heat mats with thermostat?

[xSeed]

Hey I was wondering. If I get an exo terra 12x12x12, I leave that foam background, and I change the lid to one with plexiglass at top and vents on both the top side of the front and back.... If I use a heatmat that covers those 12 inch but use it on the back of the terrarium but only connected to this super high quality thermostat that I have called "herpstat 2" by spyder robotics and keep it at exactly 72 degrees farenheit... would this be okay? Mind you it would have exo terra's foam background infront of it and it's extremely accurate. It's the best thermostat you can get in the u.s. I already have it and thought I could maybe use it for this?

P.s. there is a store that makes custom exo terra lids like I said. for 8x8 and 12x12 apparently tarantula oriented.

 

[Nurse Ratchet]

Hmm... I guess first I would want to know why you feel you need a heat mat? Secondly, if you must use it, you need to smooth the back of the foam insert so it sits flush with the glass. Easily done with razor or even a kitchen knife. (If you have a junk knife, heat the blade with a lighter and it cuts through the foam like butter). Very lightly make pases over the cut foam with the lighter after to firm it up and prevent foam balls from crumbling off. The reason for smoothing the back is so your T doesn't crawl behind the foam and cook itself on the heat source. I would even go so far as to silicone or glue the foam in place to prevent this.
Thirdly, I would also make sure the mat doesn't cover the entire back, mb just the top inch or less of substrate and the open area above it. Your T is programmed to dig deeper to get away from heat, so if it digs along the back and the entire back is heated, your T isn't able to escape the heat and again cooks itself. For this same reason, make the substrate deep. I think you should always do that for many reasons, but I digress. It needs enough depth for a temperature gradient away from the heat source.
To be honest, I wouldn't use it unless you have no alternatives. It would be better/safer to warm the room.
Back to the begining though, why do you feel you need to use a heat source?

 

[xSeed]

Hmm... I guess first I would want to know why you feel you need a heat mat? Secondly, if you must use it, you need to smooth the back of the foam insert so it sits flush with the glass. Easily done with razor or even a kitchen knife. (If you have a junk knife, heat the blade with a lighter and it cuts through the foam like butter). Very lightly make pases over the cut foam with the lighter after to firm it up and prevent foam balls from crumbling off. The reason for smoothing the back is so your T doesn't crawl behind the foam and cook itself on the heat source. I would even go so far as to silicone or glue the foam in place to prevent this.
Thirdly, I would also make sure the mat doesn't cover the entire back, mb just the top inch or less of substrate and the open area above it. Your T is programmed to dig deeper to get away from heat, so if it digs along the back and the entire back is heated, your T isn't able to escape the heat and again cooks itself. For this same reason, make the substrate deep. I think you should always do that for many reasons, but I digress. It needs enough depth for a temperature gradient away from the heat source.
To be honest, I wouldn't use it unless you have no alternatives. It would be better/safer to warm the room.
Back to the begining though, why do you feel you need to use a heat source?

Well I live in jersey. My room dips into the 50s some nights, and other nights stays in the 60s range, while sometimes 70s?

I don't have to use that specific background. Could get one from universal rocks and silicone it to the back.

I just wanted to make sure its fine. I don't have central heating system working rn. only room heaters and they dont have thermostat so it can get uncomfy

 

[Nurse Ratchet]

I believe the A chalcodes you mentioned can tolerate temperature dips during the night, but please double check that. I plan on getting one next month, so I've been digging up info on them.
You also mentioned custom lids and new background purchase. Those lids can run $30+, same with the backgrounds.
Save some cash and replace the mesh lid yourself with some plexiglass with holes drilled in. I have two 12x12x12 exo terras. It's pretty simple. I'll take pic in a min.
My humble opinion; save your cash and buy a space heater with a thermostat.
With all the $$ you'll save, you can buy more T's

 

[xSeed]

I believe the A chalcodes you mentioned can tolerate temperature dips during the night, but please double check that. I plan on getting one next month, so I've been digging up info on them.
You also mentioned custom lids and new background purchase. Those lids can run $30+, same with the backgrounds.
Save some cash and replace the mesh lid yourself with some plexiglass with holes drilled in. I have two 12x12x12 exo terras. It's pretty simple. I'll take pic in a min.
My humble opinion; save your cash and buy a space heater with a thermostat.
With all the $$ you'll save, you can buy more T's

I actually just wanted 1 t for now. I wanted my first t to have a nice looking enclosure. I saw the prices. Better than forking 100s and 100s on reptile enclosures. bought a custom enclosure for my beardie and its very much poopie. it does its job but yeah.

 

[Nurse Ratchet]

I wanted just one. I have eight now, and one true spider. And I love them all!
The 12x12x12's are currently $67 at Josh's frogs website. You can get them for $40 at Petco week after Xmas.
This is the lid. I cut one square instead of 2 rectangles.
sorry for the glare.

 

[xSeed]

I wanted just one. I have eight now, and one true spider. And I love them all!
The 12x12x12's are currently $67 at Josh's frogs website. You can get them for $40 at Petco week after Xmas.
This is the lid. I cut one square instead of 2 rectangles.
sorry for the glare.
View attachment 64421
View attachment 64420

Nice. Might just do that for future ones.

 

[DustyD]

I think it is possible and Nurse Ratchet hits all the major concerns.

I have a similar problem with colder nights, I live in Maine.

I would be curious about how much of inside the terrarium would get heated since three sides would not. If you go forward, I would test this out without the T.
Once put in, likely the T would be drawn to the heat and hopefully would stay near the background. Still other parts might be cold.

My approach is different and more expensive, but I work most overnights so I fear leaving a space heater on, even with all the safety features.
I keep my tarantula enclosures within larger enclosure and try to heat that area inside. I currently am using an Exo Terra 36x18x12. I use low watt reptile heating cable that I have strung up around inside the Exo Terra, spreading out the heat a bit better. The T's still spend some time where the cable comes closest. But now it is much less. I have a smaller PVC enclosure for my smaller slings with a cable inside.

Both also help to keep a curious cat away from the T's.

 

[xSeed]

I think it is possible and Nurse Ratchet hits all the major concerns.

I have a similar problem with colder nights, I live in Maine.

I would be curious about how much of inside the terrarium would get heated since three sides would not. If you go forward, I would test this out without the T.
Once put in, likely the T would be drawn to the heat and hopefully would stay near the background. Still other parts might be cold.

My approach is different and more expensive, but I work most overnights so I fear leaving a space heater on, even with all the safety features.
I keep my tarantula enclosures within larger enclosure and try to heat that area inside. I currently am using an Exo Terra 36x18x12. I use low watt reptile heating cable that I have strung up around inside the Exo Terra, spreading out the heat a bit better. The T's still spend some time where the cable comes closest. But now it is much less. I have a smaller PVC enclosure for my smaller slings with a cable inside.

Both also help to keep a curious cat away from the T's.

that sounds great

 

[Vermis]

Gonna be honest, I think there's a bit of paranoia about heat mats. I used them years ago when I first kept inverts and I use them now, with no casualties.
Sure, don't use them underneath the viv, or in it, or even stuck against the side. (The bulky lids of my food containers and storage boxes manage to keep them separated by half to one inch) Otherwise I don't think you need to sweat the small stuff.
Case in point, and speaking as someone else living in a cold part of the world, I've been using 15W heat strips and mats (including a 12x12") and this winter they struggled to keep the temp - on the heated side - much higher than 20°C/68°F on cold nights. I have a 20W mat heating a 20 litre roach tub and that keeps it about 24-25°C/75-77°F currently.
Just the other day I got two 28W mats in the post, for the bigger surface area - to heat more of the bookshelves that my expanding collection rests on, rather than have a bunch of smaller mats plugged in, heating a smaller area. I may have to go dig out my old mat stat for that kind of wattage, but before that I might experiment by... pulling the tubs slightly further away.

(I have a mat stat because I used to heat a small invert cabinet with two huge 45W mats. They did the job. Heat mats are faaantastic.)

I think I saw some low powered 12x12 mats that are about 11 Watts. (Or if you're very anxious, get a 6x12 7W mat) Maybe stick a couple of spacers on the mat if you're planning to stick it to the viv. I also like Nurse Ratchet's suggestion of keeping it above most of the substrate.

Speaking from experience, I think your most worrisome problem with the small, lo-Watt mats might be condensation on the other side of the viv.

 

[DustyD]

I agree. For some people, heating pads or cables are the most logical way to keep the Ts warm.

 

[xSeed]

Gonna be honest, I think there's a bit of paranoia about heat mats. I used them years ago when I first kept inverts and I use them now, with no casualties.
Sure, don't use them underneath the viv, or in it, or even stuck against the side. (The bulky lids of my food containers and storage boxes manage to keep them separated by half to one inch) Otherwise I don't think you need to sweat the small stuff.
Case in point, and speaking as someone else living in a cold part of the world, I've been using 15W heat strips and mats (including a 12x12") and this winter they struggled to keep the temp - on the heated side - much higher than 20°C/68°F on cold nights. I have a 20W mat heating a 20 litre roach tub and that keeps it about 24-25°C/75-77°F currently.
Just the other day I got two 28W mats in the post, for the bigger surface area - to heat more of the bookshelves that my expanding collection rests on, rather than have a bunch of smaller mats plugged in, heating a smaller area. I may have to go dig out my old mat stat for that kind of wattage, but before that I might experiment by... pulling the tubs slightly further away.

(I have a mat stat because I used to heat a small invert cabinet with two huge 45W mats. They did the job. Heat mats are faaantastic.)

I think I saw some low powered 12x12 mats that are about 11 Watts. (Or if you're very anxious, get a 6x12 7W mat) Maybe stick a couple of spacers on the mat if you're planning to stick it to the viv. I also like Nurse Ratchet's suggestion of keeping it above most of the substrate.

Speaking from experience, I think your most worrisome problem with the small, lo-Watt mats might be condensation on the other side of the viv.

I wasnt sure how to heat it up. I like it cold

 

[Vermis]

I wasnt sure how to heat it up. I like it cold

Ditto. The nighttime temperatures over here rise to 4-5° and I couldn't sleep in the sudden heat!

As a kind of TL;DR: to my last post, I'd say smaller mats are more about boosting temps a few degrees above ambient, rather than reaching a very specific temperature.
I don't know what to say about the thermostat you bought. I don't know the brand but it sounds expensive. Perhaps use it, in case your heat mat (if heat mat you choose) makes a mug of me. Or... keep it in case of larger heat mats, for a larger collection. These things have a tendency to grow, despite original intentions.

Looking over the details of your first question again, I wonder about the foam background. I'm not personally familiar with exotic terras: is it something that might insulate the viv against the heat from the mat, if both are on the back?

 

[xSeed]

Ditto. The nighttime temperatures over here rise to 4-5° and I couldn't sleep in the sudden heat!

As a kind of TL;DR: to my last post, I'd say smaller mats are more about boosting temps a few degrees above ambient, rather than reaching a very specific temperature.
I don't know what to say about the thermostat you bought. I don't know the brand but it sounds expensive. Perhaps use it, in case your heat mat (if heat mat you choose) makes a mug of me. Or... keep it in case of larger heat mats, for a larger collection. These things have a tendency to grow, despite original intentions.

Looking over the details of your first question again, I wonder about the foam background. I'm not personally familiar with exotic terras: is it something that might insulate the viv against the heat from the mat, if both are on the back?

The brand is very expensive. I don't need it currently. I was going to put the enclosure in a book case thats built into my wall. I was thinking of getting a medium heat mat and cover the upperback with it so that it has enough space to heat up enough but like others said give her chance to borrow if needed. I also wondered if theres a mini heater i can put in the book case and hope ones with a thermostat and not burn the wood.