The proper use of heat mats

[basin79]

Mods could you please make this a sticky as there's so much misinformation about heat mats?

So heat mats are perfectly safe to use IF they're used properly. They're like a mini space heater when used properly.

1) Heat mats MUST be plugged into a thermostat. That's a thermostat NOT a thermometer.

2) The heat mat must NEVER be placed UNDER the enclosure. Instead use it on the back or side of the enclosure.

3) Heat mats have clear edges. Tape them down to insulation. I use foil backed insulation boards used in construction. This makes sure the heat isn't wasted out the back. More efficient.

4) You can use a large heat mat to heat a large enclosure and put smaller enclosures in it.

This is what I do. With the probe being under the mat you don't have to worry about the probe moving or being moved.

 

[Ian14]

Just what I do. My collection are all still juvenile at best, none are yet adult. Kept on enclosures inside a very large rub, with a heat mat on the side, controlled by a thermostat.
Works perfectly.

 

[basin79]

Just what I do. My collection are all still juvenile at best, none are yet adult. Kept on enclosures inside a very large rub, with a heat mat on the side, controlled by a thermostat.
Works perfectly.

Aye. Sadly Ian there's a lot of Americans who just think heat mats are deadly due to poor information. Glad to read your gang are doing well.

 

[DomGom TheFather]

The proper use of anything is pretty safe.

 

[basin79]

The proper use of anything is pretty safe.

Yet still on here if anyone mentions a heat mat it's usually "DON'T EVER USE A HEAT MAT THEY'LL KILL YOUR TARANTULA!!!!!!!".

Hence my post.

 

[Hakuna]

Must be my American privilege, but 99% of heat mats are entirely unnecessary for tarantulas. I don’t think anyone has issued the ultimatum of never using a heat mat or else

However, what you did was describe the common sensical way a heat mat should be used...so that’s good.

 

[viper69]

Aye. Sadly Ian there's a lot of Americans who just think heat mats are deadly due to poor information. Glad to read your gang are doing well.

so true. I use Ultratherm for my snakes.

I recall seeing a former British breeder using heat mats or flex watt vertically. No issues

I don’t think anyone has issued the ultimatum of never using a heat mat

Not true- tons of Americans say “donot use..” on the forum all the time

 

[Arachnophobphile]

I think the issue in the U.S. are all the new keepers sticking them on the bottom as they don't know any better.

Also acryllic and plastic storage containers are used more often for terrestrials which you never want to use a heat mat on, melting issues.

 

[Dorifto]

I have a little experience with heat mats since in my old house temp could reach 7°C inside 44'5F,no heating and no insulation at all, and heating that house with electric heaters was a monetary suicide.

Can be used? YES, but doing it RIGHT.

As @basin79 mentioned, a thermostat is mandatory, without this, the heat mat will heat the enclosure until make it uninhabitable.

The thermistor sensor should be right on top of the heat mat, not in the air or anywhere else. It should take the temperature of the thing you are heating. If you place it in the air, it will measure air's temp, while the heat mat temp can be waay higher.

Can be placed under? It's not recommendable, but taking some precautions it can be done, but only when putting them in the lateral is not possible and only for emergency purposes.

It should be placed in one place where the T can't dig down even more, and where you always can see your T, that's to prevent to cook your T. The thermistor should be placed in the substrate, so the heat mat it's only active until that temp is reached in the substrate, take note that the T is going to be atracted to this heated substrate.

Something needs to be applied between the glass and the substrate to increase heating times (it will reduce burning risks) and to maintain that heat longer. I did use a thick joint mortar, the same I used to make my foam rocks. And on top of this a thick layer of clay, as an extra security measure to not allow to dig even more.



In my case the heat mas was placed betwen the two enclosures. To heat one of their hides to 18°C 64'4F. And all of this, because I couldn't keep a nice temp with the heat mat of the back. When the back heat mat heated the enclosures to an acceptable levels the underside mat was disconected.



I'd recommend placing it under? No, too much things to keep controlled. It's a better option to place it in one side or buy a cabinet and place your enclosure inside and heat the cabinet.

I use Ultratherm for my snakes.

Best brand imho! Mine were ultratherm too

 

[Arachnophobphile]

I have a little experience with heat mats since in my old house temp could reach 7°C inside 44'5F,no heating and no insulation at all, and heating that house with electric heaters was a monetary suicide.

Can be used? YES, but doing it RIGHT.

As @basin79 mentioned, a thermostat is mandatory, without this, the heat mat will heat the enclosure until make it uninhabitable.

The thermistor sensor should be right on top of the heat mat, not in the air or anywhere else. It should take the temperature of the thing you are heating. If you place it in the air, it will measure air's temp, while the heat mat temp can be waay higher.

Can be placed under? It's not recommendable, but taking some precautions it can be done, but only when putting them in the lateral is not possible and only for emergency purposes.

It should be placed in one place where the T can't dig down even more, and where you always can see your T, that's to prevent to cook your T. The thermistor should be placed in the substrate, so the heat mat it's only active until that temp is reached in the substrate, take note that the T is going to be atracted to this heated substrate.

Something needs to be applied between the glass and the substrate to increase heating times (it will reduce burning risks) and to maintain that heat longer. I did use a thick joint mortar, the same I used to make my foam rocks. And on top of this a thick layer of clay, as an extra security measure to not allow to dig even more.

View attachment 395691

In my case the heat mas was placed betwen the two enclosures. To heat one of their hides to 18°C 64'4F. And all of this, because I couldn't keep a nice temp with the heat mat of the back. When the back heat mat heated the enclosures to an acceptable levels the underside mat was disconected.

View attachment 395700

I'd recommend placing it under? No, too much things to keep controlled. It's a better option to place it in one side or buy a cabinet and place your enclosure inside and heat the cabinet.


Best brand imho! Mine were ultratherm too

44.5???? Buy a camper and live in that instead of a house where it's that cold.

 

[Dorifto]

44.5???? Buy a camper and live in that instead of a house where it's that cold.

We were saving money to buy our new house, so we moved to my grandma's baserri (hamlet), here winters are pretty cold...

In our new house we don't even need to turn the heaters on. Even on winter inside temp is around 22°C 71'6F while outside is at -5°C 23F

 

[Dorifto]

The problem is that I love cold weather, I'm one of those people who wears short pants in winter and this is one of the reasons why the rule of shoty pants or a T shirt is a bad rule, because my Ts would be deaaaaddddd


Ps: I hope that we won't derail this post, because it is a interesting one.

Maybe another one related to moisture and avics would be great.

 

[basin79]

Must be my American privilege, but 99% of heat mats are entirely unnecessary for tarantulas. I don’t think anyone has issued the ultimatum of never using a heat mat or else

The reason I made this thread was because that absolutely happens. And quite a lot.

 

[The Grym Reaper]

I don’t think anyone has issued the ultimatum of never using a heat mat or else

If I had a quid for every time I've seen an American on this forum say to never use heat mats under any circumstances, or for every time that myself or Basin have had to explain how to use heat mats safely then I'd have a room full of Pamphobeteus sp. "Solaris" slings. Tbh, this thread is long overdue.

I'm one of those people who wears short pants in winter and this is one of the reasons why the rule of shoty pants or a T shirt is a bad rule, because my Ts would be deaaaaddddd

Yep, I'm that dude who goes out wearing shorts when it's snowing sideways

It works both ways which is why it's such a dumb rule, temperatures that I find uncomfortably hot don't even phase tarantulas, every summer I see peeps in the UK who follow that rule asking if a British heatwave is gonna kill their tarantulas

 

[VaporRyder]

I’m the other way lol. I get chilly if my room ever dips below 24C! I think it comes from my snake keeping days where I had wall-to-wall vivariums (with ceramic heating systems) in my large bedroom - keeping everything at a steady 31C (88 F) - and police choppers hovering over my apartment every Friday night, presumably using heat seeking equipment to ensure I wasn’t running a dope growing facility!

Edit: I never got swatted!

Edit: The croc was in the living room!

 

[basin79]

Also acryllic and plastic storage containers are used more often for terrestrials which you never want to use a heat mat on, melting issues.

Again that's simply not true if the heat mat is set up right. The vast majority of my enclosures are plastic. This is what I mean about so much misinformation about heat mats.

 

[Marlana]

Thank you @basin79 this was long overdue. I’ve had so many arguments with people who claim you never ever need to heat tarantulas. And doing so will kill your spiders. I hate big blanket statements that fail to take into the consideration that everyone has different conditions inside their home and each species has different needs. And that fail to see there’s a safe way to go about it. Just so short sighted.

 

[Reezelbeezelbug]

I've been wondering this about heat mats: do they heat the front and back of the heat mat equally? When placing the probe can I put it on the back side of the heat mat, so the front stays flush with whatever tank? The probe on my thermostat is quite thick and bumps a good portion of my heat mat away from the tank.

Basically can I do: probe | heat mat | tank
or is it always preferable to do: heat mat | probe | tank

 

[Dorifto]

I've been wondering this about heat mats: do they heat the front and back of the heat mat equally? When placing the probe can I put it on the back side of the heat mat, so the front stays flush with whatever tank? The probe on my thermostat is quite thick and bumps a good portion of my heat mat away from the tank.

Basically can I do: probe | heat mat | tank
or is it always preferable to do: heat mat | probe | tank

They heat up equally, but you should take the measurement inside the enclosure, not at the outer side.

 

[l4nsky]

2) The heat mat must NEVER be placed UNDER the enclosure. Instead use it on the back or side of the enclosure.

So, I have to disagree with this statement, at least in one particular situation. I use heat mats and they are placed on the bottom of the enclosure. The ONLY way this is safe is to have them temp controlled via a thermostat AND make sure the tarantula can't get within an inch of the heated bottom surface. To do this, I utilize false bottoms constructed out of light diffuser panels and mesh. The temp probe goes into this heated air plenum under the substrate. There is a very specific reason I use this approach and I'll explain at some point in detail in my methodology thread.