Heatmats inside or outside???

[Val]

Didn't explain myself properly, if using a plastic tank do you put the heatmat on the inside or the outside?

Val

[section8angel]

Outside I would say. They might burn themselves if it's inside, and you can't really cover it as it might not work as well then.

When I was reading up about them, they seem to get though plastic as easily as they do glass. But in both cases it says put polystyrene on the opposite side so it doesn't get wasted going into a wall or whatever it's facing.

[sezzy5889]

outside of course, the snail would hurt itself crawling over it if it was inside.

[sezzy5889]

grrr how dare you post at the same time as me

[section8angel]

Pfft you posted at the same time as ME!

Rofl.

[Val]

I have heard of people putting them on the inside. I am thinking of trying plastic and was just wondering. Cheers guys

[section8angel]

I wonder how that worked. I know they sell waterproof ones for snakes, but they still give off the same heat.

[Paul]

There isn't much difference between the heatmat and the glass it would heat up if you used a glass tank. So I don't think it is too hot for them on the inside.

One thing about both glass and plastic is that it takes a while to heat them up, especially if you have lots of ventilation. When I need to use mine, I tend to cover the airholes or use a lid with none, and then air them out a few times a day.

[Arno]

I use my heatmats on the inside without problems,sometimes my snails snuggle right next to them lol.Also getting water on them is not bad,although you probably don't want to soak them......

[section8angel]

The water is to do with the black box bit on them apparently. That's what it said on one of the sites I looked at anyway.

I can't put mine on the inside anyway lol It's too long. It stretches the whole length of the shelf just about so I can heat 2 tanks with each mat

[ceiron]

heatmats should never go inside housing imo, unless they are sealed away so they cant be got at, they arent 100% waterproof and so are subject to electrical problems, also they should be mounted on the sides, never the bottom as the pressuse of having them underneat creates heat hopt spots which can crack or break glass and possible plastic.

[Val]

I think it might depend which type of heatmat you are using, I have bought some 'Habistat' heatmats and one of the ways they recommend you using them is UNDER the tank!! This is pictured quite clearly. They recommend that you only heat half of the tank so that the animal can move away from the heat if it wants to but that you can definitely put their heatmat undeneath if that is where you fancy having it. I am actually going to put the heatmat on the inside of my plastic tanks but shall cover it with the capillary matting!!

[ceiron]

aha, but manufacturers only want to sell you a product at the end of the day and they reccomend them under wooden tanks if i remember rightly, at the end of the day its your choice but i am just highlighting a few points that i know for a fact are true as i have seen them personally, tis why i hate the use of heat mats so much tbh, they do have uses and stuff but only in certain conditions etc ...

at the end of the day am jsut concerned about the welfare of the snails.

and i do sometimes er on the side of caution but its jsutified.

[Val]

On the Habistat heatmats it actually recommends that you do NOT use it outside of a wooden tank as the wood would insulate the heat and the tank would stay cold!! Anyway, mine are going on the inside I think.

Val

[section8angel]

The ones I've read about say inside for wood, on the back or sides for glass, and back, sides or underneath for plastic. (With the polystyrene on the opposite side)
The only different ones I have seen are the "waterproof" ones for inside the tank. (Mainly for snakes apparently)

[LisaLQ]

Mine's on the outside and covers half the back.

[Ben snail]

I have mine on the outside and then i cover it with polystyrene to keep the heat from escaping