Winterhousing - Belgium + pics. Advice welcome

Big Charlie

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Thanks Tom, more then I needed, but that's can't okay. I do have a couple from Tyler. I just always read for people to not let torts lay on the heat mat.
How do you attach the thermostat probe to it? For mine attached to a side wall, I have the probe hanging in front of it towards top so torts can't bother it. To place mat so tort can lay on it, how is the probe attached and where is it placed?
My thermostat probe comes from my thermostat, not from my Kane heat mat. I have both my radiant heat panel and my Kane heat mat plugged into the temperature controller. The probe hangs down from the ceiling where my cords come through.
 

wellington

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My thermostat probe comes from my thermostat, not from my Kane heat mat. I have both my radiant heat panel and my Kane heat mat plugged into the temperature controller. The probe hangs down from the ceiling where my cords come through.
Right, the probe is not with the heat mat. It's with the thermostat. But where is it placed in relationship to the heat mat and how do you keep it there?
 

Big Charlie

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Right, the probe is not with the heat mat. It's with the thermostat. But where is it placed in relationship to the heat mat and how do you keep it there?
I have it hanging from the ceiling down to just above the top of his shell. It's near the middle of the box and near where his tail end usually ends up and also the end of the heat mat. I have a hole cut into the lid of my box where all my cords go through and it goes through there. Then I stuffed plastic bags into the hole to block airflow and the tightness holds the probe where I want it.
 

Tom

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Thanks Tom, more then I needed, but that's can't okay. I do have a couple from Tyler. I just always read for people to not let torts lay on the heat mat.
How do you attach the thermostat probe to it? For mine attached to a side wall, I have the probe hanging in front of it towards top so torts can't bother it. To place mat so tort can lay on it, how is the probe attached and where is it placed?

I put my thermostat's probe on the opposite side of the box, away from the heating elements. I want to maintain a minimum air temp. If the tortoises are feeling cold, they can lay on the mat to warm up. If they are feeling warm enough, they can get off the mat and lay on the wood, but still be in the warm enough air inside the heated box.
 

wellington

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I put my thermostat's probe on the opposite side of the box, away from the heating elements. I want to maintain a minimum air temp. If the tortoises are feeling cold, they can lay on the mat to warm up. If they are feeling warm enough, they can get off the mat and lay on the wood, but still be in the warm enough air inside the heated box.
The thermostat/probe for the heat mat, you don't put it by or on the mat?
 

Tom

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The thermostat/probe for the heat mat, you don't put it by or on the mat?

No. That would shut it off prematurely and the air temp in the box would be too cool.

Try it. Put a couple of thermometers that record the high and low, and try your thermostat probe in different locations.
 

Markw84

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Thanks Tom, more then I needed, but that's can't okay. I do have a couple from Tyler. I just always read for people to not let torts lay on the heat mat.
How do you attach the thermostat probe to it? For mine attached to a side wall, I have the probe hanging in front of it towards top so torts can't bother it. To place mat so tort can lay on it, how is the probe attached and where is it placed?
For me the important issue is the mat should not be able to heat to a temp hotter than the thermal max of a tortoise, which is about 104°. Not so cooincindentally, that is the max you would ever let a hot tub for humans ever reach. I like setting a thermostat to about 90°-95° and placing the probe touching (immediately under) the heat mat. That is for use in conjuction with another heat source that keep ambient air temps up.
 

wellington

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No. That would shut it off prematurely and the air temp in the box would be too cool.

Try it. Put a couple of thermometers that record the high and low, and try your thermostat probe in different locations.
My mat has nothing to do with the air temp. That's on its own thermostat. I use the mat for a hide/sleep area only. But temping the mat with a temp gun, it's way too hot, I feel, to let a tort lay on it. That's why I always had it on a side wall with the probe hanging right in front of it.
 

wellington

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For me the important issue is the mat should not be able to heat to a temp hotter than the thermal max of a tortoise, which is about 104°. Not so cooincindentally, that is the max you would ever let a hot tub for humans ever reach. I like setting a thermostat to about 90°-95° and placing the probe touching (immediately under) the heat mat. That is for use in conjuction with another heat source that keep ambient air temps up.
I didn't think the heat mat got hot on the underside for the probe to do any good there.
 

Big Charlie

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My mat has nothing to do with the air temp. That's on its own thermostat. I use the mat for a hide/sleep area only. But temping the mat with a temp gun, it's way too hot, I feel, to let a tort lay on it. That's why I always had it on a side wall with the probe hanging right in front of it.
What brand heat mat do you have? I can put my hand on Charlie's Kane and it is comfortable. The radiant heat panel in the ceiling is much hotter. If you put your heat mat on a side wall, can your tortoise rub up against it and possibly burn himself?
 

Tom

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My mat has nothing to do with the air temp. That's on its own thermostat. I use the mat for a hide/sleep area only. But temping the mat with a temp gun, it's way too hot, I feel, to let a tort lay on it. That's why I always had it on a side wall with the probe hanging right in front of it.
The idea is that if the air temp is under the set temp, I want the tortoise to have a warm place to lay. If the air temp in the box is warm enough, the heat mat stays off.

In practice, it works. Been doing it that way for years.
 

wellington

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What brand heat mat do you have? I can put my hand on Charlie's Kane and it is comfortable. The radiant heat panel in the ceiling is much hotter. If you put your heat mat on a side wall, can your tortoise rub up against it and possibly burn himself?
It's the Kane. The tort can lay next to it but not get burned
 
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