HCA: Hermit Crab Association

Hi everyone, I have a quick question on keeping my crabitat warm. I have a UTH on the back of the tank that is kept on at all times and a blanket over the lid of the crabitat. However the temperature is only about 73 degrees. What can I do to get this number up? I don't think the brand of UTH I have can be insulated.

How large is your tank and how large is the UTH? Ideally your tank should be at least 80°F.
You will either need to get a larger UTH, Ultratherms are really good, or try to insulate this one with aluminum foil and cardboard or foam board. You can use packing tape to tape the layers down.

Make sure the UTH you are using can be insulated without being a fire hazard. Some brands cannot be.

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What brand is your UTH? Definitely make sure it can be safely insulated before doing so. A lot of the pet store ones just can't keep up with heating a crab tank.

Ultratherms are great and safe to insulate, or you can always supplement with a heat bulb - just keep in mind that can kill your humidity.

soilentgringa wrote:How large is your tank and how large is the UTH? Ideally your tank should be at least 80°F.
You will either need to get a larger UTH, Ultratherms are really good, or try to insulate this one with aluminum foil and cardboard or foam board. You can use packing tape to tape the layers down.

Make sure the UTH you are using can be insulated without being a fire hazard. Some brands cannot be.

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My tank is 20g and I am using a Zoo Med heater. From what I've heard I don't think they can be insulated but if there is any way to I would be glad to take suggestions.

megmaholm wrote:What brand is your UTH? Definitely make sure it can be safely insulated before doing so. A lot of the pet store ones just can't keep up with heating a crab tank.

Ultratherms are great and safe to insulate, or you can always supplement with a heat bulb - just keep in mind that can kill your humidity.

It is a Zoo Med heater. Are there any brands of heat bulbs you recommend?

bellag33 wrote: It is a Zoo Med heater. Are there any brands of heat bulbs you recommend?

No specific brand of heat bulb works better for me than others, really. I think right now I'm using Exo Terra moonglow bulbs but I've used the Petsmart brand in the past. I've had good luck with the Exo Terra. During the daytime I actually use a halogen lightbulb from Lowe's. I keep the house cold so that's why I use heat bulbs - my Ultratherms can't quite keep up.

I'm fairly certain the Zoo Med Repti-Therm heaters can be insulated. That's what I used before I got my Ultratherm. I taped a layer of aluminum foil over it, then a piece of Styrofoam. It certainly helped.

Is it one of those squishy black plasticy ones? Those should not be insulated as they will overheat and potentially melt. Usually the problem is just that they're undersized for trying to heat an entire tank. Ideally the pad is as big as the back of the tank, and then enough heat gets directed through to the inside to boost the temps. The two zoomed heaters I have get hot enough, but they are so physically small they only create hot spots. (Which is what they're supposed to be doing - a hot spot for a reptile to bask in with enough cool area for it to get away when it gets too warm. We use them off label by heating an entire tank.) The only pad I know of that is sold in stores and can be insulated is the Fluker's brand.