| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Gaz_1989 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 12:59:04
At the moment Stella is in a faun so heat mat is under the plastic faunarium.
Im getting her a viv next month and ive read loads of different ways to hold the heat mat down, as im aware its dangerous if the corn gets under the heat mat.
Using a piece of lino the size of the viv and silicone it down.
Use a 12" x 12" Lino Tile and silicone that over the mat.
Use a piece of slate to hold the heat mat down.
Just use the hide to keep the mat down.
Silicone the mat straight down to the wood.
What is the best method and what does everyone else do?
Thanks
Gaz |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| hillzi |
Posted - 20/01/2010 : 16:28:44
I've found the heatmat has over time cracked the wood under it in Blitz's viv. It's a bit crinkled, the wood. whether he's had a pee under there and the mats dried it up or however I don't know. I've not even had him 2 months.
As they get older, they can't fit under the heatmat. so I've seen, and the risk decreases. Anyway my lad can't get under it, he has an XL hide that's got his log onto of it which I can't move the hide (wedged his stick) so I'm confident he wont get burnt.
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| Gaz_1989 |
Posted - 20/01/2010 : 15:12:20
Thanks.
I didnt know where to put them, at the moment they are in between layers of kitchen roll as that is my substrate and that is where stella lies when she is hiding.
Gaz |
| SexyBear77 |
Posted - 20/01/2010 : 14:43:52
I have the probes lying on top of the substrate with the cables weighed down by the hot end hide. My mats arent covered by anything other than a little substrate. |
| Gaz_1989 |
Posted - 20/01/2010 : 12:06:33
Also is it best to stick the temp and stat probes to the lino? And then put substrate on top?
Or just let the probes rest on top of the substrate?
Cheers,
Gaz |
| Gaz_1989 |
Posted - 20/01/2010 : 11:47:08
Ive been the reptile shop this morning to price up my new set up,
They have got 11" x 11" and 17" x 11" Mats at virtually the same price.
Danny said either of these would be fine in a 36" x 18" Viv.
Is there any advantage to going bigger? Or should i just stick with 11" x 11"?
Thanks
Gaz |
| Gaz_1989 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 16:16:56
Okay, good thinking, Cheers. |
| matty18714 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 16:09:22
I would just cover the mat. If for any reason you needed to remove it, it may be akward to lift it if its covering the whole floor. |
| Gaz_1989 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 16:07:58
This is deffinitely the one im going to go for.
I dont think theres much difference wether its just covering the mat or covering the whole bottom of the viv to be honest.
I will go with whatever size i can get an off-cut of.
Thanks
Gaz |
| matty18714 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 16:04:07
I have lino stuck ontop of my mat with aquarium selant sticking it down and sealed around the edges. For me its definatly the best option. You can also stick probes directly to the lino giving you an accurate reading and a lot of control. |
| matty18714 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 16:01:54
quote:
Originally posted by reptiledanny
quote:
Originally posted by Gaz_1989
Thanks for the replies.
Would an 11" x 11" heat mat be okay for a 36" x 18" viv?
And i think thats what i will do yes, just put lino over the heat mat, obviously with a few inches overlapping and silicone down.
Thanks
Gaz
either the 11x11 or 17x11, either of those would be fine,
i new that you had to cover a mat but would it not be easier to just lino the whole of the tank, so that the heat can travel through the lino to the cool end just to make it ever so slitghly warmer that the outside, then put a thin layer of substrate down, thats wat i was gunna do, also would you have to silicone the edges, that way you could take the lino up wen you wanted to clean the viv out making it easier to take the sunstrate out?
The heat wont move across the lino at all. |
| reptiledanny |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 15:58:49
quote:
Originally posted by Gaz_1989
Thanks for the replies.
Would an 11" x 11" heat mat be okay for a 36" x 18" viv?
And i think thats what i will do yes, just put lino over the heat mat, obviously with a few inches overlapping and silicone down.
Thanks
Gaz
either the 11x11 or 17x11, either of those would be fine,
i new that you had to cover a mat but would it not be easier to just lino the whole of the tank, so that the heat can travel through the lino to the cool end just to make it ever so slitghly warmer that the outside, then put a thin layer of substrate down, thats wat i was gunna do, also would you have to silicone the edges, that way you could take the lino up wen you wanted to clean the viv out making it easier to take the sunstrate out? |
| n/a |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 15:21:45
think the lino sounds the best idea, but why a few inches over lappiing? and do u mean so it would make likea step pattern, am looking to get a stackable viv for when my 2 are out of their fauns and didnt know u needed to secure the mat down x |
| n/a |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 14:59:43
quote:
Originally posted by Gaz_1989
Corn snakes absorb heat from there underneaths though?
From a hot surface? Not from basking or from ambient temp, so ive never considered a bulb for heating.
Is this what you use?
Thanks
Gaz
yes i use a ceramic, my snake seems to pick up heat pefectly this way |
| Gaz_1989 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 14:36:51
Thanks for the replies.
Would an 11" x 11" heat mat be okay for a 36" x 18" viv?
And i think thats what i will do yes, just put lino over the heat mat, obviously with a few inches overlapping and silicone down.
Thanks
Gaz |
| DannyBrown91 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 14:35:26
quote:
Originally posted by DannyBrown91
quote:
Originally posted by Gaz_1989
Corn snakes absorb heat from there underneaths though?
From a hot surface? Not from basking or from ambient temp, so ive never considered a bulb for heating.
Is this what you use?
Thanks
Gaz
I wouldn't use a bulb as i read that snakes conduct their heat from the surfaces they touch and not the ambient temperature.
As for the lino, it is basically what you might use on your kitchen or bathroom floor me thinks. Fairly thin so the heat comes through it nice and its also waterproof.
Actually second thoughts is i would just get a square big enough to cover the heat mat itself. if you use a 11" x 11" heat mat and your viv is 36 x 18 i would probably get a cut off which is 12 x 18, so you can silicone it around the sides of the viv. You cna pick lino up pretty cheap i think especially a piece that sort of size. I imagine it would only cost a few pound from a supplier.
Do you know if places such as B&Q and Homebase sell Lino?
|
| devilsmistress |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 14:27:50
Corns really are better off on a heat mat as they absorb heat through there bellys. Any of the above methods would work, silcone is the best stuff to use but make sure it is aquarium selent, the other stuff I have heard can me toxic to snakes.
I think when i go up to wodden viv's Im going to use the lino method, easy to wipe clean!! |
| Gaz_1989 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 14:26:50
Corn snakes absorb heat from there underneaths though?
From a hot surface? Not from basking or from ambient temp, so ive never considered a bulb for heating.
Is this what you use?
Thanks
Gaz |
| n/a |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 14:24:12
i am really not sure about best way to secure heat matts as i don't use one but, why not give a ceramic heat bulb a try, all you have to worry about then is getting a guard to put over it, then there is no way Stella can hurt herself  |
| Gaz_1989 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 14:18:43
If the general idea is Lino, is it best to cover the whole bottom of the viv? So 36" x 18" with slicone around the edge?
Where can you get lino from? Is it the same as vinyl flooring?
Thanks
Gaz |
| Gaz_1989 |
Posted - 18/01/2010 : 13:15:56
I read it on here somehwere, putting a slate over the heatmat, the slate would absorb the heat and become a warm surface.
Im not sure that they all work, they are just options that i have read.
Thanks
Gaz |
