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Sta~ple
qeeun speler
United Kingdom
6129 Posts |
 Posted - 15/03/2010 : 20:07:43
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I am interested in people's opinions on this matter and who uses what. If anyone has used both then please post your thoughts.
I use lights, I have been thinking about changing to heat mats for when (and if) I get a viv stack. Mainly for the reason that my snakes will live in my bedroom until I love out. 1 red light that can be seen from my bedroom window already gets the odd joke, imagine having 4 and I don't like any lights on when I sleep. Plus I have read it's better for digestion and if I wanted to pimp the viv out more, I feel like I could more easily do it. Plus, I'm not too comfortable fitting electricals, I don't mind tinkering with instructions just not fitting stuff. I would also hate it if I did get a viv stack and I placed the bulbs in the wrong place and they weren't allied with each other. I do like the light though as it is pretty and I find controlling the temperature very easy and it has been very reliable so far. I don't like how the snakes like to climb and hang for the wire though. No matter how I fix the wire to the top of the viv, they always find a way to pull it off and dangle from it. Amusing and cute but it's also very scary.
However, many people with heat mats seem to complain about the lack of control over temperature and about the mat breaking or the thermostat quite often. I also read somewhere where a snake did a watery poop upon his mat and the mat sparked. I have also heard stories about heat mats starting fires. How do mats cope with being popped on anyway? And is the temperature gradient easily achievable? Also, how are hides and hidey places do on heat mats, they don't cause it to be too hot do they? |
   
A very special super, duper thanks for K :3 |
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n/a
deleted
124 Posts |
Posted - 15/03/2010 : 20:17:59
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heatmats are laminated so in the case of water being spilt etc would cause no problems unless the mat has been tampered with, if any damage is noticed on a mat the mat should be replaced straight away.
as corns regulate their temps through their bellies they need ground level heat to get their temps up.
paul |
dogs:1.1.0 cookie, scrappy
rabbit:0.1.0 bluebell
beardies:1.1.0 spike, sunshine
corns:1.0.0 sid
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DannyBrown91
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3070 Posts |
Posted - 15/03/2010 : 21:15:29
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As said heat mats are laminated so it is fine if something is spilled on it. As for controling the temps it just depends on the type of stat you have.
But, heatmats are without a doubt better for snakes as snakes get heat from their bellies, so if a snake is in a hide it can still get heat from his belly when using a mat, if you use a lamp it creates a basking spot and heats the air temp in the viv. If your snake wants to hide away which they often do they then won't get the heat that they need. You could use a combination of both but it is best to use a heat mat rather than a light if you just plan on using one heat source. That said there are people who use lamps and don't have any problems.
Heat mats would also be easier to install in viv stacks than what a bulb would be but if you do want to light your viv up you could use a heat mat with normal light bulbs or stick on LED lights. |
0.0.1 Ghost Corn - Casper
0.0.1 Diffused Corn - Reggie
0.0.1 Amel Corn - Candy A.K.A Baby
1.0 Commom BCI - Rocky
0.1 Japanese Akita - Sasha
Location: Liverpool |
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a33272
our battery charger
United Kingdom
3063 Posts |
Posted - 15/03/2010 : 21:42:56
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| 4 red lights shining out ya bedroom at night would get a few looks i bet hahaha |
   
0.1.0 creamsicle corn-Marmalade
1.0.0 jungle carpet python-Bumble
1.0.0 corn Casper
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Sta~ple
qeeun speler
United Kingdom
6129 Posts |
Posted - 15/03/2010 : 23:04:34
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quote:
Originally posted by a33272
4 red lights shining out ya bedroom at night would get a few looks i bet hahaha
1 gets enough already. The look of my boyfriends mum's face when she first pulled up to my driveway was not a good one let me tell you that lol.
The air does kinda feel weird with lights... it feels kinda heavy... I don't know if this would be the same with heat mats though.
I guess it's like the question really of would you prefer a radiator or a hot water bottle for people.
I feel really temped to try a heat mat now... I might not be able to until August but I can't wait now XD Is there any names/brands of heat mats and stats people would recommend? |
A very special super, duper thanks for K :3 |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 16/03/2010 : 03:18:56
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When I first got Kellog his viv came with a light. I was not happy with that, considering the research that I had done....but my OH's opinion was that Kellog had survived for over 4 years with this with no problems and therefore why change it? I accepted his decision (and underneath seethed quietly  ). I knew very well that the temp being measure was not accurate as it was also with the dial thermometers half way up the wall. But I total understood that corns absorbed their heat from their bellies and that the light was not doing an adequate job, especially when it came to digestion. The temps in the viv were fine (as far as you could tell) but they were the ambient temps.
When we got Silvesta his viv came with a heatmat and stat....and we swapped the snakes around, so Kellog got a new home with the long awaited heatmat and stat, while Silvesta went into the old viv with the light. By now I had managed (through a very kind forum member!!) to get a digital thermometer and this was put into Kellog's new viv to ensure that the heatmat was functioning properly - by the looks of things I dont think it had even been used when Silvesta was with his old owner  . What happened was that I had a temp, at substrate level, that I could monitor....a much happier snake who was out and about a lot more and a much happier me  !
But the problem of Silvesta remained and my OH was not budging on his opinion. Silvesta then regurged and I took matters into my own hands. I ordered a heatmat and stat from 888 and told my OH the next morning that it would be arriving and he was to fit it as soon as possible. He accepted with amazing grace - mainly to shut me up I think  ! Silvesta now has a heatmat, stat, digital thermometer, 2 hides (which was another disagreement between me and the OH, but when I just 'happened' to include a hide in my order it needed using  ). Having been a snake that spent all his time in his hide and the only time you would see him would be when you handled him....he is now beginning to venture out a bit during the day and is often out when I am up in the night (every night  ). Again, a much happier snake and a very relieved owner (and an OH who is just glad that I have shut up!)
As for pooing on the heatmat - both mine are covered with lino, so there is no worry about them being pooed on or the worry of a water bowl being knocked over and them being got wet. But as far as I know they are covered well enough that this should not be an issue and I know a number of our members just cover the mat with a light layer of substrate.
As far as hides and hidey places are concerned I weigh down my probe with some stones and I know others weigh down theirs with heavy hides on the mats. I think the mats are made to take that sort of weight so it shouldnt be an issue. As both my mats are covered I have no concerns about them causing 'hot spots' because of the added weight, but dont think this would be an issue anyway. The only time there is an issue is if the snake gets stuck under the heatmat, where heat can build up, but hopefully that very rarely happens...especially if the heatmat is weighed down or covered.
I do still have lights in both vivs, on timers to simulate daylight hours....not sure what they are but both are low wattage so dont effect the heat in the viv enough for it to be an issue.
There can be issues with controlling the temp of the mat, but a lot of that has to do with where and how you position your probe for the stat and thermometer....and then fine tweaking the stat til you get a temp that you are happy with. Stats do malfunction and some dont do what you expect them to do (I originally got a microclimate 100 and it would switch off and then allowed a temp drop of 5oC before it switched back on). I would hope that you would be unlucky to get a malfunctioning one, but as long as you are monitoring it with a digital thermometer correctly positioned then you should be able to tell fairly quickly.
I think (and you know what my memory is like  ) that the heatmats are the Exo Terra Rainforest Heatwave Mats. Silvesta's stat is a Habistat Pulse (Kellog's is a Dimmer, which I have since been told shouldnt be able to work with a heatmat, but it obviously does!).
As far as setting it up is concerned it is very easy and my 12yr old helped me do it (him doing the bit about making a hole in the back of the viv for the wires!)
I am very happy with the set-up I now have and I have 2 happy snakes to prove it.
xxx
(edited to apologise for length of post - hadnt realise how much I had rambled on ) |
  
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Edited by - Kellog on 16/03/2010 03:19:39 |
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DannyBrown91
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3070 Posts |
Posted - 16/03/2010 : 09:19:55
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2 of my Heatmats are Habistat heat mats and i am currently using microclimate 100 stats. These do the job but arn't very accurate, they are on/off stats meaning that when the temp gets too high they switch the power off and turn it back on when the temps drop. They also take alot of tweaking in order to get the temperature gradient that you want.
You can also get Pulse stats which are a bit more expensive but are more efficient as they send pulses of electricity to the heatmat in order to maintain a constant temperature.
Judith - Is it the Exo Terra rainforest heatmats which need airflow in order to work properly? |
0.0.1 Ghost Corn - Casper
0.0.1 Diffused Corn - Reggie
0.0.1 Amel Corn - Candy A.K.A Baby
1.0 Commom BCI - Rocky
0.1 Japanese Akita - Sasha
Location: Liverpool |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 16/03/2010 : 10:16:41
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quote:
Originally posted by DannyBrown91
........Judith - Is it the Exo Terra rainforest heatmats which need airflow in order to work properly?
According to the instructions they are the ones that should be used with glass vivs and under them rather than in them....but was assured by a certain well informed forum member that it would be fine in the wooden viv, with no airflow. So it is just on the base of the viv, covered in vinyl and a small layer of substrate. If this is a problem I will be taking it up with that certain member!!!
Am not sure what the one in Kellog's one is as it doesnt have any labels on it, but OH says it looks exactly the same as the new one I bought for Silvesta.
Has been in now for just over 5 weeks with no trouble so far. What should I look out for if there is going to be a problem?
xxx |
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DannyBrown91
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3070 Posts |
Posted - 16/03/2010 : 13:31:12
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quote:
Originally posted by Kellog
quote:
Originally posted by DannyBrown91
........Judith - Is it the Exo Terra rainforest heatmats which need airflow in order to work properly?
According to the instructions they are the ones that should be used with glass vivs and under them rather than in them....but was assured by a certain well informed forum member that it would be fine in the wooden viv, with no airflow. So it is just on the base of the viv, covered in vinyl and a small layer of substrate. If this is a problem I will be taking it up with that certain member!!!
Am not sure what the one in Kellog's one is as it doesnt have any labels on it, but OH says it looks exactly the same as the new one I bought for Silvesta.
Has been in now for just over 5 weeks with no trouble so far. What should I look out for if there is going to be a problem?
xxx
Not sure i just remember somebody saying they could be a pain as sometimes they wouldn't work without airflow and wouldn't get up to the correct temperature. I would just watch for the temps being too low but if your not having any trouble with them then i don't see a problem. |
0.0.1 Ghost Corn - Casper
0.0.1 Diffused Corn - Reggie
0.0.1 Amel Corn - Candy A.K.A Baby
1.0 Commom BCI - Rocky
0.1 Japanese Akita - Sasha
Location: Liverpool |
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Kellog
the nice one
United Kingdom
7308 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2010 : 03:18:00
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quote:
Originally posted by DannyBrown91
Not sure i just remember somebody saying they could be a pain as sometimes they wouldn't work without airflow and wouldn't get up to the correct temperature. I would just watch for the temps being too low but if your not having any trouble with them then i don't see a problem.
Thanks Danny, I was concerned when I read the instructions....but as it was recommended I trusted that was the right one to go for. It is good to know what to look out for.
xxx |
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Sta~ple
qeeun speler
United Kingdom
6129 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2010 : 07:24:31
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| Heat matts seem to come in weird sizes though. I thought they would be made to fit a 3rd of standard size tanks that you can buy. |
A very special super, duper thanks for K :3 |
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a33272
our battery charger
United Kingdom
3063 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2010 : 07:29:26
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| vivs come in all sorts or sizes though, if they were to make one specific for each size viv there could be 20-30+ differnat sizes |
0.1.0 creamsicle corn-Marmalade
1.0.0 jungle carpet python-Bumble
1.0.0 corn Casper
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Sta~ple
qeeun speler
United Kingdom
6129 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2010 : 17:02:18
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| I know but it then kinda seems like I can't get the right size heat matt XD I mean, I don't think the viv I have is a strange size I expect quite a few people to have the same size one as me. |
A very special super, duper thanks for K :3 |
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DannyBrown91
Fully Grown Corn
United Kingdom
3070 Posts |
Posted - 17/03/2010 : 17:24:27
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quote:
Originally posted by Sta~ple
I know but it then kinda seems like I can't get the right size heat matt XD I mean, I don't think the viv I have is a strange size I expect quite a few people to have the same size one as me.
How big is your viv? |
0.0.1 Ghost Corn - Casper
0.0.1 Diffused Corn - Reggie
0.0.1 Amel Corn - Candy A.K.A Baby
1.0 Commom BCI - Rocky
0.1 Japanese Akita - Sasha
Location: Liverpool |
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Sta~ple
qeeun speler
United Kingdom
6129 Posts |
Posted - 18/03/2010 : 17:11:13
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It's 48x15. So I guess the logical size would be 23"x11" Habistat or a 51 x 27.5cm lucky reptile.
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A very special super, duper thanks for K :3 |
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Heat mats vs bulbs
