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Introduction
Reptile and amphibians are ectotherms or cold-blooded animals. Although they produce metabolic heat, they have no efficient means of conserving it or of increasing or decreasing its production.
This means they have to absorb heat from the surrounding environment. Although unable to maintain a constant body temperature, reptile and other ectotherms use homeostatic regulation to compensate for high and low temperatures. The blood flow to the skin tissues is regulated, increasing heat loss or heat absorption. Reptiles can also regulate body temperature simply by moving to a cooler or warmer spot, seeking sun or shade. In their natural biotope, reptiles often use surface heated by the sun (branches, rocks, sand or the forest floor) as a heat conductor. The Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater simulates this by heating the substrate of the terrarium. It is important to leave sufficient "cold spots" to provide the animals with options and make thermo-regulation possible.
Under-Tank Mounting
The Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater should be mounted under one end of the tank. The entire Mat must be adhered to the glass. No portion of the Mat should overlap the glass terrarium frame.
- Clean the outside surface of the glass.
- Place the spacers under each corner of the tank bottom, where applicable. The spacer must be used when no bottom frame is present to provide air space and ventilation around the heater.
- With the protective backing still intact, place the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater on the bottom of the tank to determine its final position.
- Mark the position with a wax pencil or other marker.
- Remove the protective backing and carefully fit the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater to the bottom. Remove the white protective backing ONLY. Do not remove the clear film backing from the other side of the Mat. NOTE: Once in place, the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater should not be removed. Make sure the tank does not press down on the electrical cord. Use the provided spacers where applicable. Place the tank on a hard surface (no carpet) like a terrarium stand or table.
- Plug in the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater.
- Add the substrate and decorative accessories. The Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater is not designed to be used without a substrate.
Important:
When installing this substrate heater, it is important that the electrical contact block is not bent and that it sits flat against the glass surface of the terrarium. This heater is not to be installed with the contact block portion resting on the bottom frame of the terrarium. The terrarium must not sit on the contact block. Under no circumstances should the heater sheet be bent or folded in any way as this may result in product failure. The use of provided rubber spacers is mandatory when installing the substrate heater on a terrarium without a bottom frame.
Background or Wall Mounting - For heating terrarium walls.
Attention: Not to be used with paper backgrounds.
- Clean the surface of the glass.
- With the protective backing still intact, place the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater on the outside of the tank to determine its final position.
- Mark the position on the background or wall with a wax pencil or other marker.
- Remove the white protective backing and carefully fit the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater to the tank wall. Do not remove the clear film backing on the other side of the Mat. Note: Once in place, the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater should not be removed.
- Place the tank in its final location.
- Plug in the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater.
- Add the substrate and decorative accessories.
Substrate Thermal Conductivity
| Material |
(W/mk) |
| Granite |
2.90 |
| Sandstone |
1.70 |
| Wet Desert Sand |
1.55 |
| Wet Soil |
1.50 |
| Glass |
1.38 |
| Water |
0.60 |
| Wet Peat, Bark, Coconut Fiber |
0.33 |
| Dry Desert Sand |
0.21 |
| Dry Soil |
0.20 |
| Dry Peat, Bark, Coconut Fiber |
0.08 |
Substrate
When mounted under the tank, the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater should not be used without a substrate in order to prevent reptiles from being burned. The efficiency of the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater depends on the kind of substrate used and the thickness of the layer as some substrates are more conductive than others.
Moistened substrate increases the humidity in the tank rapidly when heated by the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater. This is ideal for damp and warm-loving reptiles and amphibians. Make sure to use warm water when adding it to the tank to prevent cracks in the bottom glass as it reacts to the temperature changes.
Decorations
Always place the water bowl on the opposite side of where the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater is positioned. This prevents the water from overheating and evaporating. Hiding boxes or caves should also be placed in the "cold zone" of the tank to promote natural behavior. Reptiles seek these hiding places to cool down and hide from warm substrates or the sun. Other decorations like rocks or wood can be placed in the "warm zone" (on the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater) to create even more temperature zones.
Additional Heat Sources
In addition to the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater, several types of heating devices can be applied to create the ideal environment. Note: Incandescent light bulbs should not be mounted directly above the surface heated by the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater. Be sure to place them in such a way that a cooler area is still present. Heating rocks can be used in conjunction with the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater but is more as an alternative heat source. Never position the heating rock on the surface heated by the Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater.
General Information
The Rainforest substrate heater simulates a heated forest floor of tropical areas. The sun is often blocked by trees and clear skies are alternated by cloudy conditions in tropical areas or rainforests. Heavy rainfall keeps the soil often moist what results in a high air humidity, especially when the sun breaks through the clouds and heats up the moist soil. Because of the climatological conditions, the soil or substrate never heat up to the extreme like in desert environments. The power of the Heat Wave Rainforest Substrate Heater is designed to create these conditions in the terrarium.
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 "Exo Terra Rainforest Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater")
Energy-efficient solution to maintaining stable temperature zones for tropical rainforest reptiles. Exo Terra Rainforest Heat Wave Mat Substrate Heater provides a reliable heat source while using less energy than most reptile habitat heating devices. Self-adhesive heating mat with ultra-thin, conductive heat technology installs with ease and allows versatile use as an under-tank or wall-mounted heater. Safe, even heat distribution aids important thermoregulation in terrestrial or arboreal rainforest species. Great for reptiles, arachnids, amphibians and other ectothermic species housed in humid or rainforest terrariums. For use with glass terrariums only.
