# How hot should a heat mat feel to touch?



## guitarjon

As above, im not happy with my heat mat.. It doesnt feel that hot, and im not convinced my tank is upto temp. My bedroom is pretty cold (even with the heating on).

I have 2x Peakcock treefrogs and they seem to be very happy, active, shedding and eating well.


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## sam12345

Remember our body temps are pretty high anyway so hot to us will be scoulding for cold blooded animals.
I dont have any experience with frogs but heatmats should be used in conjuction with a stat.


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## wallyreptiles

sometimes heat mats dont work (go cold) if they are in air for a while( not in direct contact with something)


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## guitarjon

wally2 said:


> sometimes heat mats dont work (go cold) if they are in air for a while( not in direct contact with something)


 
does this mean it is broke then or just that it needs to touch something again?

I tried the mat attached to the side of the tank but it keeps falling off. So I have recently put in underneath the tank (not covering all the tank) however it keeps evaportaing all my water from the dish. If i attach the mat to the side of the tank again would it be best ducktaping it? And would it be worth putting tin foil on the back side (facing away from the tank) to reflect all the heat into the tank?


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## RattleHead666

I like it underneath as the heat rises and heats up my sand. He'll lay on that sand for hours sometimes. But a heat mat is not suppose to get too hot as it would burn your pet.

I thought this too myself before but i placed my hand on the sand it was warm but then i placed my backhand on it and it was extremely warm. 

Your hand is probably much tougher then your reptiles skin and it will be fine.

You may need to some red lights or someting 2 though. I find my heat mat just gets the temperature in the terranium up to about 80-85 and my light puts the warm side up to 110.

Maybe even try to keep it away from windows as it may be getting drafts. Try to place it closer to the heat source for yoru room. 

If not you may want a viv as the heat will rise and stay because most their vents are on the sides. Vivs seem to keep their temps a lot better.


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## reptiles-ink

guitarjon said:


> does this mean it is broke then or just that it needs to touch something again?
> 
> I tried the mat attached to the side of the tank but it keeps falling off. So I have recently put in underneath the tank (not covering all the tank) however it keeps evaportaing all my water from the dish. If i attach the mat to the side of the tank again would it be best ducktaping it? And would it be worth putting tin foil on the back side (facing away from the tank) to reflect all the heat into the tank?


It's obviously getting hot under the tank to evaporate the water.
If you put it on the side then put some polystyrene on the back of it.
Also make sure you use a thermostat with it or you can end up with cooked frogs.


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## spend_day

guitarjon said:


> It doesnt feel that hot, and im not convinced my tank is upto temp. My bedroom is pretty cold (even with the heating on).


i have to ask, what temps are your thermometers telling u it is


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## Meko

Like Sam said, our body temperature is quite high to start with, 37c. So you won't feel a massive amount of heat off a heat mat unless its not on a stat. 
Plus if you're feeling it with your hand it'll feel cooler than if you use it with your elbow - which is why you test baby milk and bath water with your elbow. 
If you set your stat to 30c and touch it with your hand it'll feel slightly warm rather than hot.


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## guitarjon

Thermometer usually says between 65- 70. Only when the hotter whether was in it was upto 75. Thats why im worried. 

Any way I have just purchased another mat and stat. Ill see if that makes a difference.

WIll the polystyrene be better than the tin foil? Just wondering as I dont have any polystyrene but I can get tin foil easily.


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## Meko

just re-reading the thread now..

heat mats don't heat the air, just the surface so if you've got the thermometers half way up the viv it won't be picking up the heat. The floor of the viv may / will be a lot hotter which is why it's evaporating the water.

Try sticking it to the side again, just use a bit of duck tape on the corners to hold it in place rather than sticking it completely.


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## siobhan_h

Meko said:


> just re-reading the thread now..
> 
> heat mats don't heat the air, just the surface so if you've got the thermometers half way up the viv it won't be picking up the heat. The floor of the viv may / will be a lot hotter which is why it's evaporating the water.
> 
> Try sticking it to the side again, just use a bit of duck tape on the corners to hold it in place rather than sticking it completely.


Sorry to hijack the thread, but would be this be the advised set up for a tree frog also? I just can't work out how to get the proper mix of warm and cool spots in the viv.


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## ukshaun

(i keep 3x Green Anole lizards)

I have just purchased a heat-mat. It is a Heat Wave - Terrarium Substrate Heater by Exo-Terra, designed to be stuck to the glass on the outside of a terrarium. It covers about two thirds of the base.

Having read the instructions, there is no mention of the temperature the mat reaches, other than the words ‘Safe, even heat distribution’. 

At first it did not appear to be working, as there are is no ‘on’ light, and no sense of heat. After 24hrs of it being switched on, while stuck to the glass, with 2cm of damp coco soil substrate on the terrarium, there is a slight sense of ‘warm’, I guess this is normal. 

During the day, the terrarium has a spot-light for a day light hot spot, and a Glo Tube for those essential light-rays. The heat-mat is there to stop the terrarium temperature from dropping during the night, when the lights are off. The PT2465 Dial Thermometer I use is located inside the terrarium, 30cm from the base, with a reading of 70.



reading some of the previous posts:

_‘sometimes heat mats don’t work (go cold) if they are in air for a while( not in direct contact with something)’_
From what I have read, these mat’s have to be 100% in contact with the surface they are required to heat, and should not be plugged in if not attached to a surface.

_‘If you put it on the side then put some polystyrene on the back of it.’_
I am not sure about this answer. The heat-mat I have requires air-flow on one side, which is why it comes with ‘4x spacers’ which lift the Terrarium 1cm off of the ground. 


_‘Try sticking it to the side again, just use a bit of duck tape on the corners to hold it in place rather than sticking it completely.’_
I get the impression, once these mat’s are stuck to the glass that is it, one chance only. Pulling it off of the glass will probably damage them. Sticking the mat to the corners only might not work either, as the mat should be 100% stuck to the glass.


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