Heat mats

[Hayley]

Hey,

I'll soon be looking for a bigger tank for lil Slush if she carries on growing at the rate she currently is.

Just wondered, when I get a bigger take (hopefully will be a wooden, glass front one) where would the heat mat go? Inside the tank? Or would I have to change to a bulb to supply the heat?

Never really thought about it before. Surely a heat mat inside the tank would be dangerous.

Thankies x

[LizzieMc]

Would be very interested to hear replies to this too as we are about to adopt a hognose late 08 who prefers a wooden viv.

[Jill]

With corns a heat mat is fine inside on the bottom of the viv - with a heavier bodied snake you'd attach it to the side so it couldn't burn itself.

[Hayley]

Thanks Jill. So obviously a nice thickness of substrate to cover the heat mat will be ok. Or do I need something over the mat before I put substrate down?

[Jill]

Only a thin layer of substrate over the mat or the heat will build up...mine only have a scattering of aspen over the mat but the den half on / half off it.

[missyhissy]

Hi Everybody,
Ive just started keeping corns and I have a glass tank with the mat underneath, but my larger corn has just been transfered to a wooden viv with front slinding doors I have put the heatmat inside with a layer of cardboard over it and then covered by aspen, but I have now been told NEVER put your heatmat inside the tank so Im slightly confuzzled because the mat wont work under the wooden cabinet, I have heat gradient with her hide at the hot end but now Im worried Im going to case little Fudge serious injury please help.. oh yeah and whats the best type of thermometer to have in my viv is it the double probed ones
missy

[Clancorns]

Firstly all mats are as safe as they can be IF used with thermostats.

Secondly mats are ok as has been said, in vivs, on thermostats but they shouldnt get wet. Mine have glass over them which is siliconed but thin kitchen lino will do the same thing.

Lights can be used, with dimmer stats but a ceramic is better as lights often annoy them. These MUST have dimmer stats and they MUST have light guards so the snakes dont wrap themselves around the light/ ceramic.

[missyhissy]

Firstly all mats are as safe as they can be IF used with thermostats.

Secondly mats are ok as has been said, in vivs, on thermostats but they shouldnt get wet. Mine have glass over them which is siliconed but thin kitchen lino will do the same thing.

Lights can be used, with dimmer stats but a ceramic is better as lights often annoy them. These MUST have dimmer stats and they MUST have light guards so the snakes dont wrap themselves around the light/ ceramic.

what temp should I have my mat stat set at for corn snakes because all the books I read about it seem to contradict each other, I have the probe at the hot end and the thermometer is 2/3rds of way up in centre of tank and its at 80f-27-28c, Im not sure whether my mat stat should be set at the maximum for corns or the minimum or in the middle somewhere, I have my heat mats inside the vivs with a layer of lino and a sprinkling of aspen, I have hides at both ends of the vivs and the water at the cool end, my vivs are 2x 3ft and then 1 of them is 2 an a half ft, all the thermometers are reading at approximatly the same 80f all the tanks are set up the same... Thanks in advance

[Jill]

You take the temperature at the hot end, then the corn can cool down as they please along the rest of the tank / viv.