# Heatmat temp



## wildy (Jul 7, 2007)

I have a aqualine heatmat and have stuck a digital thermometer probe to it , the temp is reaching 70 degrees C , is it faulty or is this normal .
I have just ordered a matstat, do i fix the temp probe from this to the mat to aquire 30 degrees or is it the ambient tank temp im controlling..Do i need a new mat??


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## Ste (Apr 16, 2007)

you wanna stick the probe(s) in the viv, your gettin the temp of the mat not the temp inside the viv, remember heat will be absorbed by various things before it reaches the viv and then its gotta heat the environment within the viv. The temp inside the viv for most things is around 30 - 40 degree C. As long as it is around that inside the viv then its fine. Please check the exact temp for your rep/invert as you dont want if too hot for them.


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## wildy (Jul 7, 2007)

The mat is inside the wooden viv. taped to the base as instructed..the temp in the is about 24 cold end and 30 hot end .


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## Ste (Apr 16, 2007)

is fine then mate, nothin to worry bout. Whats in it?


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## wildy (Jul 7, 2007)

A ball python , hasnt ate for 4 months ,ate when i got then stopped eating, trying to make everything perfect for it .


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## Ste (Apr 16, 2007)

crank up the temp a bit, wanna be about 85ish in the hot side an 80ish in the cool side (Farenheight). You got plently of hides etc. How old is it??


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## wildy (Jul 7, 2007)

Got a hide next to a water bowl and one over the mat , its about 3 years old i think about 4.5 ft. , I cant control the temp , the mat is just on all the time thats why i ordered, the mat stat.


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## Roysy (Jun 9, 2007)

Is your heat mat big enough for your viv? It may be on all the time with a mat stat if it is struggling to heat the environment.:whip:


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## wildy (Jul 7, 2007)

I have a mat about 1/2 the size of the viv and a smaller taped to the back wall and im still not reaching a ambient temp of 30 in the hot end..I have noticed brown marks on the bottom of the royal any ideas???


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## VieT (Jul 10, 2007)

no ideas about the marks. (vets i assume most people will say) but try a reflector light.. cost about a quid from wilkos and jsut buy a screwin fixture and a cage/protector for it.. and your temp should be fine 

peace

James


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## wildy (Jul 7, 2007)

Can i get the screw in ficture form wilko and what wattage would yo recommend and were can iget the protector from?


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## Morelia Matt (Dec 6, 2006)

how big is the viv? if its in a colder room then the heat mat may not be sufficient to heat the viv, i use red lights on dimmer stats, will find links for both.......

Dimming Thermostat by: HabiStat - Cornish Crispa Co. (just noticed they have gone up in price:whip: shop around)

www.camzoo.co.uk - Exo Terra 100W Infrared Heay Glo Bulb Screw Fit (36D)

im sure you already know but lights will certainly need a thermostat and should ideally be caged off, just as a referance for the wattage you will need, i have a 100w builb in two 4x2x2 vivs (each) and they hold the temps fine, its quite a warm room though, i use 50's and 75's also and they are great builbs imo, work great with the habistat dimmer.


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## wildy (Jul 7, 2007)

Should i use this in conjunction with the heat mat or this on its own?
Also were can i get a bulb guard is there a cheaper alternative to the pet shop ones?


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## Morelia Matt (Dec 6, 2006)

well i dont use heat mats any more and all is fine, the heat guards you can get for a tenner which isnt really too much if you only have the one snake? you could make one out of fine mesh though if you are handy with tools.... im not!: victory: i think theres a few older threads on here about making light guards, have a hunt around, also keep checking ebay, i know there used to be a bloke that made and sold them, not sure if he still does?


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## wildy (Jul 7, 2007)

Ordered light fitting and got a guard for £6 from the guy on ebay lol..Have you heard of heat mats burning snakes??


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## Morelia Matt (Dec 6, 2006)

yep, quite common, they need to be on a mat stat, if your getting the red bulbs and stat though you can remove the mat?


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## wildy (Jul 7, 2007)

They are on a mat stat , but im a bit lost on where to put the probe as the at will keep on heating if the probe is above it or should the probe touch the mat so it only gets up to 32 degrees


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## Herpster (Oct 24, 2006)

Put the thermostat probe on the matt itself. Then using a digital thermometer set the stat accordingly. I.E if the thermometer is saying its too cold then increase the temp on the thermostat, and vice versa if its too hot turn the stat down. Basically go by what the temperature is on the thermometer and adjust the stat up or down to correct temp untill the desired temp is met by the thermometer. The reason I do it this way is that mat stat tempreature gauges are not very good and this way you are working out the temperature form the digital thermometer not what the mat stat says. Hope that makes sense cause after reading back to myself,,, im cofused


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## wildy (Jul 7, 2007)

So would the thermometer probe(digital) need to be touching the mat because ambient temp in the viv is 27 hot end , thats using 2 mats one on the wall and one under the substrate, but like i said on a earlier thread it looks like the snake has brown marks look a bit like burns.But not sure ,this is what is worrying me...I have been adviced by my lps a heatmat is all i need ,no matstat, doenst matter about ambient airtemp the snake will move to and from heatmat to thermo regulate and the mats never burn the snake...
But reading threads from numerous keepers this is not the case, as my snake wont eat for over 4months now..Im pulling my hair out to get things perfect, but then again i may have just bought someone elses ill fussy royal for a ridiculous £150...You live and learn?? (and ask alot of questions)


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## Shell195 (May 31, 2007)

Hi please be sure to have your snake checked by a vet. the brown marks on the snakes underside could well be heat mat burns. I adopted a snake once from a rescue centre and that had mat burns when the centre took it in.


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