{"product_id":"zoo-med-hot-rock-heater","title":"Zoo Med Hot Rock Heater","description":"\u003cp\u003eA heated artificial rock with the element encapsulated inside a hydrated-rock body, sold as a supplementary belly-heat source for small reptiles. Before you buy it, read the next section — Zoo Med's own instructions place real limits on how this product should be used, and hot rocks in general have a documented burn history that we would rather you knew about than found out about.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHow it must be used\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNever as the sole heat source.\u003c\/strong\u003e This is Zoo Med's own instruction. If your animal sits on it constantly, the enclosure is too cold and needs an overhead heat source as well.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNever cover or bury it\u003c\/strong\u003e under substrate, moss or anything else.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDo not put a basking lamp directly above it\u003c\/strong\u003e — the two heat sources compound.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRun it through a thermostat or dimmer.\u003c\/strong\u003e There is no internal temperature control.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhy the caution\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eContact heat sources warm only the skin they touch, and a reptile's circulation cannot carry that heat away from the belly fast enough. Reptiles also detect sudden temperature change far better than a surface warming slowly, so an animal can stay put past the point where damage begins — particularly a cold animal, whose circulation is already slow. That is the mechanism behind the burns hot rocks are known for, and it is why the safe configuration is always supplementary heat under thermostat control, with a proper overhead basking source doing the real work.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf you are setting up from scratch, a thermostatted \u003ca href=\"\/products\/zoo-med-repti-therm-under-tank-heater\"\u003eunder-tank heater\u003c\/a\u003e beneath a warm hide, or a basking lamp over a flat stone, gives the same belly warmth with less risk.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFeatures\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eEncapsulated element\u003c\/strong\u003e — Zoo Med's design intent is even warmth without hot spots.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eThree sizes\u003c\/strong\u003e — Mini, Medium and Giant.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWashable hydrated-rock surface.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eMore in \u003ca href=\"\/collections\/reptile-heating-lighting\"\u003eReptile Heating \u0026amp; Lighting\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/zoomed.com\/repticare-rock-heater\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\"\u003eZoo Med product page\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Zoo Med","offers":[{"title":"Mini","offer_id":56006205210946,"sku":"ZOOMED091","price":55.89,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Medium","offer_id":56006205243714,"sku":"ZOOMED092","price":74.84,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Giant","offer_id":56006205276482,"sku":"ZOOMED093","price":99.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0563\/6676\/0120\/files\/zm01_png.jpg?v=1787819526","url":"https:\/\/www.peekapaw.com.au\/products\/zoo-med-hot-rock-heater","provider":"PeekAPaw Pet Supplies","version":"1.0","type":"link"}