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What size Heat Pad

jel10uk

jel10uk

New member
I have just got a new viv measuring 24*15*15(inches) The suggested heat source I was told was to leave the 40 watt bulb on all the time. Don't like this idea i want to fit a tube light and use a heat mat. I already have a mat of 7 watts measuring 6*11(inches). Is this a realistic size? (With a Habistat).I use aspen as a substrate.
 
If those measurements are lengthxwidthxdepth, I'd say that sounds like it's about the perfect size heat mat to use. :)
 
Would the best place for the mat be on the end side of the viv or on the floor.Don't want her to burn herself.
 
The best place would be on one end on the underneath side of the floor - not actually in the viv. You should use a thermostat or rheostat to regulate the temperature, and measure the temperature at substrate level or in the substrate, not on the side of the tank. There's a recent post on here with instructions to build your own rheostat, or you can obtain a thermostat to plug the UTH into from a number of dealers online. ESU makes a rheostat with actual temperature settings - like a combination thermostat/rheostat which is $23 USD from reptiledirect.com, but I don't know if they ship internationally.
 
The viv is of the melanine/wood style,only the front is of glass construction. Would this still work on the outside/underneath?
 
Probably, though you'd have to be sure that there's some clearance (the UTH isn't sandwiched between the viv and whatever it's resting on) and be sure to regulate the heat output. It could become a fire hazard quickly...of course, it's still probably safer than in the tank under kindling. You can get little stick-on riser jobs for the corners of furniture - those would be effective for getting it up off of whatever surface it's on. Some clearance is a good idea using a UTH anyways. My tanks are on metal tank-stands that have a couple of bars under the tank itself but leave open space under where the UTH is.
 
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