Heat mats -yes or no??

[apalme08]

what is the general consensus out there on heat mats for pythons?? the guidebooks suggest them as a great thing yet some reptilekeepers i know have told me to avoid them as they can misfunction and injure / burn the snake.
i am about to move to a cold climate with my python....for her sake can anyone tell me which way to go on this one??
cheers
apalme08

 

[munkee]

I use low wattage matts bought from herp shop. I have had no problems with them. I think High wattage anything carrys a risk of burns.

 

[Pyror]

If you're worried about over heating your animal with a high wattage heat mat, use a decent probe thermostat to control the temps.

Personally i have never bothered with thermostats for heat mats, and i have used both high and low wattage versions without a problem.

 

[Guest]

Its also depnds on what size python you have, I have 2 coastal one is a hatchling the other is 5-6 feet so for the hatchling i use a heatmat and for the large one i use a heat globe.
If its a hatchling chances are you have it in a small platic container? If so i wouldn't imagine that it would harm your snake as the bases of most plastic tubs are either slightly raised or quite thick then you also have to remember you will have substrate even a few peices of newspaper would "cool" the part on the heatmat

HTH

 

[zulu]

re Heat

Beware if using the higher watt heat matts with a 0 to 40 thermostat,even if the metal probe is placed on the matt it will not read accurate and runs way too hot,the thermofilm thermostats read air accurate onley.Low wattage is the go or higher wattage controlled with a heatgun to read temperature and dimmer.When you just dim it creates a constant that can drop at night and season against the ambient temperatures of the air.

 

[Retic]

I have used low wattage heatmats with a decent thermostat for many many years with no problems.

 

[zulu]

re Heat

Even if you coud find a themostat that works properly with a heat matt why bother,cant see the logic,you just want a heat matt thats not too hot or cold,reptiles like some temp variation just not extreme.

 

[herptrader]

I have heat mats mounted under tiled floors in all my enclosures.

(eg: http://herptrader.com.au/TiledEnclosure)

I use the under floor heat mats to set the night time low and control the day time highs with basking lights.

 

[munkee]

I get my probe theremostat to work by placing the probe under the matt and sealing the majority of the matt onto to floor of the enclosure (gap put in to get the probe out if I want to move it). Having the probe under the heat matt allows the sensor to measure the temperture of the air pocket that is under the matt. That stops the matt from raging away in temperture in the enclosure. I could probably get away without the thermostat but as I have it I might as well use it eh.

To an extent if the enclosure is large enough the heat matt could sit at 45 degrees provided the animal can get away from it (meaning like 4 ft enclosures and larger for a 1 square foot mat)

Thats what I do anyhows.

 

[Hickson]

I have heat mats in most of my enclosures and never had a problem with them. If the overnight temp drops unexpectedly, the herps have somewhere warm to sit.



Hix