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.

How to fit a heat mat in a vivarium.

The main problem being that they only produce a gentle warmth. Most invertebrate keepers and even many snake owners use low wattage heat mats to warm their vivariums. 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. Ever wondered how to install a heat mat if you use a vivarium.

You can use rubber pads which some heat mats come with. Well in this video i go through each step on how to do just that. 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. Heat mats must be controlled by a thermostat.

On the outside then the wood insulates the mat and slows the heat getting into the vivarium where it is needed. The heat mat is either mounted on the side of the tank or on the bottom. Check your heat mat mains cable and plug for damage before use. Ensure that the mat is positioned so that it will create a thermal gradient.

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. 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. The heat mat should be placed in the hot zone of the vivarium. The exo terra heat mat is a terrarium substrate heater that simulates these surfaces heated by the sun.

It specifically says that the heat mat should be left uncovered. Helpful if you own reptiles. The vivarium should have two heat sources.