The Corn Snake Forum
The Corn Snake Forum
Home | Profile | Register | Active Topics | Members | Search | FAQ
Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

 All Forums
 Corn Snake Posts
 Corn Snake - General Keeping information
 Can I trim a heatmat?
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Author Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  

Sammysnake
Yearling

United Kingdom
606 Posts

Posted - 12/09/2009 :  17:05:06  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Hi all. I was setting up the home for my new snake (I'm off to look at some tomorrow from a local breeder - woo hoo) and being a numpty, I've found the heatmat I ordered is a little too big (8x8) and the next size down will be too small (4x5). My question is, can I trim it to size?

Please don't all shout at me if that's a REALLY stupid question - my husband's gone away for the weekend and he's the one that knows this type of stuff. I'm pretty intelligent when it comes to some other subjects but the genes which understand electrical stuff were sadly lacking when I was created)

Anyway, it's an Exo Terra Heatwave mat. I can't see any elements in it so I am asuming it is made using carbon impregnated glass cloth, like the Habistat ones (ooh, that sounded clever. Don't you love Google!)

Cheers guys, apparently the lady has got some Anery Motleys so I may be putting my name down on one of those. I'll let you know.


08 male Carolina Corn ‘Saracen’
09 male Anery Corn ‘Twilight’
08 male Rankins Dragon ‘Keydo’

matty18714
The Count of Corniness

United Kingdom
4428 Posts

Posted - 12/09/2009 :  18:07:47  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
No, you cant. Whats the snake living in? If its a platic tub, just put it underneath with half of the tub on top of it.

Go to Top of Page

SexyBear77
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
3796 Posts

Posted - 12/09/2009 :  19:13:09  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Nope! listen to matty- he's a genius. you dont need to use all the mat, just enough of it.

and I have not got an electrical mind either!

9.11 Cornsnakes
1.1 Hogg island boas
1.0 Dwarf Burmese python

Location: Watford
Website- http://rassnakes.yolasite.com/
Go to Top of Page

Sammysnake
Yearling

United Kingdom
606 Posts

Posted - 12/09/2009 :  20:43:10  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Snakey will be in a small glass aquarium (no water). I had presumed that I could simply place it on top of the heatmat with some of the mat sticking out of the side as Matty has said but the mat was supplied with rubber feet that it said had to be put on the bottom of the housing. With the rubber feet on, there is no space to fit the mat at the corners of the housing. Does that make sense?

So, is it OK for the bottom of a heatmat to go directly onto a cupboard or similar? I thought perhaps they supplied feet because there has to be a gap between the mat and whatever it's standing on. Do both sides of the mat heat up? (sorry, never experienced a heatmat before - my dragon uses a very hot lightbulb for heating).



08 male Carolina Corn ‘Saracen’
09 male Anery Corn ‘Twilight’
08 male Rankins Dragon ‘Keydo’
Go to Top of Page

gingerpony
Queen Bee

United Kingdom
10455 Posts

Posted - 12/09/2009 :  22:05:39  Show Profile  Click to see gingerpony's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
sounds like a Habistat heatwave type mat and yes they DO need the feet in place as they DO need airflow underneath.......

cornsnakes, ratsnakes, bullsnakes, boas and day geckos

Location:Leeds/York/Selby area
Go to Top of Page

Stumpy
Hatchling

United Kingdom
418 Posts

Posted - 13/09/2009 :  03:00:18  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
put the mat on its stickers or feet and raise the glass aquarium and support it so it is over the mat.
I use a heatmat for a 48"x 12"x 12" viv on top of a piece of polystyrene and use two rubs one for each side. Using a thermostat I can get it to heat the RUB's to 28.5 /29 Degrees C at the hot end.

Go to Top of Page

matty18714
The Count of Corniness

United Kingdom
4428 Posts

Posted - 13/09/2009 :  11:22:28  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by SexyBear77

Nope! listen to matty- he's a genius



Careful, I have to get my head out the door

I would just stick the feet on the bottom corners of the tank, and have the mat underneath.

Go to Top of Page

Sammysnake
Yearling

United Kingdom
606 Posts

Posted - 13/09/2009 :  18:54:20  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thanks guys, sorted now. I've got two feet on the corners at one end and two along the edges in the middle. That means I've been able to stick the heatmat on the end with no feet and have it overhanging a bit so that it does not cover more than half of the tank floor.

I went to look at some babies today and ended up bringing one home. I made sure I got everything set up and running this morning just in case that happened! He's so tiny though that his set-up looks way too big! I've left him in the little tub he arrived in for now and put it inside the tank, half on the area of floor which has the heatmat attached (measuring 29.8c).

I bought an RUB this afternoon which I had intended to use as a feeding box but I think I may need to move him into that to live in a while, as a step up towards the tank.

Any additional advice gratefully received. Cheers all.



08 male Carolina Corn ‘Saracen’
09 male Anery Corn ‘Twilight’
08 male Rankins Dragon ‘Keydo’
Go to Top of Page

HannahB
The Corn Snake Moderator

United Kingdom
5491 Posts

Posted - 13/09/2009 :  19:04:12  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
what size viv have you got for him?
look forwards to seeing piccies when hes all settled in!


2.0 Normal Royal Pythons - Q and Little One
1.0 Chihauhaun Mountain Kingsnake - Simba



Go to Top of Page

Sammysnake
Yearling

United Kingdom
606 Posts

Posted - 13/09/2009 :  22:12:05  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
what size viv have you got for him?
look forwards to seeing piccies when hes all settled in!

Hi Hannah, it's a small aquarium - 14" x 8" and there's a photo of him in his cricket tub on the photos page "I got my baby". I hadn't realised hatchlings were so tiny!!


08 male Carolina Corn ‘Saracen’
09 male Anery Corn ‘Twilight’
08 male Rankins Dragon ‘Keydo’
Go to Top of Page
  Previous Topic Topic Next Topic  
 New Topic  Reply to Topic
 Printer Friendly
Jump To:
The Corn Snake Forum © 2000-11 thecornsnake.co.uk Go To Top Of Page
Snitz Forums 2000