Heating pads can be attached from the bottom or the side.
Vivarium heat mat.
Simply stated you provide a gradient by providing heat at one end of a terrarium or enclosure.
Whether you choose to mount it under your glass terrarium or on the side your pet is going to love having the option to rest on a nice warm surface.
Whether you use heat mats basking lights heat lamps ceramic heating elements or a combination of these they should all be placed at one end of the tank.
These cold blooded creatures rely on a suitable heat source to stay healthy and happy which means reptile owners must understand their needs and provide ideal heating and humidity.
Similar to a heat pad heater cable is basically a long insulated cable that contains a heating element inside.
Heater cable can be buried in the substrate providing a source of even heating in the vivarium.
The main problem being that they only produce a gentle warmth.
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.
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In this section i ll go over the pros and cons of both.
This mat is a great option for reptiles amphibians arachnids and planted terrariums.
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The exo terra heat mat is a terrarium substrate heater that simulates these surfaces heated by the sun.
Once you ve decided which rout to go the next step is to get a thermostat.
Another option is a basking lamp or heat lamp.
These mats provide 24 hours of even heat and can be used as a primary or secondary heat source.
The problem with heat mats.
Proper heating is essential for reptiles.
They re designed to sit above the enclosure and heat from the top to the bottom.
While these are a safe low cost and generally effective way of providing artificial heat they re not without their weaknesses.
Most invertebrate keepers and even many snake owners use low wattage heat mats to warm their vivariums.
Heat mats are used to maintain a constant temperature throughout your vivarium.
Exo terra s heat mats are an ideal 24 hour primary or secondary heat source for tropical or temperate reptile and amphibian species and essential as a nighttime heat source for many desert species.