Reptile Heat Mat
January 2nd, 2011 | Published in Reptiles
Where can i buy an undercage heat mat for a plastic cage? (uk)?
My hedgehog needs a heat mat for night times as the temperature drops in in our house now it is getting to winter but all the reptile under cage heaters (which i have read can be used to help this problem) say they are only suitable for glass tanks anyone know of one thats fine for plastic or have any other ideas? thanks 
I don't know what you're budgeted for, but I used a KANE heat mat for my sulcata to sleep on.
You can also buy them with a plug-in dimmer, to adjust the temp.
They are very popular for dogs, pigs, and newborn calves that are kept in sheds.
They're a bit pricey, but won't start a fire, you can get them in many sizes, and they are tough tough tough.
The problem with normal undertank heaters is if they flex, they get a hot spot, and can start on fire, plastic or no plastic. I've seen them do this. Kane heat mats don't do this, because they're covered, Heavy Duty, won't flex, and don't get as hot as stick-on undertanks that are really made for desert animals. Farmers in my area used to use heat lamps, but because of the danger of fire, most have gone to these heat mats which are much safer.
http://www.phillips-animal-health-ltd.co.uk/kane.html
You can make a UTH safe for plastic, and it doesn't cost much.
Simply get the biggest thick aluminum cookie sheet you can find.
Apply the UTH on the top of the cookie sheet (Like it was a cookie.) (follow the directions, peel and stick it just like it was on the bottom of a glass tank.) flip it over, then set the plastic kritter keeper on top of the sheet. The sheet will be upside down, so I guess it would be the bottom of the sheet.
So, what you have is the plastic tank on top, the cookie sheet , and the undertank heater stuck to the sheet.) The aluminum sheet acts as a heat spreader, even if the UTH gets hot, the cookie sheet will spread the heat around, so it won't catch fire or melt the plastic.
I'd also recommend getting 4 hockey pucks (Or something similar.), and put them in the corners under the cookie sheet so the heat isn't trapped under the sheet, and the weight isn't on the cord. Make sure they don't touch the heater part of it.
An alternative to hockey pucks is to spray the cookie sheet and UTH with a light coat of spray glue, then spray glue a piece of reflectix (radiant insulation.) over the UTH. (A bit wider than the UTH.) It acts as a mirror for heat, and the heat won't build up under the cookie sheet.
If you're going to do that, I'd still cut a corner out or notch the side for the cord.
If you have a hot glue gun, put a bit of hot glue by the notch to protect the cord from any sharp edges.
Don't put bare tape (Flexwatt or a UTH) under a plastic tub directly, thermostats fail and flexwatt and heaters get hotspots . It's a fire hazard. I'd hate to see you burn your house down. There's nothing wrong with running a thermostat or a lamp dimmer, just don't be one point of failure away from a fire.
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