# Heat mat placed under metal base, safe?



## Cazzy4 (Aug 16, 2012)

Hi, this is probably a really silly question, but can heat mats (used with thermostat) be placed under metal safely?

I want to give my aph a larger cage, and as I have one sitting around not currently being used it feels stupid to buy a new one.

Only issue with the cage I have is that its a large degu cage so has a metal base which the heat mat would sit under.. Is that OK to do?

Please help!
Thanks!


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## werewolf (Dec 26, 2009)

Completely covered heat mats are a no-no as it can cause thermal blocking due to the lack of ventilation, but if you can support the metal slightly off the ground above the mat it would be fine. Only worry I'd have is that the metal would also get very hot as it is a good conductor of heat, i'd test it first with a heat gun.


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## Cazzy4 (Aug 16, 2012)

Thanks for the reply!

The cage is on a stand, and the floor of it is actually mesh and the metal base is just a fitted pan that sits on the mesh floor, so there'll be ventilation, only thing that worries me is it conducting the heat as you say and it getting too hot, but it's on a thermostat so in theory that should still prevent it getting too hot, wouldn't it?


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