Re: Hot rocks are great! Question...

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Posted by Morgan on May 11, 2000 at 14:38:54:

In Reply to: Hot rocks are great! Question... posted by Nobody on May 10, 2000 at 20:56:23:

Regardless of the fact that today's hot rocks are much more reliable than the hot rocks of yore, it is not a natural way for reptiles to get heat. They bask. I keep several species of desert lizards and I can tell you that they climb to the highest spot on the rock pile and *bask* beneath the lamp. They warmth of the rocks from the light dissipates very quickly, and they never get so hot they would cause an instant burn when touched.

Also - reptiles in general have very different pain receptors and perception than we do. That is why they will sit and basically cook themselves on hot rocks, or, after the first few nibbles, allow live prey to eat chunks of them (thinking of the boas' spine's I've seen).

So, again with my philosophy: if I've seen 3rd degree, fatal belly burns, I don't use the rocks. If I've heard of someone losing their entire collection from a hot rock fire, I don't use the rocks.

BTW - just because ZooMed has a drawing of an iguana happily sitting on a hot rock don't make it so!

: Hopefully that title got your attention! But here's a serious question: Why is it okay to bake a rock under a 150 watt light bulb all day and let your iguana bask on it but it's not ok to give them hot rocks? Please don't say they develop hot spots because I have never ever seen that happen, also I have seen more lizards burnt by lights than by heat rocks. Please don't think this was a spiteful post! I would just like to know the real reason it's not ok. Thanks alot for any replies

Little Lizard

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: Regardless of the fact that today's hot rocks are much more reliable than the hot rocks of yore, it is not a natural way for reptiles to get heat. They bask. I keep several species of desert lizards and I can tell you that they climb to the highest spot on the rock pile and *bask* beneath the lamp. They warmth of the rocks from the light dissipates very quickly, and they never get so hot they would cause an instant burn when touched. : Also - reptiles in general have very different pain receptors and perception than we do. That is why they will sit and basically cook themselves on hot rocks, or, after the first few nibbles, allow live prey to eat chunks of them (thinking of the boas' spine's I've seen). : So, again with my philosophy: if I've seen 3rd degree, fatal belly burns, I don't use the rocks. If I've heard of someone losing their entire collection from a hot rock fire, I don't use the rocks. : BTW - just because ZooMed has a drawing of an iguana happily sitting on a hot rock don't make it so! : : Hopefully that title got your attention! But here's a serious question: Why is it okay to bake a rock under a 150 watt light bulb all day and let your iguana bask on it but it's not ok to give them hot rocks? Please don't say they develop hot spots because I have never ever seen that happen, also I have seen more lizards burnt by lights than by heat rocks. Please don't think this was a spiteful post! I would just like to know the real reason it's not ok. Thanks alot for any replies

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