Help Needed Urgently

[Am8er]

My parents got me a new vivarium as a moving gift, but my mum was persuaded by the shop to get an expensive wooden viv with a heat lamp. Now Im not comfortable using the heat lamp and i have no experience with wooden vivs, and I have no idea how to use a heat mat with this. I've been told never to use heat mats with wooden vivs as a starter as it could catch fire, and I dont think I could put a heat mat under this thing. The wood separating the floor of the viv to the ground is about 1cm, would heat go sufficiently through it without me turning it up so much that it burns the wood? I have no idea how to sort this out, where could I put a heat mat on this or would the wood catch fire or burn? Help much appreciated.

 

[indyana]

I'm not very familiar with heating wooden vivs, but there are some good how-tos online. You can either get a heat mat that can be installed inside the viv, or arrange a false bottom to get the heat pad inside.

Ultratherm FAQ, has section about installing inside vivariums:
Ultratherm FAQ: Reptile Products You Can Trust | Reptile Basics Inc

Idea for a false floor:
belly heat for leopard gecko's, how to achieve with 1.5 inch thick melamine

If the heat lamp has a ceramic fitting, you may want to leave it installed and use a ceramic heat emitter at some point. Not great for belly heat, but it would be useful if the air temperatures are very cool and you need to warm the air. You could also install a CFL bulb for lighting or UVB in the heat lamp socket. Not completely useless.

 

[Am8er]

I'm not very familiar with heating wooden vivs, but there are some good how-tos online. You can either get a heat mat that can be installed inside the viv, or arrange a false bottom to get the heat pad inside.

Ultratherm FAQ, has section about installing inside vivariums:
Ultratherm FAQ: Reptile Products You Can Trust | Reptile Basics Inc

Idea for a false floor:
belly heat for leopard gecko's, how to achieve with 1.5 inch thick melamine

If the heat lamp has a ceramic fitting, you may want to leave it installed and use a ceramic heat emitter at some point. Not great for belly heat, but it would be useful if the air temperatures are very cool and you need to warm the air. You could also install a CFL bulb for lighting or UVB in the heat lamp socket. Not completely useless.

Thanks for the help and suggestions! I looked further into installing it inside the viv and I found this guide, Here's a link if anyone has the same problem as me.

How To Setup Basic Leopard Gecko Vivarium - Reptile Forums

 

[Tongue Flicker]

I clicked the link and I was surprised I had an account in that forum lol.. Anyways glad that you found your answer and congrats on the move!