your heating?your thermostats?

[hydro noun15]

hi all
i was wandering what kind of heat mat,heat cord do you use and what temp.
also what thermostat do you use and pro's and con's!!!!
would a normal thermometer be alright ??

thanx
jason

 

[dazza74]

i use ceramic heat emitters and party globes and they are run by a imit ta3 thermostat and do not have any problems heating a 6 ft x 4 ft x 2 ft H x W x D for my diamond

 

[Sidonia]

I use URS 25 Watt Heat Cord in conjunction with a THAT 040 thermostat and I keep it around 28-30C
And I just use a dual probe thermometer (Only about $25)

 

[herptrader]

Perhaps you could provide a tad more information about the enclosure... like...

What species is to live in it and how many?

How big is it?

What is it made of?

 

[hydro noun15]

thanx for replies everyone!!
herptrader: i have a 5 month old coastal in a click clack atm(36x25x18) i do have a small exo terra 4''x5''inches...
it is 4 watts and i dont have a thermostat as yet but was also wandering if i could use a thermometer for the moment? i dont think enough heat is in the click clack because it isnt that warm.but its hard to know with out a thermostat!!! i think im going to buy a heat cord they sound alot better than a heat mat.

thanx in advance
jason

 

[hydro noun15]

bump

 

[herptrader]

Thermostats and thermometers are very different and in my opinion you need both.

The problem with a heat mat not on a thermostat is that even a low powered one can overheat and cause tragedy if not suitably set up. When I was at the VHS Reptile Expo a visitor asked me if it was normal for heat mats to discolor where they were under the container. From the description it seems that hers was not far from starting a fire.

The issue for her we think was that the container trapped an insulating pocket of air sufficient to allow the heat to build up to the point where the plastic coating on the heat mat had started to deteriorate.

If I was in your position would buy something like:

​

Name Mat Thermostat Rating 100 watts Type Switching Price $70.00 Instructions

• Economic probe thermostat that switches on and off at the desired temperature.
• Similar to the Temperature Thermostat but designed for smaller heat sources up to 100 watts.
• Ideal for controlling the temperature in most smaller enclosures
• NOT Suitable for use with light bulbs

Although some heat mats can be used without thermostats, the cage temperature can fluctuate with the ambient temperature. Too hot outside and there is the likelihood of the enclosure overheating. With minimal additional cost it can be assured that overheating will not occur in hot weather.

Initially it is probably overkill but this would still do the job when your animal needs a bigger enclosure. (You are unlikely to ever need to put more than a 100 watts on the thermostat remembering that lights also contribute heat to the enclosure.)

 

[sweetangel]

i have a 3month old diamond python
i use a 60 x 30cm vivarium
i have a 25 watt URS heat mat
and a B1 microclimate dimming thermostat.

temp is about 28 -30 at hot end.

dimming is not really that useful now but for using globes it is a must as it will just dim them not turn on and off, therefore less money spent on lights