The problem with heat mats.
How to fit a heat mat in a vivarium.
While these are a safe low cost and generally effective way of providing artificial heat they re not without their weaknesses.
A basking spot heat lamp that provides the vivarium s general heat along with the hot spot to bask in plus a low level heater to provide heat at the cool end or at night in places where the ambient temperature drops below 75 f 23 9 c.
Check your heat mat mains cable and plug for damage before use.
Ever wondered how to install a heat mat if you use a vivarium.
Exo terra s heat mats are an ideal 24 hour primary or secondary heat source for tropical or temperate reptile and amphibian species and essential as a nighttime heat source for many desert species.
You can use rubber pads which some heat mats come with.
Lots of people have mentioned putting a ceramic tile or vinyl flooring over the top of the mat not on this thread or covering with newspaper etc but this is contrary to the instructions that come with your heat mats.
The vivarium should have two heat sources.
The main problem being that they only produce a gentle warmth.
Heat mats are used to maintain a constant temperature throughout your vivarium.
Heat mats must be controlled by a thermostat.
Ensure that the mat is positioned so that it will create a thermal gradient.
The exo terra heat mat is a terrarium substrate heater that simulates these surfaces heated by the sun.
They re a good way to provide gentle warmth and they heat the floor of your vivarium much like the sun would heat the ground in your reptile s natural environment.
On the outside then the wood insulates the mat and slows the heat getting into the vivarium where it is needed.
The heat mat should be placed in the hot zone of the vivarium.
It should cover approximately 1 3 of the floor space and definitely no more than 1 2 as you must allow your pet to move to a cooler area if it is getting over heated.
Well in this video i go through each step on how to do just that.
Helpful if you own reptiles.