Heating Options

[Falcon]

Greetings all.

As the colder weather is fast approaching, I've been reading many posts about heating and am now considering heating options for my little hedgie, Guinness.

Here is my situation. I live in a two bedroom apartment and Guinness is in the second bedroom. I keep the thermostat as high as it will go, but that's generally around 68-72 degrees. I know that heating the entire area (like using a space heater) is preferred to just heating a small spot (like using a snugglesafe or heating pad).

I spend 8-10 hours at work every day. I need a heating option that is as safe as possible. Call me paranoid, but I'm just not comfortable leaving heating elements on while I'm not home...especially when many products have specific warnings about not leaving them unattended. So, I'm wondering what most people consider to be the SAFEST option. Currently, while I'm not home I use a snugglesafe disk under his sleeping area. While I'm home, there is a heating pad on under the same spot and I run a small, forced-air ceramic space heater to warm the room.

Based on reading other posts and other online research, here are the options I'm leaning toward:

1) I've heard that electric radiator style heaters are the safest room heaters due to the fact that they heat via convection and operate at lower temperatures. For example, something like this:

Radiator Space Heater (http://www.amazon.com/Delonghi-TRD0715T-Safe-Oil-Filled-Radiator/dp/B000A33B1C/sr=8-1/qid=1158987933/ref=sr_1_1/104-1602944-5691951?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen)

2) Light bulb style ceramic heating elements (like those used for reptile cages) are meant to be run 24/7 and operate at lower wattage. I'm assuming these are a safer heating option. However, these would just heat an area of the cage and not the whole thing. His cage is pretty big (it's a 28 inch x 56 inch C&C cage with a smaller second level...yes, he has plenty of room)

Well, now that you've all patiently read my lengthy ramble. Any thoughts?

[paris26]

Invest in a digital thermometer so you can see what the temperature actually is.
I use ceramic space heaters that are kept on timers but they do run while I'm not home. I've never had a problem and I replace the heaters every couple of months. My room is kept between 78-80 F because I have hedgehogs that will hibernate

Every hedgehog is going to be different. Maybe Guiness is one that will do great at 72 F. I always try to keep the room at a specific temp as opposed to just the cage area.

[Nancy]

Hmmm, I missed this somehow.

I use the radiator style heater in my hedgie room and am quite pleased with it. It is quite and keeps the room at a fairly consistant temperature with no cold spots. It also doesn't seem to use too much electricity. They only thing I have against it is that if there is a sudden drop in the temperature and it is windy, the heater takes a while to catch up. That is when I use a digital ceramic heater as it will heat the room in minutes.

Before using a space heater I phoned our fire department and this is what they told me.
- buy a good quality name brand heater and replace it every couple of years if it is being used consistently.
- as the heater is used, the wireing also gets hot and with time becomes brittle and deteriorates which is what can cause a problem. Replacing the heater often avoids that problem.
- Getting a new heater every year or two ensure that the heater has the best and newest safety features and that they are still in operating condition.
- Make sure the heater is placed in an area that nothing can fall against it or other pets or kids can't knock it over or knock something into it.

As for a heating pad. Replace it often as well and get a brand new one, lay it out flat and don't flex it. It is flexing that causes the problems in heating pads as the wires can get broken.

I have recently tried the ceramic heat emitters and found they work great. I tried it in my living room with a wire cage 42" x 20" x 22" high. I set the emitter on one side of the cage. The room temperature was 69F and the area under the emitter was almost 78 The other side of the cage was at 75 almost 76. This was with a 150watt emitter. You do need to use the thermostat that regulates the emitter or else it would get too hot. There are two types of controllers. One is the rheostat and it will turn the emitter up and down but never shuts it right off. You would have to fiddle with the temperature often to ensure it is stays at a good temperature as room temperatures fluctuate. The other type is called a ReptiTemp 500R and it has a probe that you but down in the cage, set the temperature you want, say 75F, and it will turn the emitter off and on to keep the temperature at 75F.

I think this is an ideal solution for someone who only has 1 or 2 hedgehogs and doesn't want to use a space heater. The heat emitter is also less expensive to operate as it will use no more electricity than a similiar wattage of light bulb. Also the emitter is a safer alternative as there is no more risk than using a lightbulb provided the appropriate fixture is used and thermostat is used. The emitter provides heat with no light so is ideal for hedgehogs.

Now that was a book. :laugh:

[Breigh]

One question I have about these heat emitter bulb thingiemebobs... don't they make the wires on the cage really hot, or am I missing something?

[Nancy]

No, they didn't which really surprised me as I figured it would. :dunno:

[freznow]

I don't know how much I'll help, but I have this one: http://www.amazon.com/Lasko-Ceramic-Electronic-Control-5345/dp/B000BNPWJU/sr=8-13/qid=1159113057/ref=sr_1_13/002-9782827-1005646?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen
I just set it to 70/high or 75/low and it keeps it around 76. If I put it on 75 high it can sometimes get to 82. I don't know where we got it or for how much (I'm guessing about 50 bucks...) cuz we just had it from last winter. It turns itself off when it gets above the desired temperature. Well, good luck with whatever you choose!

[Vincent]

I have a radiator very much like the one you mentioned. :) It's almost new, in fact. It would work well in an enclosed area, but the bigger the room, the longer it'll take to heat up. Ceramic heaters can (generally) heat the room faster and change the temperature easier. I keep one of both running. Lol!

[Falcon]

Wow. Thanks for all the great advice folks. I'll probably go with the ceramic bulb type heat emitter. Sounds like it should be safe enough to operate while I'm out and be the cheapest to operate.

I have a digital thermometer in the room next to the cage. Last winter, I recall the temp hanging around the 68-72 range depending on the temp outside. Currently, the temp is ranging from 70-75. I'm just trying to get prepared for the cold winter months before they actually get here.

Thanks again!

[paris26]

You asked a great question that I'm sure a lot of people struggle with every year at this time. I know I did when I brought home my first hedgie.