UTH splitting wood floor

[12many]

So, i use to have my leopard gecko on the floor and also have my dubia roach bin on the floor. I just noticed today that the wood seems to be splitting up from the heat. Is there away to not damage the floor caused by the heat? I sorta knew that it would happen and a way that i thought would prevent it was to stick sometng underneath the uth so its not directly on the floor. So what i did was i got a piece of plank and placed it on the floor. On top of the plank was a towel and then the UTH followed by a towel again and then the bin on top.

I thought that by doing this, it wouldn't damage the floor, but i was wrong. Is there a way to prevent this from happening? I was thinking putting something that is rubber since it's not a conductor. yea? I forgot what its called, but you place it under a hot pan to prevent the kitchen counter from being burnt/damaged.

Even though rubber is not a conductor, the constant exposure to heat (human heat pad) will melt it?

 

[sausage]

I'm not entirely sure. as far as I was aware your meant to have a small air gap between the base and floor for that exact reason.
my UTH is inside my tank with ceramic tiles onto so the geckos don't dig it up or get burnt and my tanks are raise 1cm off any surface to allow air flow so the glass doesn't crack.

 

[FBody355]

There is suppose to be a gap because of this. What the heater is doing is probably drying and warping the wood, and that's why it's splitting.

EDIT - Forgot to mention that if your UTH didn't come with those clear little rubber feet to elevate your tank, you can buy them in the hardware section of places likes WalMart where all of chair leg sliders and felt peices are.

 

[GeckoGathering]

Fireplace wood

So, i use to have my leopard gecko on the floor and also have my dubia roach bin on the floor. I just noticed today that the wood seems to be splitting up from the heat. Is there away to not damage the floor caused by the heat? I sorta knew that it would happen and a way that i thought would prevent it was to stick sometng underneath the uth so its not directly on the floor. So what i did was i got a piece of plank and placed it on the floor. On top of the plank was a towel and then the UTH followed by a towel again and then the bin on top.

I thought that by doing this, it wouldn't damage the floor, but i was wrong. Is there a way to prevent this from happening? I was thinking putting something that is rubber since it's not a conductor. yea? I forgot what its called, but you place it under a hot pan to prevent the kitchen counter from being burnt/damaged.

Even though rubber is not a conductor, the constant exposure to heat (human heat pad) will melt it?

Well here is my roach colony from the floor up, as such....
18 gal tub sets on the floor.
Extra tub lid upside down next on tub.
Heating pad on that upside down lid.
18 gal sterilite roach colony tub on the heating pad,
I also have a UTH on one tub side.
No problems, works great. [since 9-8-10]
If your gecko is in a glass bottom aquarium....a air space is needed
between the tank bottom and what it sits on.
May break the glass bottom without it.
Assume it may go the other way and dry out the floor
or a stand without a air space.
take care. hj
​