# Emperor scorpion heat mat



## stysall (Mar 10, 2011)

HI,

I am getting my first emperor scorpion tomorrow 

I am wondering where I should place the heat mat, should it be on the side of the plastic enclosure or underneath the substrate? 

Cheers
:flrt:


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

I have my heatmat on the side of my scorps tank as they like to burrow and if its on the bottom they could over heat.


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## Embo (Jun 7, 2012)

Bab1084 said:


> I have my heatmat on the side of my scorps tank as they like to burrow and if its on the bottom they could over heat.


This. 

Also watch out for warping plastic!


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

Embo said:


> This.
> 
> Also watch out for warping plastic!


 I was actually wondering how well plastic coped if a heatmat was used but i use glass tanks so didnt comment on that.


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## Embo (Jun 7, 2012)

Bab1084 said:


> I was actually wondering how well plastic coped if a heatmat was used but i use glass tanks so didnt comment on that.


Depends on how thick the plastic is & how hot you have the mat (assuming OP will be using it on a stat). But you can always create a gap between the mat & the tank using a bit of wood or similar.


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## Bab1084 (Dec 9, 2011)

Embo said:


> Depends on how thick the plastic is & how hot you have the mat (assuming OP will be using it on a stat). But you can always create a gap between the mat & the tank using a bit of wood or similar.


Thanks I will keep this in mind if I ever get a plastic tank :no1:


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## stysall (Mar 10, 2011)

So what do I do to stop the plastic melting? Also, I have put the substrate in and it is raised quite a bit. 
I have put a couple of pics up for advice. I think I need to get a smaller plant pot as the current one touches the roof of the faunarium.
http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r550/Stephen_Tysall/Islington-20120905-00044.jpg
http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r550/Stephen_Tysall/IMG-20120905-00043.jpg

Have I got too much substrate in there.


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## Veyron (Mar 29, 2011)

Can never have too much substrate.

Can I just ask...does the lid fit on? Looks as if something is protruding two or three inches over the top.


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## stysall (Mar 10, 2011)

Veyron said:


> Can never have too much substrate.
> 
> Can I just ask...does the lid fit on? Looks as if something is protruding two or three inches over the top.


That's what I was saying mate, I need to get a smaller plant pot as it touches the lid and makes it a very tight fit.

I don't really know what size pot to get though!


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## Veyron (Mar 29, 2011)

I'd use a plastic one and cut it in half. As long as the scorp has some shelter to start off with, it can burrow underneath to extend it : victory:


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## stysall (Mar 10, 2011)

With regard to the heat mat, it is fixed to the side of the faunarium but some of it is in the substrate. Is this Okay?


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## stysall (Mar 10, 2011)

The heat should be 90c ?


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

Where in your home do you plan on keeping your scorp? If the room is warm is extra heat from a heat mat really essential? I was looking into getting one of these guys and as the room I keep my Ts in is warm - between 22-28*C I was not going to use any additional heat, would I need an additional heat mat?


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## stysall (Mar 10, 2011)

In my bedroom. In the summer it is warm in here but in the winter it is freezing.


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

stysall said:


> In my bedroom. In the summer it is warm in here but in the winter it is freezing.


A heat mat on the side will do no good for ambient temp though in the cold of winter, perhaps it would be worth investing in an oil filled radiator for your room to use in the winter time, this is what I use in the room my Ts and snakes are in.


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## stysall (Mar 10, 2011)

Here is the latest pic PLEASE tell me what you think and if it is Okay


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## stysall (Mar 10, 2011)

At the moment the temp is reading 80f


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

stysall said:


> Here is the latest pic PLEASE tell me what you think and if it is Okay
> 
> [URL="http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r550/Stephen_Tysall/th_Islington-20120905-00048.jpg"]image[/URL]
> [URL="http://i1171.photobucket.com/albums/r550/Stephen_Tysall/th_Islington-20120905-00049.jpg"]image[/URL]


Your set up looks ok, similar to what I planned for when I get mine but as you said your room gets quite cold in the cold winter time I'd be concerned about the cooler ambient temp, a heat mat on the side of the tank will do no good for ambient timp in cold winter, it's not a worry now as temps are not cold but as winter approaches it may well be an issue, that's why I suggested extra heating for the room.


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## **louise** (Nov 10, 2010)

Thermostated heatmat on the side would be fine. Sure that's what most people do for scorps. It's what I did


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

**louise** said:


> Thermostated heatmat on the side would be fine. Sure that's what most people do for scorps. It's what I did


Aye yours were fine, in the short space of time you had them, however winter is coming up and I know I wouldn't have a scorpion, T or any other invert in a cold room with just a heat mat on the side but that's just me, an oil filled radiator wont break the bank, is cheap to run and will keep the room ambient temp warm, keeping the chill of winter away.


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## **louise** (Nov 10, 2010)

AilsaM said:


> Aye yours were fine, in the short space of time you had them, however winter is coming up and I know I wouldn't have a scorpion, T or any other invert in a cold room with just a heat mat on the side but that's just me, an oil filled radiator wont break the bank, is cheap to run and will keep the room ambient temp warm, keeping the chill of winter away.


In the time I had them we had some very cold weather and I refused to put the heating on. My room got pretty chilly. The scorps were absolutely fine with a heatmat. :2thumb:

Do ambient temps bother scorps? Emps burrow so as long as they can get to a warm area under the substrate, eg a heatmat on the back at substrate level, I'm sure they would be fine.


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

**louise** said:


> In the time I had them we had some very cold weather and I refused to put the heating on. My room got pretty chilly. The scorps were absolutely fine with a heatmat. :2thumb:
> 
> Do ambient temps bother scorps? Emps burrow so as long as they can get to a warm area under the substrate, eg a heatmat on the back at substrate level, I'm sure they would be fine.


I don't know if ambient temps do or do not bother scorpians. Yes I do know Emperors burrow however, when it's really cold in winter, in a freezing cold room, would even a burrowing species requiring temps of 24-28*C not feel the cold chill, even if they are next to the side where the heat mat is placed? 

In my opinion I would rather provide something to keep ambient temps warm, would rather have this than an invert in a freezing room, even if they do burrow, but that's just me.


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## **louise** (Nov 10, 2010)

AilsaM said:


> I don't know if ambient temps do or do not bother scorpians. Yes I do know Emperors burrow however, when it's really cold in winter, in a freezing cold room, would even a burrowing species requiring temps of 24-28*C not feel the cold chill, even if they are next to the side where the heat mat is placed?
> 
> In my opinion I would rather provide something to keep ambient temps warm, would rather have this than an invert in a freezing room, even if they do burrow, but that's just me.


The op asked about the heamat so I was just saying that I used one for my colony and they were fine  The heatmat will warm the substrate close to it, although not sure how much.

You may well want to use an oil filled radiator, that's fine but I thought you might know something about them needing high ambient temps, hence my questions which would then help the OP :2thumb:


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

stysall said:


> The heat should be 90c ?


80-90F.



AilsaM said:


> Where in your home do you plan on keeping your scorp? If the room is warm is extra heat from a heat mat really essential? I was looking into getting one of these guys and as the room I keep my Ts in is warm - between 22-28*C I was not going to use any additional heat, would I need an additional heat mat?





AilsaM said:


> A heat mat on the side will do no good for ambient temp though in the cold of winter, perhaps it would be worth investing in an oil filled radiator for your room to use in the winter time, this is what I use in the room my Ts and snakes are in.


unless you're comfortable in a room at 80F+, you need a heatmat.



stysall said:


> At the moment the temp is reading 80f


that should be fine.



**louise** said:


> Thermostated heatmat on the side would be fine. Sure that's what most people do for scorps. It's what I did





AilsaM said:


> Aye yours were fine, in the short space of time you had them, however winter is coming up and I know I wouldn't have a scorpion, T or any other invert in a cold room with just a heat mat on the side but that's just me, an oil filled radiator wont break the bank, is cheap to run and will keep the room ambient temp warm, keeping the chill of winter away.


my t room gets cold in winter, & the mats work just fine.



**louise** said:


> In the time I had them we had some very cold weather and I refused to put the heating on. My room got pretty chilly. The scorps were absolutely fine with a heatmat. :2thumb:
> 
> Do ambient temps bother scorps? Emps burrow so as long as they can get to a warm area under the substrate, eg a heatmat on the back at substrate level, I'm sure they would be fine.


scorps like it hot, & so would be fine with a heatmat near their burrow.



**louise** said:


> The op asked about the heamat so I was just saying that I used one for my colony and they were fine  The heatmat will warm the substrate close to it, although not sure how much.
> 
> You may well want to use an oil filled radiator, that's fine but I thought you might know something about them needing high ambient temps, hence my questions which would then help the OP :2thumb:


most keepers keeps scorps using a heatmat stated to the temps i described.


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

wilkinss77 said:


> unless you're comfortable in a room at 80F+, you need a heatmat.


I don't use F, I measure my temps in *C which is much easier and the room is kept between 22-28*C which certainly does feel warm and comfortable to me when I'm in the room.


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

AilsaM said:


> I don't use F, I measure my temps in *C which is much easier and the room is kept between 22-28*C which certainly does feel warm and comfortable to me when I'm in the room.


scorps like it hotter than that- 28C+ is what they like.


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

wilkinss77 said:


> scorps like it hotter than that- 28C+ is what they like.


Ah right, didn't know that, was just going by what I read on TSS about Emperors. Cool no worries, I'll use a heat mat plus stat.


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

AilsaM said:


> Ah right, didn't know that, was just going by what I read on TSS about Emperors. Cool no worries, I'll use a heat mat plus stat.


those temps are lower limit- optimum temps are higher. try to get the handbook on keeping scorps by the late vince hull-williams- he goes into quite a lot of detail about temps, substrates & humidity.


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## AilsaM (May 18, 2011)

wilkinss77 said:


> those temps are lower limit- optimum temps are higher. try to get the handbook on keeping scorps by the late vince hull-williams- he goes into quite a lot of detail about temps, substrates & humidity.


Thanks for that. : victory:


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## tumptyteapot (Jul 31, 2012)

you can saw off the side of a terracotta pot quite easily, then just sand or file down the edges, that's what I did for my axoloyl tank.


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

tumptyteapot said:


> you can saw off the side of a terracotta pot quite easily, then just sand or file down the edges, that's what I did for my axoloyl tank.


but how will that help with the temperature, which is what this thread is about?


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## tumptyteapot (Jul 31, 2012)

nothing to do with the temp - just to make the lid fit better because the pot is too big.


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

tumptyteapot said:


> nothing to do with the temp - just to make the lid fit better because the pot is too big.


:hmm:que?


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## tumptyteapot (Jul 31, 2012)

stysall said:


> That's what I was saying mate, I need to get a smaller plant pot as it touches the lid and makes it a very tight fit.
> 
> I don't really know what size pot to get though!



read back into the thread


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## wilkinss77 (Sep 23, 2008)

tumptyteapot said:


> read back into the thread


ah, right.


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