Heating advice please

[Phil Rea]

I've just become the brand new owner of a lovely juvenile Curly Hair, who appears settled in and is hunting and eating nicely, but I'm having some trouble keeping his tank heated up sufficiently.

The humidity's fine, and I have a heatmat fixed to the side of the tank opposite his cork bark retreat (with some polystyrene at the back of it), but I live in an old granite farmhouse which is a pain to heat up and keep at a constant temperature. It's one of those plastic tanks with the slots across the top (75% covered in cling film now, so that whilst he's got through ventilation, I can keep the humidity up sufficiently).

The temperature can fluctuate between 18 and 22 degrees, and whilst he's active and feeding at above 20, I don't want to cause him any distress and cool him down too much or vary the temperature too much for him.

Has anyone got any suggestions as to what I can do to try and regulate the temperature in the tank better?

Thanks.

Phil.

[Mark Pennell]

Phil
Welcome to the BTS forum and to the society. Sounds like you have everything pretty much set up OK. The heat mat on the back, and this backed up with polystyrene should be fine. Your new T will be fine how he is. It will get all the warmth it needs from the mat.

Heat mats are funny things and often thermometers don’t really give you a full idea of the temperature as these mats use infrared heat and this will heat your spider and objects in the tank rather than the surrounding area. So your T may be up to temp but the tank might not seem as hot.

As long as it’s feeding and active I would leave it as it is. Perhaps just covering it up at night or adding a polystyrene lid, during colder spells.

Alternately place the heat mat in a vivarium and place the tank inside this, the chipboard will be more insulated from the outside room temp.

Regards
Mark

[Phil Rea]

Thanks for the advice Mark. I'll leave it as it is at the moment then, and just keep an eye on proceedings.

Covering it up at night certainly sounds like a good idea though. I'll have a go at that tonight

Regards,

Phil.

[Neil Richardson]

Hi Phil!! I think it's you isn't it?

Glad to see that the curly is doing fine, and you found your way here. Best place for any queries in the world

[Phil Rea]

Hi Phil!! I think it's you isn't it?

Glad to see that the curly is doing fine, and you found your way here. Best place for any queries in the world

Yes it's me

Thanks again for the help Neil. It was nice talking to you on MSN and as a new T owner to be given rational and reassuring advice by someone who is knowledgeable in the subject

You were right though. One is never enough

[Neil Richardson]

*points to the bulletin board*

Plenty of stock for sale