heat mat wet

[Tman38]

Hiya my new redtail boa is just starting to shed and i want to mist the viv for her,the thing is its a wooden viv with a heat mat under the substrate is it ok if the heat mat gets wet?

[dragunov.762]

your heat mat should not be in the viv with your snake it should be under it

[Freebody]

it is water proof, or well at least trusted as water resistant lol, you should hook it up to a thermostat or at least a reostat so it does not get to hot and burn your snake, hes a cheep way to build one GL How to make your own Rheostat for less than $7! Detailed instructions. - CornSnakes.com Forums

[Tman38]

sorry bout posting twice i thought i done it in 2 different forums cos i was ready for bed but wanted a quick reply lol. I have my heat mat connected to a thermostat which i put onto 32 c but my thermometer always says the temp is 25 any ideas to why this is ?

and to dragunov surely if i put my heat mat under my wooden viv the heat wouldnt actually get through to inside ?

[infernalis]

I moved the post to one thread

are you measuring the temp of the mat or the air in the cage?

heating pads work when the animal sits on it, but are rather ineffective for heating the whole cage.

and you are right, putting it under a wood floor will not work, the wood will block the heat.

some folks will place a slate tile over the heat mat, that way the slate heats up (kinda like a heat rock) and keep the animal from laying directly on the heater.

[dragunov.762]

i dont use heat mats but the light i use for my RTB heats up my kingsnake cage above it and the heat goes through 3/4 inch melemine i would assume that a heat mat would go through it too but i could be wrong

[Tman38]

i have placed the thermometer about 3 inches above the heat mat so i guess yeh im just measuring the air in the basking area , so is 25 c ok for her ? because she doesnt even sit on the mat under the hide since i got a florecent bulb she rests on a brunch just under it in the cooler area of the cage is this normal ?

[Tman38]

Yeh i have thought about getting a heat bulb because i have read that a heat mat heats up there guts which cant be too good !

[kenchenzo]

i started with mats but am slowly moving onto heat lamps.
with the mats i put one on the floor and one on the side wall that way they never reach full heat seems very effective but the lamps are that nuch easier all round.

[Reptile_Reptile]

i use both it seems effective