Kane heat mat

[mimi stephens]

In the winter I set my box thermostats to 86 since some of the day aren't very warm. In spring and fall when we have warm sunny days, I set the box thermostats to 80. In summer, I usually unplug the box.

The Kane mat alone is not enough. You'll also need a radiant heat panel overhead. You need to maintain warm air temps in the box. The surface temp of your mat is irrelevant. Set the mat's thermostat all the way up since is has built in safeties that will not let it over heat, and use a separate thermostat with the probe over in the cooler section of the box, away from the heat sources. This way, when the air temp drops, your tortoise can lay on the warm mat under the RHP and get his body warm all the way to the core. Once he's warm enough, he can move off the mat over to the "cool" side, but still be plenty warm and breathing the 80+ degree air.

None of this will work if you aren't using an insulated sealed night box. Plastic sheds or deck boxes and dog houses don't work. Your tortoise will get too cold on those nights when temps drop into the 30s or 40s.

Here is the thermostat I use in most of my boxes:
https://www.lllreptile.com/products/13883-zilla-1000-watt-temperature-controller

Here is the RHP I use. I usually get the 80 watt, but bigger won't hurt anything since you are using a thermostat to control it:
https://www.reptilebasics.com/rbi-radiant-heat-panels

I’m also pretty new to this forum and have some questions on the night time temperature for a juvenile Sulcata Tortoise. I have the 80 watt RHP and 18x18 Kane Mat, hooked up to an INKBIRD thermostat. Is there a reason for putting the temp gauge on the cooler side of the night box?

 

[mimi stephens]

I’m also pretty new to this forum and have some questions on the night time temperature for a juvenile Sulcata Tortoise. I have the 80 watt RHP and 18x18 Kane Mat, hooked up to an INKBIRD thermostat. Is there a reason for putting the temp gauge on the cooler side of the night box?

Night time temps are around 60f (California) so not very cold. Do I need both RHP and Kane mat for these temps? I’ve been using only the RHP over the past month and it’s kept the ambient temp in the night box between 77-82. Not sure if the fluctuation in temp is okay though.

 

[Tom]

I’m also pretty new to this forum and have some questions on the night time temperature for a juvenile Sulcata Tortoise. I have the 80 watt RHP and 18x18 Kane Mat, hooked up to an INKBIRD thermostat. Is there a reason for putting the temp gauge on the cooler side of the night box?

Yes. Because if the temperature on the "cool" side of the box away from the heat sources is less than the set point, we want the heaters to be on so the tortoise can warm up. If you put the probe on the warm side near the heat generating devices, then the cool side will be too cold.

 

[Tom]

Night time temps are around 60f (California) so not very cold. Do I need both RHP and Kane mat for these temps? I’ve been using only the RHP over the past month and it’s kept the ambient temp in the night box between 77-82. Not sure if the fluctuation in temp is okay though.

Yes you need both. The thermostat will turn them off if they are not needed on a warm day.

Further, RHPs alone are not great for heating a tortoise. They don't throw heat all that far. The Kane mat allows the tortoise to really warm up its core. This is what is needed to maintain digestion and keep the immune system functioning. Getting the top of the carapace warm is nice, but warming the core from below is better.

 

[mimi stephens]

Yes you need both. The thermostat will turn them off if they are not needed on a warm day.

Further, RHPs alone are not great for heating a tortoise. They don't throw heat all that far. The Kane mat allows the tortoise to really warm up its core. This is what is needed to maintain digestion and keep the immune system functioning. Getting the top of the carapace warm is nice, but warming the core from below is better.

Thank you Tom!