I've used the regular heat rocks when my gliders were younger. I have 16 and not one has ever burned themselves or chewed on cords. They aren't rodents. I took cut up T-shirts and pieces of fleece and made a pile for them to climb into -- no towel type material. They're smart enough to get closer to the rock if they want more heat -- or higher in the pile if they need less. I've never seen the battery operated heat rocks. I did have one heat rock that got pretty hot -- but the suggies would sleep just under the top piece of fleece. I thought that was unusual, so I felt the rock -- and replaced it. They didn't get burned -- but stayed warm. After that, I let the rocks heat, and checked them, before putting the suggies in the cage. I also have the ceramic bulbs that I can focus on their sleep pouches. But, I use the open wire recepticle that clamps onto the cage because the solid metal ones make the cage wire too hot for the suggies to walk on. I use those more now that they're all adults. You can also check out
www.glideroom.com and ask Serena to make some double thick sleep pouches. She does a great job and is very reasonable. If you sew, that's even better. They may still need extra heat, depending on how cool your house is. I've heard a lot of people use the space heaters for one particular room with their suggies, and keep the rest of the house at a temperature they like. It's a great idea. My friend is a breeder and, in his 12 years of experience, has only heard of 2 gliders ever chewing the cords on heat rocks and none that have gotten burned on them. Good luck with whatever method you choose.