp" that can handle the wattage and reflect the heat down into the cage. Like this 10" dome lamp.

And you'll want to plug that lamp into a thermostat. Note, NOT a rheostat. The thermostat will have a probe that goes into the cage and measures how warm it is. Too warm, it'll turn off and let the cage cool back down; too cold and it'll turn the bulb on (or keep it on if it's already on). Without a thermostat, you can't control the temp very well and hedgie could end up too hot or cold. Make sure the thermostat will handle the wattage of the bulb you get.

Yes, I've had bulbs die, I've had lamps die, and thermostats die. When any one of those have happened, the system just shut down - no heat to hedgie. So you'll want to check in a couple times a day and have some back-ups. You can usually run out to PetCo-type places and get a bulb and lamp easily enough. But the thermostats are hard (impossible) to find unless you're looking on line. Air-activated hand warmers, heating pads, and space heaters have proved helpful in the short term when parts of my CHE systems have died in the past. Now, I have extra every things... it's not like they go bad sitting in your closet.

ETA: parts of the system dying do not happen frequently... I don't mean to alarm... Just to say that over the course of several years, I've had each happen.

 

[pink-ster]

thank you for replying! Your info was helpful. I did manage to find a 150 watt exo-terra black ceramic bulb today on sale at petsmart (im in canada). I ended up getting two in case one blows. Really hoping not..because man they are expensive. Couldnt find a 10' dome light..found 8.5' but want the 10'. The thermometer..nada. Couldnt find one anywhere. I dont want the repti-500 one because it doesnt have the actual degrees on it.. have to keep trying to find the zilla one. I have about 2 weeks before I get my girlie.

Really sucks to have to buy two clamp lamps and two thermometers...but you're right.. better safe than sorry.

I've never had a hedgie and the amount i'm spending.. I really really hope I enjoy hedgehog ownership.. =/ shes a cutie though.

 

[smhufflepuff]

The thermostat is sooo hard to find in a brick & mortar store. I've had to go online for my last few. The first ones I bought at a regular store like PetSmart and was shocked that I couldn't find any just a few years later... not a single one... drove and called all over town - nothing. They're all on-line now. But you can also print out what you want and bring it to a pet store and they'll order it for you if you don't care much for on-line shopping.

Good call on picking up two bulbs while you were there. Nice that there was a sale

Yeah, the upfront costs of making sure your hedgie's home is just right can be a bit steep, but when you consider hedgie is making use of them every day, it's not so bad... probably turns into pennies a day over the course of time.

 

[Kalandra]

Now... aren't there some thermostats that will control 2 bulbs at once? I thought someone mentioned to me once that there was. It may be something to look into.

Another way of thinking about the costs....The cost of a proper heating setup is far cheaper than the cost of a veterinary visit because your hedgehog has gotten cold, attempted hibernation, and gotten sick (requiring meds, etc) because of the weakened immune system. Add in the worry that you will go through, and the fact that your sweet darling is ill... its not that expensive.

 

[Kalandra]

Found it: http://www.amazon.com/Zoo-Med-ReptiTemp-Remote-Thermostat/dp/B0002AQD9A

"Features include a 6 foot remote sensor probe, a dual port plug receptacle to control multiple heating devices"

 

[smhufflepuff]

Now... aren't there some thermostats that will control 2 bulbs at once? I thought someone mentioned to me once that there was. It may be something to look into.

Yeah; I have one that accommodates one lamp, one that accommodates two lamps, and one that accommodates three. Never had had reason to plug three into one controller though.

 

[susiandfilbert]

I had a question here, the clamp lamps, so they sit directly on top of the wire rabit cage? Doesnt that melt/burn/damage the plastic covered wire¿

 

[pink-ster]

from what i've been told, it wont melt or damage anything.

 

[smhufflepuff]

In mine, the CHE does not stick past the edge of the dome. So when I set the dome directly on the wire top, the bulb doesn't touch the cage itself. It's probably about 1cm away from touching the top of the cage. Over the past several years, I haven't seen any cracking, melting, burning, warping, etc... of the plastic coating on the wires nor the wires themselves.

My friend once set one on her carpet that way... the fibers touched the bulb and melted/scorched. Kid set it on some fleece... scorched that too. But the plastic-coated wire-top cage bars seem fine as long as they're not in direct contact with the bulb itself.

 

[susiandfilbert]

Thank you so much for your responses!