Thermostats
A thermostat is an essential piece of equipment for every vivarium - there are a few different types in terms of how they work, but essentially, they all do the same job; regulate the temperature of the heat source to a desired degree, ensuring that vivarium temperatures are safely maintained at a set level. Without a thermostat, the heat source, be it a heat mat, light emitting heat lamp, or ceramic heat bulb, would not be controlled, and temperatures in the vivarium would be whatever the maximum output of the heat source could manage – this could very easily lead to illness, injury, or even the death of the animal. No snake-accommodating vivarium (or RUB) that uses any type of heat source* should ever be without a thermostat. Ever.
*Note: AHS devices incorporate a thermostat internally to control temperatures, and as such, do not require an additional thermostat.
The two most popular brands are Habistat and Microclimate. Each produce a range of thermostats, which all fall into one of three types;
• Mat-Stats: These are “on/off” devices which turn the heat source off once a desired temperate is reached, and then back on again once the temperature falls below a certain range of the desired temp. As the name suggests, these are designed to be primarily used with heat mats.
• Dimmer Stats: Similar to a household dimmer light switch, these automatically maintain the temperature by gradually turning the heat source up or down as required. These are designed to be used with light emitting heat sources such as Infra-Red bulbs or basking lamps, but can be used to control any heat source (such as heat mats or ceramic bulbs), so long as the minimum wattage is achieved.
• Pulse Proportional: Similar to Mat-Stats, these control the temperature by turning the heating device on and off, but with a much higher rate of frequency. The heat source is accurately controlled by short “bursts” of power to hold the temperature at a constant level. These are suitable for ceramic heat bulbs, or any other non-light emitting heat source, such as heat cables. These are not suitable for use with any light emitting heat source, as the light will flash on and off continually, which will not only drastically reduce the life of the bulb, but will also cause stress to the snake.
As well as the three types of thermostat, each manufacturer produces different models which incorporate additional features, such as dual circuit thermostats for controlling multiple heat sources or vivariums, and models which have different heat settings for night time, automatically switching over at dark. All thermostats come with a lengthy warranty period from both manufactures for peace of mind.
*Note: AHS devices incorporate a thermostat internally to control temperatures, and as such, do not require an additional thermostat.
The two most popular brands are Habistat and Microclimate. Each produce a range of thermostats, which all fall into one of three types;
• Mat-Stats: These are “on/off” devices which turn the heat source off once a desired temperate is reached, and then back on again once the temperature falls below a certain range of the desired temp. As the name suggests, these are designed to be primarily used with heat mats.
• Dimmer Stats: Similar to a household dimmer light switch, these automatically maintain the temperature by gradually turning the heat source up or down as required. These are designed to be used with light emitting heat sources such as Infra-Red bulbs or basking lamps, but can be used to control any heat source (such as heat mats or ceramic bulbs), so long as the minimum wattage is achieved.
• Pulse Proportional: Similar to Mat-Stats, these control the temperature by turning the heating device on and off, but with a much higher rate of frequency. The heat source is accurately controlled by short “bursts” of power to hold the temperature at a constant level. These are suitable for ceramic heat bulbs, or any other non-light emitting heat source, such as heat cables. These are not suitable for use with any light emitting heat source, as the light will flash on and off continually, which will not only drastically reduce the life of the bulb, but will also cause stress to the snake.
As well as the three types of thermostat, each manufacturer produces different models which incorporate additional features, such as dual circuit thermostats for controlling multiple heat sources or vivariums, and models which have different heat settings for night time, automatically switching over at dark. All thermostats come with a lengthy warranty period from both manufactures for peace of mind.