Hermit Crab Heating?

[Sevast0]

For those of you who have hermit crabs, how do you heat your tank? I'm going to be moving the hermit crabs from a room where they get enough heat from the room without a heater into a room where they will need a heater. I have been reading and reading and still just can't find the answer I need.

So I can use an UTH. From what I read on hermit crab sites and forums, these don't heat well, even if you put it on the side of the tank and not under it. This makes no sense to me because from my time on reptile forums these exact same heaters will heat the tank TOO much and need to be controlled with light dimmers and such. I also don't like the "permanent" idea of an UTH stuck on my tank (and even though its removable it can damage the heating pad if removed). Is there a way to have it attached and heating the tank without it being permanant?

The other way I found was to use a heat lamp. I could use a red or blue blub and have it run 24/7, or I can get a ceramic heat emitter and run that 24/7. Some people have said that these dry out the air in the hermit crab tank too much, but yet people still use them? And from the info I have found from the ceramic heat emitters, it's making me think that these are for very hot enclosures with little humidity. Is that true? Can I use this for my hermit crabs?

Sorry this is so long, I just need some solid answers on these things. 50% of what I read says one thing, and other 50% says the other. I also would go on these forums and post, but most I find are inactive and not up to date, or wont let me join (I think its a site bug or something). Thank you in advance!

 

[dundadundun]

heating... they're all options if you do them right.

if you use lights for heat i firmly believe it should be accompanied by a second (really primary) source of heat. this is good for several reasons. providing day and night shifts in light is good for every animal. cutting the heat totally off when the lights go out isn't desirable in many cases. it won't get too cold when your bulb fails and it will fail.

if you use a uth i still believe there should be secondary heat. the heat radiating from the bottom will not be providing the appropriate temp at the top without scorching precious burying area imo.

ceramic is good but bad. it is a radiant heat that's used at the top of the enclosure. it does not throw off light therefore it does not particularly heat a surface it's shining on like a light. the closer you get to the bulb the hotter it gets until it's too hot. being the heat can't be focused directionally it will tend to rise. the heat will be intense and the bulb and fixture will need a grate some distance from it to prevent cooked crabs. it will also probably have to be throttled back with a dimmer or controller.

flexwatt will provide uth heat without permanent adhesion. you have to attach it with foil tape so it can be removed. it should be cheaper, as reliable and reusable when compared to a uth.

with many reptiles very little to no substrate is commonly suggested. we're slowly getting out of that horrendous habit but still...

anyway hermit crabs need substrate to bury into for molting. this will absorb some of the heat from under the tank. this is some of the reason your getting conflicting ideas. also you have to keep an eye on what uth you're buying. they make them that don't heat much and they make them for desert species that get way warm even for the desert. then there's the inconsistency between 2 exact same panels... which sucks. also there's lots of people that just rub a uth on and think it's perfect. the corners peel up, get exposed to air and particulates and never reattach and they can't figure out why it's not so hot... the heat is escaping!

whether your heater will dry your tank too much really depends on your tank. i use cocofiber and coconut croutons (bed-a-beast but higher quality and a LOT less expensive) for mine. my substrate don't look like a sandy swamp no more and the humidity is finally acceptable. win - win. also my uth pads are under the water bowl which really helps.

no room in my house more than rarely exceeds 68*F. i heat my guys with a combo. i have 2 very small uth's under the water bowl (which has a few inches of substrate under it). i bought 2 because i couldn't find the right size in time. i also have a 40 watt bulb in a dome lamp over it for day temps and light. i find it works out perfect for the right day and night atmosphere.

so you have all the options listed. if you decide to use a ceramic make sure to regulate the temp and add a cfl or floro for daylight... unless they'll get pretty good indirect light from a window.

EDIT: also... uth's can be reused. peel them off slowly while they're still warm for best results. if you use the foil tape around the edges every time you apply one you'll be preserving more tacky area for future use. to get them tacky again they can be washed (the underside) with warm soapy water and dried with a shammy that's not shedding by lightly dabbing the few spots that wouldn't shake off. better yet is to use a blow dryer, air compressor or air dry them while you work on a tank. for preservation in storage i adhere each one to it's own piece of wax paper and foil tape the edges so it doesn't peel back over time.