- Joined
- May 11, 2009
- Messages
- 29
why are they a no no, i started to use one but have been advised not to, why is this?
i have a 2 year old herman tort?
i have a 2 year old herman tort?
why are heat mats a no no?
- Thread starter missgemma
- Start date
- Status
The problem is safety. The basic idea of gently warming the soil under the tortoise is good, but we need to do it in a way that...
1. Does not OVERHEAT the tortoise- even on full blast it should not warm the soil up over about 85F or so.
2. CANNOT start a fire or electrical danger. Many mats cannot be used on wood or plastic, or cannot get wet, or can be chewed through too easily, etc., etc., etc.
3. Does not over-dry the habitat. Most tortoises, especially young ones, NEED some humidity for proper development. Heat mats tend to dry the substrate, making the entire habitat very dry.
If you find a heat mat or cables that avoids all of this (and they are out there if you look), then gentle 'belly warmth' is a good thing, and if you do it right, you can increase humidity by pouring water in a corner by the mats and make a layer of warmed water under the substrate. The warmed water vapor will rise and create humidity.
Another option for many keepers is to use the mat on the side of the habitat, like a radiant heat panel. If the temps can be controlled correctly, it is a nice way to make a warm zone.
1. Does not OVERHEAT the tortoise- even on full blast it should not warm the soil up over about 85F or so.
2. CANNOT start a fire or electrical danger. Many mats cannot be used on wood or plastic, or cannot get wet, or can be chewed through too easily, etc., etc., etc.
3. Does not over-dry the habitat. Most tortoises, especially young ones, NEED some humidity for proper development. Heat mats tend to dry the substrate, making the entire habitat very dry.
If you find a heat mat or cables that avoids all of this (and they are out there if you look), then gentle 'belly warmth' is a good thing, and if you do it right, you can increase humidity by pouring water in a corner by the mats and make a layer of warmed water under the substrate. The warmed water vapor will rise and create humidity.
Another option for many keepers is to use the mat on the side of the habitat, like a radiant heat panel. If the temps can be controlled correctly, it is a nice way to make a warm zone.
I agree with the above poster and have a few things to add:
Torts in the wild get their heat from overhead. We try to mimic their natural environment as much as possible. Using a black light bulb or Ceramic Heat Emitter for heat, or a combination bulb like a Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) for heat and UVB light, is best. Torts also thermoregulate to maintain their body temperature (they do not sweat or have a similar system to ours), and they have a harder time doing this with heat from below vs. above.
You can place a slate tile near the basking spot for some nice safe belly heat as log as it isn't getting too warm (over 95ish). My tort loves this as well as a nice large hay pill near the basking spot to hide and stay warm.
Also, the ideal tort enclosure for most torts is wood, not glass. You don't want to use heat mats with a wood tort table/box. A rainforest tort might be an exception where a vivarium could be ideal to keep a higher humidity easier.
Good question!
Torts in the wild get their heat from overhead. We try to mimic their natural environment as much as possible. Using a black light bulb or Ceramic Heat Emitter for heat, or a combination bulb like a Mercury Vapor Bulb (MVB) for heat and UVB light, is best. Torts also thermoregulate to maintain their body temperature (they do not sweat or have a similar system to ours), and they have a harder time doing this with heat from below vs. above.
You can place a slate tile near the basking spot for some nice safe belly heat as log as it isn't getting too warm (over 95ish). My tort loves this as well as a nice large hay pill near the basking spot to hide and stay warm.
Also, the ideal tort enclosure for most torts is wood, not glass. You don't want to use heat mats with a wood tort table/box. A rainforest tort might be an exception where a vivarium could be ideal to keep a higher humidity easier.
Good question!
The point about overhead warmth is accurate, but does not always apply in our indoor habitats. Outdoors, the soil is gently warmed by the sun and air- it absorbs it slowly all day and releases it at night.
In our vivaria, the substrate can get very chilly as our habitats loose heat from below (technically, the heated substrate looses heat upwards, and it is replaced by cooler temps from below). Substrates that are dampened in any way make things worse- they chill as the moisture evaporates and become clammy- especially in the shade. If you had enough insulation under the vivaria, this might not be a big deal.
Shooting an IR thermometer on the substrate often shows surprising results. In my larger vivarium, I had good soil temps right under the heating element, and poor temps just a few inches away during the winter, even with an inch of foam insulation in use.
They DO make heating mats and cables that can get wet, be used in the soil, be used near wood, etc.- but they are generally made for greenhouses, are a bit costly (to buy and to run) and usually need a good thermostat to control properly.
In our vivaria, the substrate can get very chilly as our habitats loose heat from below (technically, the heated substrate looses heat upwards, and it is replaced by cooler temps from below). Substrates that are dampened in any way make things worse- they chill as the moisture evaporates and become clammy- especially in the shade. If you had enough insulation under the vivaria, this might not be a big deal.
Shooting an IR thermometer on the substrate often shows surprising results. In my larger vivarium, I had good soil temps right under the heating element, and poor temps just a few inches away during the winter, even with an inch of foam insulation in use.
They DO make heating mats and cables that can get wet, be used in the soil, be used near wood, etc.- but they are generally made for greenhouses, are a bit costly (to buy and to run) and usually need a good thermostat to control properly.
I've heard pig blankets are more appropriate for larger torts (such as an adult Leopard or Sulcata). Something about tort size and that hatchlings and small torts can get overheated quicker. I'm wondering if Maggie can explain that again...
Madkins-That's a perfect explanation for why I couldn't keep the enclosure warm enough with a moist substrate (eco earth & play sand). Luckily I have a Russian so Aspen was a good fit for us; we both like it a lot better and the enclosure can easily stay nice and toasty now.
Madkins-That's a perfect explanation for why I couldn't keep the enclosure warm enough with a moist substrate (eco earth & play sand). Luckily I have a Russian so Aspen was a good fit for us; we both like it a lot better and the enclosure can easily stay nice and toasty now.
Another thought is that many reptiles cannot detect heat on their bottom side like they can the top. Therefore, the tort can burn from below and not know it where as above heat they detect and move away. Thats why heat mats and heat rocks are bad for many reptiles. My collard on the other hand loves heat and can lay on 115 degree stone all day.
Mine was too hot in a certain area for Dale and I didn't even realize it. He could have gotten burned. I took it out right away and it wasn't old it was almost new. 
- Joined
- Mar 19, 2009
- Messages
- 1,601
A simple rehostat (think dimmer for a lamp, about 9-10 bucks) and a simple digital thermoter with a probe (5-20 bucks depending on model) can help out a lot with the heat mats (under tank heaters).
I use them for my snakes in plastic bins. They work great and are very safe when used this way.
If I were to use one for my tort table, there are several ways it could be configured. The typical reptile pad (UTH) could be set on a thin layer of playsand on the bottom. Add a slab of slate tile on that. Then add your substrate. As long as you don't soak it, it should be fine. You may also be able to stick it directly to the bottom of the tort table and and allow the tort to burrow down as close as he wants - with a layer of wood (tort table) as the insulation protecting him from too much heat and the pad from water. Lots of ways to make this work.
Personally, I'm happy with my MVB bulb on during the day and my CHE at night. As far as humidity, a hot bulb and CHE will kill the humidity pretty fast. No matter what heat you use, you should always keep an eye on the soil and moisture content.
I use them for my snakes in plastic bins. They work great and are very safe when used this way.
If I were to use one for my tort table, there are several ways it could be configured. The typical reptile pad (UTH) could be set on a thin layer of playsand on the bottom. Add a slab of slate tile on that. Then add your substrate. As long as you don't soak it, it should be fine. You may also be able to stick it directly to the bottom of the tort table and and allow the tort to burrow down as close as he wants - with a layer of wood (tort table) as the insulation protecting him from too much heat and the pad from water. Lots of ways to make this work.
Personally, I'm happy with my MVB bulb on during the day and my CHE at night. As far as humidity, a hot bulb and CHE will kill the humidity pretty fast. No matter what heat you use, you should always keep an eye on the soil and moisture content.
bettinge said:
Hence my rule #1- the temp should not exceed about 85F even if the heating system fails somehow. The bad reputation of mats and rocks came from using them as primary heating systems or units that were designed to reach too high temps. Some of those things hit 100F or more- ouch!
- Status
Similar threads
New Posts
-
Setting up for a Russian Tortoise - Constructive comments welcome- Latest: The_Four_Toed_Edward
-
-
-
-
