Are heat mates 100% needed?

[I BALL OUT]

Hi all,
I am working through a new terrarium build that I am planning out for future BP's. I am wondering if heat mates are essential to keeping bp's. I have one in my current viv set up along with a CHE both on a thermostat and a blue night bulb on a dimmer, but on my new build I want to just use a CHE to simplify the set up. As long as I have a hot side of 90 and cold side of 80 and proper humidity is the heat mat a must have also? I am looking to build a 6 viv (bookshelf ?) type viv.

[JoshSloane]

Nope, heat mats are not always necessary. As long as you are achieving the correct ambient and hot spot temps that is all that matters. The entire point of heating the snakes cage is to allow them to thermoregulate and achieve a desirable internal body temperature to allow proper physiological functioning. If this is through a heat pad, lamp, radiant heat panel it doesn't matter. The important thing is properly regulating the heat source with a dimmer or thermostat.

Keep in mind that each heat source affects humidity in very different ways, also depending on your geographic location.

[eddie-head]

I've never used a heat mat, and never will. I have my BP set up in a 3ft wooden viv with a single CHE on the hot side. Temps are fine across the viv, humidity is fine and she is as healthy as can be. Consistent eater, consistent pooper, consistent shedder

I personally don't know why so many people harp on that heat mats are essential. If you have a RUB/rack setup then yeah - you've got nowhere to mount a CHE and it's easier/cheaper to heat numerous RUBS off of mats. If you don't and you can maintain heat and humidity with just a CHE then that's all you'll need

[h20hunter]

I do not use a heat mat. Our BP is in a 100 gallong acquarium and I made my own lids with wood and plexiglass that have holes drilled for ventilation. I use a large dog dish for a water bowl, have a hot side and a cool side, and have a perch that is just offset of the heatlamp. This gives our girl a cooler side, a warm hide as it gets some partially heated from the above source. The perch acts as a heat mat if she wants belly heat. I check everything about every other day with a digital temp gun to make sure her perch isn't to hot as well as her other temps. She pretty regularly uses her available space to regulate temps, before and after eating, and during her shed cycle. I'm in western Washington so most often we have a little higher ambient humidity so her tank stays nice and steady. We get one piece shed and have a very content snake.

Now, you may need a mat or you may not. It works for me but it will ultimately be up to you on finding the right equipment that will offer a safe and properly temp/humidity controlled environment.

[JoshSloane]

The source of the heat is completely irrelevant so long as you maintain the correct temps. Period.

[AlexisFitzy]

One of my bps doesn't have a heat mat either. I use a radiant heat panel to keep temps within range in his PVC cage if you ever decide to get a PVC Rhp's are the way to go

[Mr. Misha]

One of my bps doesn't have a heat mat either. I use a radiant heat panel to keep temps within range in his PVC cage if you ever decide to get a PVC Rhp's are the way to go

x2 what Alexis said. Only I use Animal Plastics PVC enclosures.

[Abracadaver]

I have one but have never actually used it, I find that my heat lamp does a fine job of keeping the temperature nicely on it's own.

[Abracadaver]

Also, they kind of suck for bigger tanks.

[Tsanford]

My snake room is 8x9. It's actually cheaper for me to heat the whole room, than it is to run heat tape.

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