| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| pitcher |
Posted - 06/06/2010 : 17:20:39
i have just picked up a pair of corns which are a few years old and around 3' in length, they are currently in large rubs with heat mats and stats but im looking at getting some viv's 36"x18"x18" for them but i dont know whether to go for heat mats or ceramic bulbs for heating?? i've read arguments for both but i'd appreciate a few views for or against 1 or the other if you could please peeps.
thanks |
| 9 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Kellog |
Posted - 11/06/2010 : 01:56:46
I have used both bulb and heatmat and found that it was harder keeping the substrate temp correct with the bulb than it was with the the heatmat....although this was with a normal bulb and it was turned off over night so was far from ideal.
Once I changed over to the heatmat I havent had any issues with the temp of the substrate....it stays constantly around 28oC.
One question, obviously a bulb would also heat the ambient air as well as the substrate....so what do you do when the temps get as high as they did when the weather was so hot? I was struggling to keep the ambient temp below 26oC in the cool end without a bulb as a heat source so I dread to think what it would have been overall had I used a bulb instead of a heatmat. I would GUESS that because you have it statted and the probe is at substrate level that it would switch the bulb off for most of the time that the temp was so hot?
xxx
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| n/a |
Posted - 10/06/2010 : 20:04:35
Must admit i use a heat mat for my snake, i thought that was the best for them since they absorb all their heat from their belly.
Plus i have a ceramic bulb for my Beardy and the heat that can produce is emmense, and although it has wire mesh on the bottom to protect from touching the bulb, the ceramic fittings also get really hot, and if a snake was to wrap itself round it, it could do a lot of harm. |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 07/06/2010 : 21:53:46
quote:
Originally posted by pitcher
can i ask why you prefer heat mats sta~ple??
Well it's silly reason's really...I have to say though to start with opps my bad, I thought ceramic bulbs were those coloured bulbs not the lightless emitting ones. I have only used the red light bulbs although with my experiences with these bulbs, I still wouldn't like to use a ceramic bulb as I associated them to work all the same. I'm sure they don't but that's just my head.
Bulbs take up more room, although it sounds stupid I just don't like it, specially when I have a little climbing table for snakies and no matter how far away I put the table from the light, they can still climb on it and I don't like them doing that. My snakes also have a habit of climbing up on the bulb or bulb guard and pulling and somehow loosing the guard or somehow, climbing and pulling the cable for the bulbs. Sometimes they can also make a werid noise but maybe that's to do with my silly petshop not giving me the light wattage bulb's.
I also don't feel confident wiring a bulb heating so a heatmat is just easier for me, my petshop and dad had to wire the bulbs up for my other vivs. So for peple don;t so great at DIY mats are a better option. I still have a viv on a bulb but that should change soon hopefully. I do get worried about them on heatmats though and the idea that they can get under the mat but as long as the stat probe is fixed onto the mat, it shouldn't hurt the snake even if it did get under the mat. Another reason which might see stupid but putting my hand in to a viv/RU heated by a heatmat feels so much nicer that one with a bulb. I can only descirbe the air as feeling really warm and heavy with a bulb.
My hatchies were heated with a bulb for about 6 weeks before I swapped onto a heatmat. My hatchies were a nigtmare to try and get feeding and nearly all of them ate when I switched into a heatmat. They just seemd like they prefered the heatmat more for what ever reason. My adults aren't bothered though if they are on mats or bulbs though.
I just think of it as would I rather be in a room that is overall warm with stuffy air when it's cold outside or, would I rather have a hot waterbottle.
It's really just a matter of preference with how you want to heat your corns.
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| matty18714 |
Posted - 07/06/2010 : 21:14:50
quote:
Originally posted by Matt_Brooks
Id say get a heat mat as Corn Snake much prefer the belly heat produced from the mat.
People say that all the time, but its a total myth. Even if it was true, bulbs make surfaces warm anyway. |
| Matt_Brooks |
Posted - 07/06/2010 : 21:07:31
Id say get a heat mat as Corn Snake much prefer the belly heat produced from the mat. |
| pitcher |
Posted - 07/06/2010 : 17:04:50
can i ask why you prefer heat mats sta~ple?? |
| Sta~ple |
Posted - 07/06/2010 : 15:58:41
I've used both and I prefer heatmats. |
| Tatsie-j |
Posted - 06/06/2010 : 19:08:23
I have 3 snakes 2 of which are in vivs 1 is heated by a mat n the other by a heat light n i would say go 4 the light i find its much easier 2 keep the temps right in that viv where as the one with the mat is always colder but thats my opinion im def not an expert!!! |
| matty18714 |
Posted - 06/06/2010 : 17:38:10
I would go for ceramic bulbs. As well as giving you a basking spot they will also give the viv a good ambient heat which a heat mat wont do. |
