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Originally posted by mikerichards

It didnt buurn anything because it was a controlled test, not an accident!
It just shows what even small heatmats are capable of!

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Originally posted by elament

Thanks for that Mike I have always wondered about covering heatmats as I assumed surely they would have to work a lot harder to get the heat passage through the vinyl........

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Originally posted by tinamiles

........Anyone recommend a safe way to attatch the probes to the heat matt, as im aware that tape is a no no!

Also, ive been told that if you crank up the temp about 6degrees, then the temp inside the viv will be correct with the heat matt underneath the wooden base - am i right in doubting this?? anyone do this?

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Originally posted by mikerichards

With larger bodied snakes you shouldn't use a heatmat for the same reason, they cover the whole thing. It is critical that the heatmat can breathe, if its totally covered then the heat cannot escape, and as generally with bigger bodied snakes, they move everything out the way, including the probes, the heatmat can get too hot.
This is something I learnt not so long ago, its called thermal blocking.
Even statted mats can get too hot in this case, as only the part of the mat that's covered heats up, and as most big snakes cover most of the mat, it can get very hot.
The highest temp is have seen a small mat get to is just over 200 degrees c, the mat was also statted.
That is why you don't use heatmats with big snakes.
Corns are fine, they don't have the weight big snakes do.

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Originally posted by CSJ

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Originally posted by mikerichards

With larger bodied snakes you shouldn't use a heatmat for the same reason, they cover the whole thing. It is critical that the heatmat can breathe, if its totally covered then the heat cannot escape, and as generally with bigger bodied snakes, they move everything out the way, including the probes, the heatmat can get too hot.
This is something I learnt not so long ago, its called thermal blocking.
Even statted mats can get too hot in this case, as only the part of the mat that's covered heats up, and as most big snakes cover most of the mat, it can get very hot.
The highest temp is have seen a small mat get to is just over 200 degrees c, the mat was also statted.
That is why you don't use heatmats with big snakes.
Corns are fine, they don't have the weight big snakes do.

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Hi Mike. If you don't use heatmats for large snakes, what would you use?

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Tape is definitely a no no Tina. I dont have my probes attached, just weighed down with rocks....but I think other forum users have used aquarium sealant to attach the probes to the heatmat. I just dont like the idea of it being a permanent attachment....but that is a personal opinion.

Your 2nd question has confused me a bit about cranking up the temp 6 degrees to get the right temp in the viv with the heatmat underneath the wooden base???

With a wooden viv you put the heatmat in the viv, not under it like you do with glass or plastic fauns. This means that you should have the temp on the stat almost in the right place (around 28/29oC) to get the right heat coming from the heatmat....although this must be monitored by the digital thermometer and you may need to tweak the stat slightly to get the temp that you want.

xxx

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