Im interested in other peoples experiences with this..
Im not interested in people who just regurgitate what they have read etc..
I'm after people with broad minds and what they think of the following-
I've kept big reptiles for a number of years on and off and have always used flood lights to provide the required basking temperatures.
Floodlights have always bothered me though- fire hazards due to high temps in the holders, bulbs blowing, potential burns etc so I'm wondering if the following may work instead for big lizards- for example I will describe what I would like to do.... My rhino ig is in a 12 foot long cage. I would like to provide an ahs heater to provide an air temp gradient of 90F- high 70F. On the hot end I would like to place a Kane pig heating blanket ( these are rigid fibre glass heat pads so withstand claws,water splashes etc) I would stat this to provide a surface temp of 140F. Above this would be 2x Arcadia t5 tubes. This area would provide the lizards basking spot.
Now are there any reasons why this shouldnt work? We always state basking spots are surface temps,so this is covered,the gradient is covered,and he will have t5 tubes above the heat pad.

Any comments? Ideas?
Many thanks
Dan

Provided the iggy can't cover the whole mat with his body and risk burns from trapped heat, i don't see a problem (apologies if thats a daft comment, i've no idea how big a pig blanket is!!) I've often used heat mats, in conjunction with carefully place UV tubes to encourage basking behaviour, as a main source of heat and have had no problems.

Dave

Thanks for that ,the pads come in a variety of sizes from 18x18 inch up to some huge sizes. I'd be looking at a 3-4ft long one by 13-18 inch wide

Ah, then no problems on that then, it'd be a bloody big iggy to cover the entire mat!!!

very much so!! they are used in the states alot for big snakes, big monitors, giant tortoises etc so are really tuff. heres a link to them in the uk- Kane are world leading producers of Heat Mats - manufactured in the US primarily for use in pig production.

I know you asked for personal experience with these blankets but all I have to offer on this subject is that I used to know a guy who kept African Spurred Tortoises outside year round up here in Scotland, they had 24 hour access to a greenhouse and a shed which was heated from below using these pig blankets - he done pretty well with his tortoises, even managing to breed them using this configuration.

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wow, they must be pretty good then! appreciate your input
i have a sulcata too so if it doesnt work out with the rhino ig he can always use it!!