Common Reptile Heat Mat Questions
photo credit: holidayhanson
When it comes to heating an exotic pet enclosure one of the most popular methods for gentle background heat is the heat mat. They are cheap to buy and to run and easy to fit but based on feedback I have been receiving through this site it seems there are still a number of questions that are cropping up among those keeping exotic pets so the goal of this article is to try and address as many of these questions as possible.
What Sizes Do Reptile Heat Mats Come In?
Heat mats come in a huge variety of sizes and proportions. Small mats of only 15cm wide by 20cm long can often be sourced, up to mammoth heaters for larger cages several feet long. Some manufacturers also make long, thin mats so that a number of smaller cages can all be lined up next to one another and thus can be heated by a single heater.
How Expensive Are Reptile Heat Mats?
Heat mats are typically one of the cheapest forms of exotic pet heating available.
How Much Do Heat Mats Cost To Run?
Of course the answer to this question depends on the size of the heater you opt for. The larger the mat, the more electricity it will require to warm up to a suitable temperature. However these mats are very efficient and generally only use a tiny amount of power. The smaller mats may only cost a few pennies a day to run so they are very cost effective.
Do I Need A Thermostat With A Heat Mat?
Heat mats are, by their very design, low power and only produce a gentle background temperature. Most reptile authorities will claim that you should ideally use a Mat Stat to keep an eye on the temperature and ensure your exotic pet cage does not overheat and this is smart advice. Prevention is better than cure as they say.
Equally for some of my invertebrates I simply use the heat mat without a thermostat and in over 15 years of keeping exotic pets I have yet to have a problem with this.
How Do You Fit A Heat Mat?
As heat mats only offer gentle heat, mats are only really capable of transmitting heat through thin objects. They will transmit heat through glass without problems but wood or thick substrate may cause them to overheat.
If you are using a glass vivarium or tank then the heater can typically be laid under the cage so that the heat gently rises up into the viv. Ensure the substrate above it is not too thick or there is a risk the heater could overheat. I also like to place some polystyrene tiles underneath the heater so that the heat is reflected up into the cage rather than some of it being wasted in warming up my cupboard!
In vivariums made of wood, or with thick substrate, you may need to use mats in a different way. They can be placed into a wooden cage, with a small hole drilled to allow the wire to exit or if thick substrate is being used they can be taped to the wall of the cage rather than the floor.
The one key element to remember is that topic of a “thermal gradient”. You shouldn’t aim to heat the whole cage to a consistent temperature but rather provide a warmer area and a cooler area so your pet can move about and find the temperature which suits them best.
The heat mat should therefore only heat around a third of the cage. So if you have a 90cm long cage, you should really only be using a heat mat of around 30cm long to leave enough of the cage unheated and creating the thermal gradient.
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Other Exotic Pet Keepers Found This Article Under:
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Hi there my name's Richard Adams and I'd like to welcome you to Keeping Exotic Pets - a site dedicated to the hobby of keeping exotic pets of all forms. 
