KANE Mat too hot

[rjk]

I'm a bit confused I bought a new 18x18 Kane mat and hooked it up to my Hebastat and to test it put a stuffed animal on the center of the pad after checking it with my IR gun it was at 150 degrees. I've turned it down to 50% dimming and its still 140 degrees. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but I thought it had safety to prevent it from getting that hot, the test is in my office which is about 68 degrees so 37 above ambient would only be 105.

 

[pacific chelonians]

Try the zoo med version. They also make it an 18 x 18 it’s a lot more mild. Kane Mats have been known to burn Tortoises. That’s why we recommend mounting them on the ceiling or wall, not underneath the Tortoise.

 

[pacific chelonians]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003Z0B52Y?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

@Tom might be able to advice you.

 

[wellington]

My guess would be it's defective. I would try to return it for a new one.
I have never heard of a kane burning tortoises, so can't comment on that. It's likely due to being used incorrectly..

 

[wellington]

Try the zoo med version. They also make it an 18 x 18 it’s a lot more mild. Kane Mats have been known to burn Tortoises. That’s why we recommend mounting them on the ceiling or wall, not underneath the Tortoise.

Never heard of the kane mats burning tortoises. More details about this would be nice. I love to know if it was really the mats or misused.

 

[jaizei]

how did you measure the temperature with the stuffed animal? Place it on the mat and then take away and measure? It's hard to get a good picture of how the mat is heating with just the infrared gun. Did you measure just the mat without ever placing anything on it?

Generally, when placing something on the mat like this, a more solid object is better to simulate a tortoise. Something like a stuffed animal is more of an insulator so the heat doesn't conduct away from surface as much.

 

[The_Four_Toed_Edward]

Generally, when placing something on the mat like this, a more solid object is better to simulate a tortoise. Something like a stuffed anim

This is what I was thinking, books are what I have read to be used.

 

[EppsDynasty]

Kane mats have detailed info on the back of the manufacturing process and who built it, if it is defective then they can know when and who built it. I would try to use different items to get a better idea of the actual heat but if it's still 'Hot' then they should take it back.

Try the zoo med version. They also make it an 18 x 18 it’s a lot more mild. Kane Mats have been known to burn Tortoises. That’s why we recommend mounting them on the ceiling or wall, not underneath the Tortoise.

Heat mats should be under and over the tort to make sure heating is uniform, I would NEVER use 1 heat mat under a tort for heat, no matter who makes it. The tort WILL burn itself sitting on 1 mat trying to get warm. Kane mats are less watts than Stanfield but I've never had any issues with them being too hot.

 

[Yvonne G]

It is my understanding that pig blankets don't heat hotter than 37C. In fact this is what is said about them:


Kane Manufacturing Company, Inc.
https://www.kanemfg.com › Products › Livestock › Hogs

https://www.kanemfg.com/products/livestock/hogs/heat-mats-thermostats/




When installed without temperature controls, your heat mats will heat to a constant 37 degrees Fahrenheit above ambient temperature.




Something abuo

 

[wellington]

Kane mats have detailed info on the back of the manufacturing process and who built it, if it is defective then they can know when and who built it. I would try to use different items to get a better idea of the actual heat but if it's still 'Hot' then they should take it back.

Heat mats should be under and over the tort to make sure heating is uniform, I would NEVER use 1 heat mat under a tort for heat, no matter who makes it. The tort WILL burn itself sitting on 1 mat trying to get warm. Kane mats are less watts than Stanfield but I've never had any issues with them being too hot.

That's why it's always recommended to use a heat source over the heat mat. A tortoise will sit on a mat too long trying to get his carapace warm. With a heat source under them and above them, they don't need to stay there long.

 

[Tom]

I'm a bit confused I bought a new 18x18 Kane mat and hooked it up to my Hebastat and to test it put a stuffed animal on the center of the pad after checking it with my IR gun it was at 150 degrees. I've turned it down to 50% dimming and its still 140 degrees. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong but I thought it had safety to prevent it from getting that hot, the test is in my office which is about 68 degrees so 37 above ambient would only be 105.

Try the same experiment with something more dense like a brick or a big rock and let us know what you get.

I've never had a Kane mat malfunction or harm a tortoise in all my years.

 

[rjk]

So far when I use a piece of MDF the temp was much closer to 100, I have a giant rock on it right now testing so it may very well be a stuffed animal was a bad choice to test. One additional question I have the 18x18 matt and a 18x18 225 watt RDP. I'm assuming I will put the matt in the corner away from the door (which is where I expect the Sulcata to want to sleep based on his smaller existing home, is that okay or should I put the mat away from the corner so he can sleep off of it, and should the RDP be over the corner or matt or more in the center of the structure its 2x4x2. Thank you all!

 

[wellington]

Most tortoises seem to grab a corner. If you are putting the kane mats on the floor then the RHP needs to be above it and both on the same thermostat. The tortoise should always have room to get off it.
Is this for a sulcata? A 2x4x2? Is awful small for a sulcata.

 

[rjk]

Most tortoises seem to grab a corner. If you are putting the kane mats on the floor then the RHP needs to be above it and both on the same thermostat. The tortoise should always have room to get off it.
Is this for a sulcata? A 2x4x2? Is awful small for a sulcata.

He is only about 8" right now and its only his sleeping house he has a yard to wander around in. If I put the kane in the corner he is likely to want to sleep on it all night.

 

[Ink]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003Z0B52Y?tag=exoticpetnetw-20

I use this kind too. Works great.

 

[wellington]

I use this kind too. Works great.

I have both. Either one works great, one cheaper than the other.

 

[wellington]

He is only about 8" right now and its only his sleeping house he has a yard to wander around in. If I put the kane in the corner he is likely to want to sleep on it all night.

He really should have stayed in the closed chamber until 10 inches.

 

[Tom]

So far when I use a piece of MDF the temp was much closer to 100, I have a giant rock on it right now testing so it may very well be a stuffed animal was a bad choice to test. One additional question I have the 18x18 matt and a 18x18 225 watt RDP. I'm assuming I will put the matt in the corner away from the door (which is where I expect the Sulcata to want to sleep based on his smaller existing home, is that okay or should I put the mat away from the corner so he can sleep off of it, and should the RDP be over the corner or matt or more in the center of the structure its 2x4x2. Thank you all!

I haven't tried those dimensions and those wattages, but I think it is too small. I've tried going smaller than 4x4x2, and it just doesn't work well. I don't think those smaller, lower wattage heat sources will keep it warm enough on a cold night either, but your thermometer will tell you that answer when nights start dropping into the 30's. You need the space inside for an 18x28 Kane mat and an 80 watt RHP, and then the other half of the box for the tortoise to get away from the heat. An 18 inch mat in a 24 inch box that is actually much smaller than 24 inches inside if it's 24 inches outside, leaves no room for the tortoise to get off the heat source. My 48x48 inch boxes are actually about 39x39 inches inside. You can see the layout here:

If the tortoise is already warm enough, it has all that room to get off the heat mat and out from under the RHP. If he's too cool, he can move over onto the mat. If this box was half this size, there is no place to get off the mat.

At 8 inches, I would keep him indoors over the winter in a large 4x8 closed chamber, and put him outside on nice warm sunny days. I'd move him outside full time in late April or June during a warm sunny spell.

 

[rjk]

I will say on the test night last night it got to 42 outside and his Tom inspired box just using the overhead heat pad kept it at a perfect 86 degrees (and this is before i add the door) I got him when he was 3 years old and already living outdoors for a year or two. His old house was about 18x22 so this is much bigger. He seems pretty happy although not sure he likes the wood floors or is just getting use because he is scratching up a storm in the corners now that the temp has dropped and he moved into his new house.