Most invertebrate keepers and even many snake owners use low wattage heat mats to warm their vivariums.
Vivarium heat mat setup.
I will also use a heat mat in such a small setup.
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The heat mat alone has the potential of overheating the vivarium to above 80 degrees.
The vivarium should have two heat sources.
The main problem being that they only produce a gentle warmth.
While these are a safe low cost and generally effective way of providing artificial heat they re not without their weaknesses.
A basking spot heat lamp that provides the vivarium s general heat along with the hot spot to bask in plus a low level heater to provide heat at the cool end or at night in places where the ambient temperature drops below 75 f 23 9 c.
Once the size and type of pad have been selected the terrarium can be prepared.
Then at around seven to nine months old feeding well settled in and less skittish into a vivarium they go.
I used a lucky reptile mat on the underside of the box for her hot basking area.
So using a thermostat to regulate the mat s activities is very important.
While she was still in her exo terra plastic box as a young corn snake i used the following setup.
Ever wondered how to install a heat mat if you use a vivarium.
Heat mats are used to maintain a constant temperature throughout your vivarium.
They re a good way to provide gentle warmth and they heat the floor of your vivarium much like the sun would heat the ground in your reptile s natural environment.
This was controlled via a microclimate evo lite thermostat.
Heat mats are a popular way to provide this warmth because they heat the vivarium from underneath to maintain a constant source of heat.
Helpful if you own reptiles.
It s the only real option available for such.
But for a heat mat any mat stat will be sufficient.
You should place the heat mat under the tub rub or faunarium as you want to avoid your snake having direct contact with the heat mat.
The problem with heat mats.
Heating is an essential part of vivarium setup as cold blooded reptiles need heat to stay happy and healthy.
Choosing the heat mat size to use.
Install two heat sources.
This also means that during the fall and spring when the seasons are changing the heat mat will only run when it is needed.
It is typically much easier to effectively install a heating pad on an empty terrarium.