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Heat mats

Denny Dee

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Tarantula heat sources are one of the most crucial elements of successfully keeping a T. Also, by far the number one controversial area of the hobby that I have witnessed. I have heard for years and years how dangerous heat mats can be. I have used them for years in my T and Scorpion enclosures successfully. I always make sure the size is no more than half the enclosure. Always follow established guidelines on substrate depth and appropriate substrates for each species. This ensures that the critter can have some say in regulating its internal temperature. There are now different heat ranges you can purchase as well. They also now have thermostats to assist in keeping the mat from overheating.

I continue to read about the dangers associated with these heat pads and tarantulas. I am of the belief that no tarantula is going to "cook" themselves if they have areas of the enclosure that they can move to and avoid that. My possible theories on these "cooked" tarantulas are:

1.) Was not enough substrate to diffuse and spread the heat correctly. This could potentially create the "hot spot" that gets referred to.
2.) Tarantula's may have died from poor care such as no water source being available?
3.) Someone lost another type of pet due to over heat issues?

So, my fellow T experts, I am challenging all of you to come forward and actually share an experience that YOU have personally witnessed that can point to overheating a T due to using a heat pad. Hoping there are no responses to this. :)
 

Enn49

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Tarantula heat sources are one of the most crucial elements of successfully keeping a T. Also, by far the number one controversial area of the hobby that I have witnessed. I have heard for years and years how dangerous heat mats can be. I have used them for years in my T and Scorpion enclosures successfully. I always make sure the size is no more than half the enclosure. Always follow established guidelines on substrate depth and appropriate substrates for each species. This ensures that the critter can have some say in regulating its internal temperature. There are now different heat ranges you can purchase as well. They also now have thermostats to assist in keeping the mat from overheating.

I continue to read about the dangers associated with these heat pads and tarantulas. I am of the belief that no tarantula is going to "cook" themselves if they have areas of the enclosure that they can move to and avoid that. My possible theories on these "cooked" tarantulas are:

1.) Was not enough substrate to diffuse and spread the heat correctly. This could potentially create the "hot spot" that gets referred to.
2.) Tarantula's may have died from poor care such as no water source being available?
3.) Someone lost another type of pet due to over heat issues?

So, my fellow T experts, I am challenging all of you to come forward and actually share an experience that YOU have personally witnessed that can point to overheating a T due to using a heat pad. Hoping there are no responses to this. :)


I totally agree with you on this subject. I use heat mats for my Ts but every mat has a thermostat to prevent accidental over heating.

I have seen at first hand the damage that can be caused by a mat without a thermostat. It was a cheap mat that my son had in a vivarium containing 2 green anoles and the first we knew was when the 2 little ones hadn't been seen for a few days. On opening the vivarium we were met by a horrendous small of burning plastic. The mat had burnt to a crisp and burnt a hole in the wood below it. Obviously the poor anoles had sadly died.
This was many years ago and I presume safety has been improved on these mats

This was the mat. It shows how important a thermostat is.
024.JPG
 
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Kymura

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I use a space heater in my T room,
but this is because I have read on so many forums (not here) that the T's have stayed in the hottest spot and dehydrated and died.
and thats just frightening to me.
Have to admit that a heat mat would be much easier. I have all my smaller enclosures in a large aquarium at the moment to keep them cat safe,
checking options for heating just that :p
 

Enn49

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I use a space heater in my T room,
but this is because I have read on so many forums (not here) that the T's have stayed in the hottest spot and dehydrated and died.
and thats just frightening to me.
Have to admit that a heat mat would be much easier. I have all my smaller enclosures in a large aquarium at the moment to keep them cat safe,
checking options for heating just that :p

I have most of my bigger Ts containers inside wooden vivariums and have the heat mats along the back of the vivarium so none of the T containers touch them. The thermostats are set at 75-80 deg F so it just prevents the temperatures in the vivariums dropping to low if the room gets chilly at night.
 

Will

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I keep all my T's in a room that is kept between 66°F (18.5°C) minimum night temp, and 73.5°F (23°C) consistent day temp.

I don't use any additional heat sources. Am I doing it wrong?
 

Enn49

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I keep all my T's in a room that is kept between 66°F (18.5°C) minimum night temp, and 73.5°F (23°C) consistent day temp.

I don't use any additional heat sources. Am I doing it wrong?

No, you're not doing it wrong. I only use heat mats because my house gets particularly cold especially at night when the heating goes off as we have no double glazing.
 

Zurchiboy

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I prefer not to use a heat mat. We have a well insulated house. Our 2 Ts have done well in a daytime temp of 67-69 degrees and a night time temp of 62-64 degrees in the winter. and roughly 74-76 degrees in summer. The Ts we have come from places were they can get chilly nights in their natural habitat.

I personally think the importance of a heat mat depends on were you live. Since I am from chicago. I decided not to get a heat map since we have a new heater that is highly unlikely to break down. If we had a 40 year old heater like our AC that has broken down in the past. I probably would Have one to use in the case of a broken heater since We see temps getting well below 0 F here. :)
 

kormath

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I keep all my T's in a room that is kept between 66°F (18.5°C) minimum night temp, and 73.5°F (23°C) consistent day temp.

I don't use any additional heat sources. Am I doing it wrong?
I don't use any extra heat sources either.

Ambient room temps we prefer to be 75F give or take. In the winter we just use the wall heaters and humidifiers to keep it around that temp. Has been ranging lately from 73 to 77 with the weather changes and spring coming.

Last summer we only had 1 T, the GBB that started this all for us ;) Temps then ranged in house from 75-85 or so. I didn't have any thermometers last year that could record temps an show averages so that's just a guess. This year we'll have an evaporative portable cooling unit upstairs for us and the T's so we'll be able to keep the temps more around the 75F mark and the humidity up with the cooling unit, and now have digital thermometers to display the variation of temps so we can adjust as needed.
 

Noobmatus

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I have never used them for Ts but I used to have a few scorpions none of which ever seemed to have a problem with them though as stated above only half to a quarter of each tank was heated and where set on thermostats with that being said they where only used during the winter when our house got cooler
 

Nicolas C

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I don't use heat mat nowadays, but have been using one in the past, without any issues.

The temps in my room are between 70°F (winter night) and 74°F or more (winter day). In summer, of course it's higher (between 75°F and 82°F). I've kept tarantuals for many years at these temps without problems. But if you want to breed,it's more important to check the temps & humidity (and increase them for many Ts).

But I like what you say, Denny: it can be ok to use heat mats if we follow the basic rules you are mentionning.
 

mrclownprince

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The room with my T's also has 9 leopard geckos and 2 bearded dragons. So the temperature is usually fine. If anything i have to monitor to make sure they don't get too warm. If you had them in a basement room, that room might get to cold, especially in the winter months.
 

Denny Dee

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I keep all my T's in a room that is kept between 66°F (18.5°C) minimum night temp, and 73.5°F (23°C) consistent day temp.

I don't use any additional heat sources. Am I doing it wrong?
There are strong arguments that the temperatures for T's should try to duplicate their natural environment. There have been studies showing that reduced temperatures impact growth and the desire and ability to breed. So, depending on your species, I would try to get the day time temperature up a bit but you are close. I keep my T room at 75. Summer months it gets a little warmer as well.
 

Denny Dee

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This has been GREAT feedback. Thanks everyone for sharing. I am going to continue to believe in my theories and think heat mats are appropriate in the proper situation (other than poor Enn's Anoles! :(). The equipment has vastly improved over the years.
 

MassExodus

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Interesting thread. I use heat mats on the bottom of my roach colonies, duck taped to plastic containers. I've been using Zilla heat mats, with no thermostat, connected to a GFI, for 3 or more years now. So far no problems. Although I do recommend a thermostat, I don't think Zilla mats will heat up past 85, I've tested them, and that was as warm as they got. It's worked just fine so far, the plastic doesn't get very hot...I can hold my hand directly on the bottom of the enclosure, plus my roaches all get substrate. I don't use mats for spiders, as it's not necessary, I keep my room at 75 as well. My roaches just get mats to stimulate breeding, but they stay on at all times. In fact I'm going to take the heat off my dubia and lats, they're breeding a little too well these days..
 

Entity

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I think that would be the best scenario for heat mats like @MassExodus does with the roaches to turn the breeding impulses on and off with his roaches. I just find it easier to heat the entire room to around 75 to 78 degrees with a radiator style heater....1 cord, as opposed to a bunch of cords from multiple heat mats.
 

MassExodus

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When I first started duct taping them to the bottom of plastic, I worried about it being too hot. It was pointless. The plastic does not melt, it just gets warm. The heat mat itself is sheathed in some kind of plastic, and like I said, I cant get a Zilla mat to go above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. But mats like that cheap one in the picture are dangerous. I guarantee if you put that on plastic it will start a fire. Theres no insulation containing the heating element.. I still hesitate to recommend using one without a thermostat though. And a GFI. Just don't pay 100 bucks for the fancy Zilla thermostat. It's great but there's much cheaper alternatives out there.
 

Enn49

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Of course the advantage of a thermostat is that it will switch the mat off when temps rise
When I first started duct taping them to the bottom of plastic, I worried about it being too hot. It was pointless. The plastic does not melt, it just gets warm. The heat mat itself is sheathed in some kind of plastic, and like I said, I cant get a Zilla mat to go above 85 degrees Fahrenheit. But mats like that cheap one in the picture are dangerous. I guarantee if you put that on plastic it will start a fire. Theres no insulation containing the heating element.. I still hesitate to recommend using one without a thermostat though. And a GFI. Just don't pay 100 bucks for the fancy Zilla thermostat. It's great but there's much cheaper alternatives out there.

I've not bought another like the one that burnt as there were a few other people had problems with them. That Zilla one looks good but I've not seen them in the UK, I might have to do a search for them.
 

MassExodus

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Of course the advantage of a thermostat is that it will switch the mat off when temps rise


I've not bought another like the one that burnt as there were a few other people had problems with them. That Zilla one looks good but I've not seen them in the UK, I might have to do a search for them.
I had one that was labeled as a hermit crab heating mat. I plugged it in and put it against a glass enclosure and the glass got too hot to touch. Shabby construction, it reminds me of the first mats made from heat tape companies...horrible, dangerous and low quality, as you also found out the hard way :(
 

Enn49

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@MassExodus I've just had a look for Zilla mats and it seems the only seller over here is Amazon and they're charging £50.78+ £6.49 shipping (a total of $81) for the mini 4w one.
 

Kymura

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ouch!
just looked, the 4 is $10.00 usd here. Wonder what it would cost to ship to you from this end....
 
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