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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nurse Ratchet" data-source="post: 210588" data-attributes="member: 37967">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?</blockquote>