Zilla UTH's...you make me very angry.

[katie_]

I have several of these, and they arent working for me at all.
I bought the appropriate size matt for a 10 gallon, and I use reptile carpet (they warn against using any sort of paper as bedding).
The temps barely reach 80 under the warm hide. I keep my house at 70.

How do people who use tile keep the warm side in the high 80's and low 90's with these UTH's?

I'm currently using bulbs to raise the temp, but I hate using these. I have a horrible cat who has knocked one over and caused a small fire...so I'd rather use the pads.

 

[OnlineGeckos]

I use the zoo med brand, zilla's have had very bad reviews all around.

Also slate/ceramic tiles conduct heat very well, it has never been an issue for me. You also can use paper towels as substrate, many people use it while using an under tank heating pad.

Also just to make sure, you are testing the floor temperature right? Not the air temperature? The floor temperature is what's more important. You want the hot spot on the floor to be 90-95 degrees for them. You don't really want the ambient temperature to be 90-95, that'd make their living environment pretty unbearable.

 

[katie_]

I use the zoo med brand, zilla's have had very bad reviews all around.

Also slate/ceramic tiles conduct heat very well, it has never been an issue for me. You also can use paper towels as substrate, many people use it while using an under tank heating pad.

Also just to make sure, you are testing the floor temperature right? Not the air temperature? The floor temperature is what's more important. You want the hot spot on the floor to be 90-95 degrees for them. You don't really want the ambient temperature to be 90-95, that'd make their living environment pretty unbearable.

Ive taped the sensor to the carpet under the hide.

 

[PhoenixCoconut]

Ya I have had one of these and they don't work very well they are around 80-85 degrees and zoo med is like 90-100 so you need something to make it not to hot. Its annoying!

 

[katie_]

Ya I have had one of these and they don't work very well they are around 80-85 degrees and zoo med is like 90-100 so you need something to make it not to hot. Its annoying!

So what do you do with it? The zilla.

 

[PhoenixCoconut]

I use it.............um..............somtimes I use for my geckos when I need a heat pad(Of course I'm going to get a new one) and when I take them places(which is rare) I use it. But I wish I would have bought a good one........Its kind of just laying around.

 

[tiedxupxinxknots]

I'd really recommend a ultra-therm from the bean farm.

 

[brillobee]

I use zoo meds. I need to use a dimmer with them, otherwise they get to hot.

 

[Dimidiata]

i use both, i got lucky with the zilla(i get lucky with heaters of any kind) and i use a zoomed on my bigger tanks, i like zoomed much better.

 

[katie_]

I find that I have to use a secondary heat source, but they REALLY stress me out. I'm paranoid theres going to be a fire.

 

[Coby78]

I've had both, I used to get about 85 on the zilla but I wasn't using it for my gecko so it wasn't such a big deal. I got zoomed for my gecko, and it maxed out at 106 so I had to buy a rheostat But my gecko likes it hot so the zilla wouldn't have worked.

 

[RampantReptiles]

Couldnt you attach the heat lamp to something. Im assuming you have clamp lamps so could put 1-2 screw/nail in the wall and attach to that.

Or you could return all the heat pads and say they are defective. If they are supposed to heat a terrarium for a desert species, they would need to get hotter than 80... thats just common sense. Since the heat pad is not getting that hot, it is no good.
Says right on the description: "Ideal heat source for desert and tropical species of reptiles, amphibians and arachnids" http://www.zilla-rules.com/products/heat-mat.htm

I also have always used zoo med.

 

[JdiLb]

I bought another zilla the other day. Temperature wise I'm not dissapointed - but the damn thing wouldn't stick to my tank! Luckily I got it for free, the woman didn't see it in the tank I bought so I got lucky

 

[katie_]

Couldnt you attach the heat lamp to something. Im assuming you have clamp lamps so could put 1-2 screw/nail in the wall and attach to that.

Theyre clamped to the rack, but I had a fire with a clamp lamp before. The ones I use have a "fense" around the bulb. I'm still paranoid, the fire was a big deal. I almost got rid of all my reptiles...so I'd rather not use them.

 

[biggoofybastard]

exoterra have worked great for us, zoomed not so much, and haven't tried zilla.

If you are that worried about another fire is there anyway you can put them in a separate room with the door closed that you cat cant get at. you could also use garbage or zip ties to attach your light to the screen top. I personally prefer the lamps with the solid "domes" less wasted energy because it focuses to heat downward.

 

[JeepFreak81]

I will also vouch for the exo terra. Have mine on a lamp dimmer and it works great.

Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk

 

[katie_]

exoterra have worked great for us, zoomed not so much, and haven't tried zilla.

If you are that worried about another fire is there anyway you can put them in a separate room with the door closed that you cat cant get at. you could also use garbage or zip ties to attach your light to the screen top. I personally prefer the lamps with the solid "domes" less wasted energy because it focuses to heat downward.

They are in a room where the cats get in. The problem I have is with other people who live here who are stupid and forget to shut the door.
The fire started when we were on vacation and my father and my brother came over once a day to check on everyone - forgetting the shut the door.
Also, my boyfriend can be stupid too.

 

[abrahamavelar]

i like zoo med but in my opinion they either get to 90 or they get too hot, u could all ways use some tin foil and tape it to the bottom of tour tank so the heat reflecks straight to the tank