Heat mat for Hermann?

[Cksnffr]

Hi all,

To get ready for the arrival of Knight, our 9-month-old Dalmatian, I got the starter kit from Tortoise Supply:

http://www.tortoisesupply.com/products/Grassland-Tortoise-Starter-Set.html

It came with a heat mat, and much of what I read says not to use them. The room with the tortoise table is naturally pretty warm. Should I just use the MVB as the only heat source? If so, doesn't that mean that the hide--which I was planning to keep humid--will be both moist and not as warm as the basking spot? Or if I use only the MVB, should I keep the area underneath the bulb as the humid part?

Thanks!

 

[Peyton]

I got the same thing for my torts and after a while I was thinking to use the mat but I realized my torts burry down to get cooled off and since the heat mat is on the bottom of the cage I'm didn't think that was a good idea so just stick to the lamp ( I know how u feel )


Calcuta+sage=[HEAVY BLACK HEART]

 

[abclements]

I'm up in the air about heat mats. So I got the heat ropes (similar to the pad) and coiled it under two hiding spots, and left 2 more hiding spots open. Some days I'll come home and find him buried down to the heat rope and others I'll find him buried where there is no heat rope. So I've decided that it's worth having. Just my experience.

Sent from my LG-P769 using TortForum mobile app

 

[GBtortoises]

Hi all,

To get ready for the arrival of Knight, our 9-month-old Dalmatian, I got the starter kit from Tortoise Supply:

http://www.tortoisesupply.com/products/Grassland-Tortoise-Starter-Set.html

It came with a heat mat, and much of what I read says not to use them. The room with the tortoise table is naturally pretty warm. Should I just use the MVB as the only heat source? If so, doesn't that mean that the hide--which I was planning to keep humid--will be both moist and not as warm as the basking spot? Or if I use only the MVB, should I keep the area underneath the bulb as the humid part?

Thanks!

There is no need to use a heat mat at all for a Hermann's tortoise. Overhead heat and light is enough. Many people make the mistake of keeping them much too warm overall. Generally, Hermann's require about a 45-60% humidity level. It can occasionally be lower but should not be for long periods of time. Higher humidity is also fine as long as there is adequate air exchange.

 

[JoesMum]

Torts need their heat from above not below. Also there is an electrical safety problem. A tort has sharp claws and likes to dig down as it snugles in to sleep... doing this into what is effectively an electric blanket with a moist substrate coukd be a shocking experience.

Mats are designed for snakes... they don't have claws!

 

[Cksnffr]

There is no need to use a heat mat at all for a Hermann's tortoise. Overhead heat and light is enough. Many people make the mistake of keeping them much too warm overall. Generally, Hermann's require about a 45-60% humidity level. It can occasionally be lower but should not be for long periods of time. Higher humidity is also fine as long as there is adequate air exchange.

So it's ok at night (when MVB is off) for the tortoise table to be at "room temperature" with no real gradient? Just making sure I understand. If so, what is the acceptable range of room temperatures? Thanks!

 

[JoesMum]

Absolutely fine for Hermanns to drop to room temperature at night as long as you don't have high humidity. Warm and humid is find, cool and humid isn't. If you have high humidity, use a ceramic heat emitter not a heat mat.

 

[Cksnffr]

Absolutely fine for Hermanns to drop to room temperature at night as long as you don't have high humidity. Warm and humid is find, cool and humid isn't. If you have high humidity, use a ceramic heat emitter not a heat mat.

Aha ok. How would you define high humidity? Over 60%?

 

[EchoTheLeoTort]

I would consider high humidity at like 75% or above but thats just me. I would think 50-60 should be fine and is more "normal range" I wouldn't suggest a heatmat. I just got a ball python and I have a heatmat on for her, but they do warm up pretty hot, it could easily burn a tortoise if it burrows, even though its on the outside of the cage. I would suggest against it. My tortoise only has MVB and he is perfectly fine. He has a closed chamber and its stays around 90 all day with 80% humidity. I turn the bulb off at night and the heat goes down to 80 and stays there at night with humidity raising a little, he hasn't been sick or shown any signs. It is actually good to let the temp drop a little at night to stimulate night and day temps. Even my snake gets the heat mats turned off at night and his enclosure stays at 75-80 as well. Then just turn on your heat when you wake up so they warm up.