Reptile Heat Mats

Under reptile heating you can expect to find a few different products for keeping your pet warm. You might think that you have plenty of heat in your home with the heaters on or the sun shining in, but your reptile is different from you and any warm blooded pets you might have. Reptiles need their own source of heat to keep warm and help with digestion. Added to the benefits of digestion is the source of UVB and UVA for the skin that they require. Reptile heat mats are one choice you have in supplying the right heat for your reptile.

Heat mats produce what is known as infrared heat. This is a very long wavelength that is invisible to the human eye. Infrared heat will actually work better for the furnishings in the vivarium over that of the air. The infrared waves will warm the substrate, rocks, or other decor that is in contact with it, so the air temperature will remain low, but the surfaces are going to warm your reptile accordingly. Reptiles absorb lower heat levels for basking. The heat mats work at such a low temperature they will not harm your pet even if they sit directly on top of the mat without substrate in the mix.

As mentioned the reptile heat mats offer a gentle heat. For animals that require higher temperatures like certain snakes or lizards you would need an additional heat source. Many diurnal species or day active lizards for example require a heat spot for basking, so in addition to the heat mats you would want something like a heat rock or heat lamp.

Heat mats are used for night time heating as well. Since the heaters do not have visible light it can be more comfortable for your pet reptile to have a heat mat as opposed to a light that will upset the natural flow of things. Reptile heat mats are best for invertebrate heating as a sole source. If you have any questions about the products you should speak with an expert. They can help you understand the heat mats a little more.

As a description of the heat mat, you have a flat structured heater with a plug on the end. The plug allows you to keep it running all the time to heat the inside of the vivarium. Heat mats come in a range of sizes from 4x5 inches to 47x11 inches. The reasons these heaters come in different sizes are in part the wattage. The smallest heat mat has 4 watts while the largest is set at 60 watts. The larger matt will obviously be able to heat to a higher temperature for more comfort. The smaller mats work great for localised heating.

You can cover the entire floor with the heat mat, or leave off a portion of the terrarium. Your reptile will want a cooler spot occasionally, like after basking for a while, so having a different temperature inside the cage will help in this.

Reptile Heat Mat Products

Reptile Heatmats include the selection of EXO Terra Heat wave Desert mats, the rainforest mats, habitat heat mat or strips, radiator, the lucky reptile thermo with a choice of Pro, and the thermo mat strip.

If you have a pet lizard the reptile radiator is a good choice. This reptile heat mat provides your pet with a light basking hotspot. This is a nice mat to provide your species with heat for medium to large vivarium tanks.

The reptile mats heat kennels or bird brooders, as well as hospital and convalescent regions. You can mount the heat mat above the tanks window or doorway to reduce cold draughts. These particular models are high-powered heaters, which replace the old Power Plate Heatmats. New technical features have been added to improve the Heatmats quality.

The reptile heatmat is safe for your pet and it will radiate heat. There is protective insulation to help reduce heating of the upper mount area.

The lucky reptile thermo mat pro is designed for demanding species. These mats are waterproof. There is insulation to provide your pet the protection he deserves and there is a unique conductor to ensure that the heat is evenly distributed. If you have species that resides around water areas this is a good choice of heat mat. A unique overheat protector is built-in to the mat, which you can switch it off the heatmat to reduce the temperature. This feature is added to reduce the risk of fire or damage to your vivarium or terrarium flooring.

EXO Terra heat wave desert mats are substrate heaters designed for desert-dwelling reptiles, like dragon lizards. This mat simulates the heated sand beds from the desert sun. This mat is a great choice for desert or dry terrariums, or for under tank mounts. It is safe to your pet and distributes the heat evenly. There is a conductive heat source for your arachnid or reptile.

When it comes to choosing reptile heating and heatmat products it makes sense to compare the features, price, and other options. As you can see there are several types of reptile heat mats available. We will help you make your choice but be aware as there are various other types of heat mats available also.

The most important thing to keep in mind when you are choosing heat mats is your pet’s safety. The heat strips work the same as mats, yet these strips are narrower. The strips are used for heating smaller boxes or cages that are used to contain infant snakes, or related species.

When the strips are placed in diminutive enclosures heat starts to build up quickly, which means that you should monitor and control the heat with a thermostat. If you have hatchlings or rack systems the strips is a good choice. Most heat mats are affordable and cost anywhere from £10 to £50 dependent on size. “You get what you pay for,” does not apply when it comes to choosing reptile heat mats because some of the less expensive mats have good quality features as well.