to settle an argument - your views.

[elliot ness]

Originally Posted by The_Real_Moreliaman

Ive used heatmatts without stats before..in hot weather matts get turned off or put on a timer...never had snakes burn themselves, the snake regulates its own heat....if it gets too hot them it moves to a cooler part.
This all depends on the size of the viv, the amount of ventilation & the wattage of the matt.
I couldnt give a toss if someone thinks i should have a stat....my snakes are happy & healthy & thats all that matters to me.

You are an idiot....end of
you dont give a shit about your snakes mate and you dont belong here

[owlbassboy]

Originally Posted by andybe18

I must have some rubbish heat mats - they struggle to reach 80 - they are on stats, but don't seem to need to cos the mats don't get that high - still use the stat though just in case

yeh im thinkin the same as i read through this lol

[bothrops]

Paul - I have re-read my post and feel (thanks to you post) the need to clarify one thing;

By no means do I think ALL shops that sell reptiles are run by idiots. There are a great many exceptional reptile shops out there with many informed, knowledgable, responsible owners that would sooner lose £100 sale than sell their animals to muppets.

Please accept my apologies for any implied slight on your business Paul.

Cheers

Andy

Originally Posted by Paul_MTS

Do not tar all shops the same please.

It was only yesterday i was arguing with customers about them needing a stat before getting a corn hatchling.

Gave them the usual stuff... "25 quid on a stat or it's potential hundreds on vet bills" then they came out with "should it get that bad the dog can have it" at which point I said "lovely", turned my back on them and walked off.

They then dumped there products they had chosen and walked out.

Job well done I feel.

At the end of the day the simple answer is YES! it's immature of experienced keepers to tell you that you don't just because they don't. They might be able to catch early signs of over heating but a new keeper won't.

I have seen the damage first hand of what a heatmat can do to a snake that was on a wrongly set stat! I dread to think what it would of been like if it wasn't on a stat at all.

[C4VEMAN-5AM]

Originally Posted by spit051261

I really can't see the point in this thread.......it's not as if it is a matter of opinion or choice we have for a snakes welfare......stat.....or no stat.
There is absolutely no argument for not using a stat so what exactly are we talking about ?
Anybody that does not use a stat with any heat source is an idiot...end of
Paul

well there is an arguement, and its that ive been told by people who keep reptiles that they have never had trouble with a heat source unstatted.

[Ssthisto]

Originally Posted by C4VEMAN-5AM

well there is an arguement, and its that ive been told by people who keep reptiles that they have never had trouble with a heat source unstatted.

And I've never been in a fatal car accident. Does that mean I don't need to wear a seat belt?

[C4VEMAN-5AM]

Originally Posted by Ssthisto

And I've never been in a fatal car accident. Does that mean I don't need to wear a seat belt?

What no im just saying there is an arguement.

and its that ive been told and shown its fine.

[Caz]

I've been using mats for over 15 years now. I always stat them. Always have. The surface regularly exceeds 130f. Far too hot for snakes.

In the 90's I had one get wet; snake urinated on it and it started to burn along the stitching. Luckily i was there and turned it off. Removed it from the viv - as an experiment I plugged it back in without a stat. After about 10 mins in caught properly and small flames came from the edge near the terminal block. This taught me never to place one unprotected on the floor of a viv - water/urine in the terminal block could = dead snake/burned down house..

Personally I can only see one excuse for not using stats and thats the cost. Not a good excuse in my honest opinion.

[Caz]

Originally Posted by The_Real_Moreliaman

Ive used heatmatts without stats before..in hot weather matts get turned off or put on a timer...never had snakes burn themselves, the snake regulates its own heat....if it gets too hot them it moves to a cooler part.
This all depends on the size of the viv, the amount of ventilation & the wattage of the matt.
I couldnt give a toss if someone thinks i should have a stat....my snakes are happy & healthy & thats all that matters to me.

If a snakes head is not over the heat source and the body is then it will not register the correct temperature and move away from it. The brain will be too cool to perform this function. Paper on it somewhere - hence the thermal burns in Pythons/Boas.

[Ssthisto]

Originally Posted by C4VEMAN-5AM

What no im just saying there is an arguement.

and its that ive been told and shown its fine.

Well, I've ridden in the back of a pickup truck with no seat belt (or even anything holding me in the vehicle). I never got hurt.

Does that mean riding in the back of an open pickup with no seat belt is safe? Does it mean I should EVER recommend someone else do it?

I've ridden short distances on the roof of a 1982 Saab Turbo holding on with one arm through the window and one arm through the sunroof. I never got hurt.

Does that mean riding on the roof of an old Saab is safe? Does it mean I should EVER recommend someone else do it?

I've run a heat mat without a thermostat as an experiment and didn't burn my house down, but did record temperatures thirty degrees higher than my snakes should be experiencing.

Does that mean running the heat mat without a thermostat is safe?
Should I EVER recommend someone else do it?

[C4VEMAN-5AM]

Originally Posted by Ssthisto

Well, I've ridden in the back of a pickup truck with no seat belt (or even anything holding me in the vehicle). I never got hurt.

Does that mean riding in the back of an open pickup with no seat belt is safe? Does it mean I should EVER recommend someone else do it?

I've ridden short distances on the roof of a 1982 Saab Turbo holding on with one arm through the window and one arm through the sunroof. I never got hurt.

Does that mean riding on the roof of an old Saab is safe? Does it mean I should EVER recommend someone else do it?

I've run a heat mat without a thermostat as an experiment and didn't burn my house down, but did record temperatures thirty degrees higher than my snakes should be experiencing.

Does that mean running the heat mat without a thermostat is safe?
Should I EVER recommend someone else do it?

Look you cant blame me alright. its the first time owning a snake, i did my research and went to get the equipment, the place where i got the snake they were experienced people keeping alligators iguanas and everything.

in all the years they have had snakes no trouble with thermostats simple.