Heat Mats - do you use a Stat?

[koppite]

Hi team - i have a couple of heat mats coming i got from another forum and just also got some of that bubblewrap stuff thats got the foily stuff on it that you use to insulate your walls, back of radiators etc etc from B&Q........

I will attatch the mats to the outside wall of my tubs with some insulated bubblewrap taped over it for maximum heat consumption, but do i need to use a mat stat with them? and does everyone else use stats with their mats?

they are only 7.25 watts each, so is there a real need for a stat, and if i dont use one will there be a chance it may melt the plastic tub or slowly cook the snails?

cheers
phil

[welsh]

well its never happened to me so i highly doubt it. I think the only risk of cooking your snails is if you put them underneith and it heated up the substrate. I'm sure your snails will be thankful for the extra heat in this weather

[crossless]

I only have timer so I use mat at night and day I have lamps. I read if you have too powerfull mat you can play with timer and make it example go off for 15mins warm next 15mins etc or something other times. But if it's really cold weather I would not risk snails. When snail tank was in my closet for xmas just in case I put mat only to other end of tank, so there was cooler and warmer ends snails could deside which end they use and I think there could be less risk snails to actually "fry". If cooler side lost heat, hotter side will cool down to heat cooler side too. But if there no change try these things I think it's better not to risk snails life if temperature is round species ideal temperature. When weather gets warmer I think then is safest to see how place mats.