# Heat Mat inside or outside the viv?



## SeanGecko (Jul 21, 2011)

Hi,
should the heat meat go inside the vivarium under my sand, or outside under the glass? Thanks


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

for what lizard?


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## SeanGecko (Jul 21, 2011)

oh, yes sorry, for a leopard gecko


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

first of all you should take the sand out and replace it with tiles or paper towel because it can cause impaction and make your gecko very ill. I use paper towel and have the heatmat in the viv under the paper towel.Make sure you have the heatmat on a thermostat to control the temperature and also use a digital thermometer to make sure that if your thermostat is slighlty out you can ajust accordingly.


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## SeanGecko (Jul 21, 2011)

I know the risks of sand and I am thinking of replacing it with slate tiles or something... I have the mat hooked up to a on/off thermostat and the mats temp is around 30 degrees... oh and i also have the digital thermometer... 
Its just some people are telling me to have it inside and others are telling me outside :/ I have a hide over the heatmat with damp moss inside so that it will create humidity


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

is it a wooden viv or is it an exo terra all glass if it has a glass floor have it outside the viv if it is a wooden viv then inside the viv


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## SeanGecko (Jul 21, 2011)

yea, its a all glass exo terra, thanks for your help!


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

because the exos are slighly off the ground slide it under the tank and have the probe on the hot spot or basking spot and also put the thermometer probe at the same spot, some people like me use heat resistant tape to attach it to the bottom


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## Syx (May 8, 2011)

Just wondering is heat resistant tape the same as the pvc electrical tape? Probably sounds like a really silly question lol.


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