Heat mat placement

[Rickie Lowery]

Hi all

Setting up an exo-terra tank ATM, just need to add the heatmat. Internet wisdom says I need to put it on the back wall, but it is a little bigger than the wall, which is no big deal, I can deal with the excess (it can bend a little and stick up or stick out the bottom and overhang the back of the shelf), but I've noticed the pad would fit 'perfectly' on the (plastic) lid, such that about a third of the lid is covered. That seems much easier and logical, and more 'natural' (heat coming from above). Nice hot area, nice cool area (rather than back hot/front cooler, just seems... More logical to my mind. But I have never had a spider, so honestly what do I know!).

However, given I have never seen a guide suggest the lid as a suitable place, I'm thinking I'm missing something obvious... Put me out of my misery (before I accidentally do the same to my poor soon to be moving in spider!).

You're going to ask for dimensions, so it's a PT 2310, 18' x 12' x 6.5'. The mat is 7' x 12'. And I'm hoping for a Pink Zebra Beauty.

Thank you all so much.

[Peter Roach]

I've noticed the pad would fit 'perfectly' on the (plastic) lid, such that about a third of the lid is covered. That seems much easier and logical, and more 'natural' (heat coming from above).

Natural . .Yes.

Logical . .No

The Sun is the source of our natural heat and it is radiated downwards BUT a heatmat gives out 942, trillion billion zillion X 378 billion, thousand gazillion times less heat than the sun so it doesnt work in the same way
What actual minimal amount of heat a small heatmat fitted to the lid gives out will just go upwards . . .ie. heat rises

I'm thinking I'm missing something obvious... Put me out of my misery (before I accidentally do the same to my poor soon to be moving in spider!).

What is NOT obvious to me is WHY you think that a tarantula species that you are hoping for, actually NEEDS external heating ?

You're going to ask for dimensions, so it's a PT 2310, 18' x 12' x 6.5'. The mat is 7' x 12'.

The depth of this is very minimal, so a substrate depth of 3-4 inches isnt going to leave a lot of room for your spider and decor.
One of the deeper sizes would be much better (PT2265 . 14 1/2” x 8 1/2” x 10”)

And I'm hoping for a Pink Zebra Beauty.

You have very little to zero chance of finding or getting a E campestratus.
Many years ago they were a reasonably common spider but I think that i've seen only a single juvenile for sale in the UK in the last few years.


Unless you live in an extremely cold house somewhere in the arctic circle, many tarantulas will not need heating.
The average UK house temps are around 70 -72F (?) which is fine for many of the common beginner species available today in the UK, of which there are a multitude.

[Rickie Lowery]

Natural . .Yes.

Logical . .No

The Sun is the source of our natural heat and it is radiated downwards BUT a heatmat gives out 942, trillion billion zillion X 378 billion, thousand gazillion times less heat than the sun so it doesnt work in the same way
What actual minimal amount of heat a small heatmat fitted to the lid gives out will just go upwards . . .ie. heat rises




What is NOT obvious to me is WHY you think that a tarantula species that you are hoping for, actually NEEDS external heating ?





The depth of this is very minimal, so a substrate depth of 3-4 inches isnt going to leave a lot of room for your spider and decor.
One of the deeper sizes would be much better (PT2265 . 14 1/2” x 8 1/2” x 10”)





You have very little to zero chance of finding or getting a E campestratus.
Many years ago they were a reasonably common spider but I think that i've seen only a single juvenile for sale in the UK in the last few years.


Unless you live in an extremely cold house somewhere in the arctic circle, many tarantulas will not need heating.
The average UK house temps are around 70 -72F (?) which is fine for many of the common beginner species available today in the UK, of which there are a multitude.

Wow this site is hard to post on...

Spider room gets to a comfy 23 on average at the moment. But when the heating is off at the moment it drops as low as 10, so a heat mat is needed.

I'll put the mat on the side then. Oh, and 2 stores expect PZBs in in a couple of weeks, so I'll see if that pans out.

[Nicolas Charrière]

Hello Rickie.

If your room's temperature drops to 10°C, it might be a little too cold for a tarantual, you're right. Heat mat is then needed, unless you have a possibility to warm the entire room (which would be the best option). Think about it: when you'll be breeding hundreds and hundreds of tarantulas, you'll be happy to have chosen the "warm the room" solution! (joking...!)

Heat mat on a side is the best place: it allows the T to choose whether it wants to be near the hot spot or far from it. And it won't dry the enclosure as fast as if it were on the top (or below the substrate). Anyway, be extremely careful to check that your T has access to water at all time, especially when you use a heat mat! Dangers of dessication are great. A heat mat on the top would attract your T on the ceiling of the cage, and she could fall more frequently.

All the best to find a E campestratus. I was looking for one last year, but in Switzerland I was only able to find slings... And they are such slow growers that i abandoned the idea for the moment...

[Craig Forsdike]

When tarantulas are concerned the best place for a heatmat is in the bin. They can be dangerous, especially for younger Ts. They can be used but far better to save on the extortionate prices a lot of places charge and get a room heater. Same effect, covers multiple Ts and less chance of an unfortunate tarantula finding a hot spot and burning itself/tanks drying out. And definitely avoid any kind of heatlamp.

[Rickie Lowery]

Thanks

Hello Rickie.

If your room's temperature drops to 10°C, it might be a little too cold for a tarantual, you're right. Heat mat is then needed, unless you have a possibility to warm the entire room (which would be the best option). Think about it: when you'll be breeding hundreds and hundreds of tarantulas, you'll be happy to have chosen the "warm the room" solution! (joking...!)

Heat mat on a side is the best place: it allows the T to choose whether it wants to be near the hot spot or far from it. And it won't dry the enclosure as fast as if it were on the top (or below the substrate). Anyway, be extremely careful to check that your T has access to water at all time, especially when you use a heat mat! Dangers of dessication are great. A heat mat on the top would attract your T on the ceiling of the cage, and she could fall more frequently.

All the best to find a E campestratus. I was looking for one last year, but in Switzerland I was only able to find slings... And they are such slow growers that i abandoned the idea for the moment...

Thanks both, food for thought. The chances of holding the room above 20C in the winter is slim to none, I doubt even our lived in rooms hit that when the heating is off (and the T room is a cooler one, on the basis when summer hits it will be much easier to stop the T cooking!). Summer I expect will be fine though.

I can keep the water topped up, that's no trouble, I was going to provide a good sized bowl and I already have other animals in the room that need attention re their water levels, so it will be routine to check.

[Rickie Lowery]

Hi all again.

So let's assume I've done some tests now and, while I think the mat will be good for giving the temperature a bit of a boost, in winter particularly it won't be enough.
So, let's heat the room! Or at least that part. Comments above ruled out a bulb (I assume even a red one), so what's a good way to cheaply keep the tank warmer, like a little heater with a thermostat connected? Given my tank is plastic I don't think blasting it with heat is a good idea, so something a little less direct might be best.

Oh, and I know 'stick the radiator on' would seem sensible advice, except my tank choices are near the radiator but in the sun, or in a nice dark niche but away from the radiator. Plus for reasons I will never fathom in all my days, our house has no thermostat, so the radiator is on or off, regardless of ambient temperature... I'd rather use something electric.

That's the solution isn't it, little heater, near the tank, thermostat to keep it off when it's warm and on when it's chilly. Make sure it's not pointed directly at the tank so I don't come home to a puddle of melted plastic...
Back me up here?

[Craig Forsdike]

I'd say you've got it there Rickie. Room heaters are generally a better way to go, as long as you can keep the temp up and your T's safe from over heating you're set to go.

[Rickie Lowery]

I'd say you've got it there Rickie. Room heaters are generally a better way to go, as long as you can keep the temp up and your T's safe from over heating you're set to go.

Well, I would be (I worked out a plan to put the T in the snake room, both need similar temps so match made in heaven! Small room, easier to heat, seemed perfect. Set up a space heater we have, got the room past 20 with no real issues while the heating was off, so confident it would never drop below 20 all year), except my wife has declared we aren't leaving a heater running while no-one is in the house.

So that's that then...

[John-Henry Dickinson]

Hi Rickie,

after a lot of personal trial and error (more error than i expected!) I personally think that the most efficient way to heat your T's is by heating the room with a small ceramic fan heater with its own thermostat. My fan heater cost me £10 and it does the job perfectly. They are also relatively cheap to run as well. But if you only have one or so T's I found the best way to heat they is with a heat cable. There are many different ways to set it up and these are very cheap and effective to run as well. Again, personally I find heat matts a pain and not worth the hassle.

I hope this has helped but most likely confused the matter even more. It all boils down to personal preference.