How to heat crickets safely?

[LittleMerlin]

Hey everyone,

I am trying to start a cricket colony. I have about a little over 500 adults in a 18 gallon plastic tub. I know there are many people who breed/keep reptiles in plastic tubs with heating pads. How do you do that without the fear of it melting through the plastic and catching fire? Right now I am using an external heater set a couple feet away from the 18 gallon and the 10 gallon aquarium (for the pinhead crickets). My dad helped me make a mesh screen and I had a bulb that I used in an old lamp that I didn't use for the lizards anymore, and it started making a burn through the mesh. It didn't burn completely through thank goodness, but I no longer use it. Any suggestions?

 

[ianedward1]

You buy a thermometer to hook to the heat pad though if a heat pad is getting hot enough to melt the plastic then it is probably malfunctioning anyways http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTP...d_bxgy_petsupplies_text_z/177-5259080-6487267

 

[LittleMerlin]

hmm I will try the old ten gallon pad to see if that will work. It never gave me any problems before.

 

[ianedward1]

I leave a CHE constantly running in my dubia bin with no problems. I cut a hole for the clamp to hold the CHE inside about an inch away from the top and have not seen any warping or anything. The tub stays over 90F with the fixture itself running over 150F.

 

[LittleMerlin]

I know it sounds stupid but it's been a long bad day, what is a CHE again?

 

[ianedward1]

Ceramic Heat Emitter lol

 

[Mungi's Buddha]

I use the exact same thermostats that ianedward1 gave you the link to on both our roach and cricket colony bins. I also use them with the CHEs that we have on some of our enclosures, Mungi's enclosure for one They work like a charm and are actually very accurate plus the digital display is easy to read at a glance.

On the roach and cricket bins I use a standard household heating pad set on Med setting and the bins are raised one brick high off the shelf that they are on. The pad lays on the self under the bins. When you look for a heating pad you have to get one that does not have an automatic shut off. I get mine from CVS Pharmacy locally and they run about 16 bucks.

Once you have everything set up its just a matter of turning the heating pad on and setting your desired temp on the thermostat. Depending on your particular set up you may have to raise or lower your bin to get your temp right.

Anytime you are dealing with supplemental heating devices like pads, mats,CHEs,etc I would highly recommend them be used with a thermostat as a safety precaution and to ensure that you have control over the heat. They will also save you money by only turning the unit on when necessary and for only enuf time needed to bring the temperature up to where you want it.

Enjoy!

 

[Augie]

I leave a CHE constantly running in my dubia bin with no problems. I cut a hole for the clamp to hold the CHE inside about an inch away from the top and have not seen any warping or anything. The tub stays over 90F with the fixture itself running over 150F.

Can you post a pic? I'm interested in seeing what that looks like!

 

[ianedward1]

Just a hole in the top with a clamp lamp and a carefully place screw to make sure to push the fixture about an inch down from the box top

 

[Augie]

I'm constantly amazed at the ingenuity of forum members. I may give that a shot when I have time to play with a project like that!