Welcome to our simple guide to Reptile Thermostats.  Everything you wanted to know but were afraid to ask...

What is a thermostat?

Reptile thermostats are devices that when attached to heaters will control their temperature.  In simple terms they turn the heater on when it gets too cold and off when it gets too hot (the matter gets a little more complex then that so we will return to it shortly, but that idea makes a good starting point).

Do I really need a thermostat?

In almost all circumstances the answer is yes.  Heat sources can be inherently dangerous to reptiles, with burns being an all too common occurrence when keepers fail to control temperature correctly.  The most common way reptile keepers learn this hard lesson is on warm summer days, when an uncontrolled heat source that has been fine for months can turn a vivarium into a mini oven... think of a dog in a car on a sunny day, then add a heater into the equation!

As well as the obvious physical risk of inadequate heating control you should also bear in mind the way your reptile has evolved over millions of years into what it is today.  All reptiles are cold blooded and that means they need to thermoregulate (move in to the heat to warm up and away to cool down) to function properly and digest their food.

Imagine the following scenario;

"I am a leopard gecko and you provide me with heat in the form of an unstatted heat mat.  I eat my dinner and now I need to digest it and that means finding a nice comfortable warm spot, around 90 degrees Fahrenheit just like I would in the wild.  The problem is that in your cold house the air temperature is only around 70 and that heat mat you put in is just far too hot for me (an unstatted heat mat is more than capable of reaching 100 degrees fahrenheit or more).  I don’t like the cold but on balance it’s more comfortable then on top of the mat"

This is the main concern of not controlling your heat sources properly.  The gecko here will become stressed and may even regurgitate his undigested food (this is also very true of snakes where the correct temperature is crucial to digest big meals).  A knock on effect of that may be subsequent refusal to eat and ultimately the loss of your pet.

For as little as around £20 the Microclimate MiniStat 100 or Habistat Mat Stat won't break the bank, will help create a comfortable environment for your pet and give you the peace of mind that he or she won't get burnt or overheat on especially hot days

Still not convinced?  You could even save money using a thermostat.  By not having your heater on full power all the time it will use less electricity.  Not only does that mean more pennies in your pocket but you’ll be doing your bit for the environment too.

Which type of thermostat should I buy?  

This is the most common question we are asked and with over 20 popular thermostat models to choose from it isn’t hard to see why. 

To make it simple we will split this section up into the types of thermostat available and then briefly discuss what the power ratings mean.

On/off type thermostats  - e.g. Habistat Mat Stat, Habistat Temperature Thermostat, Habistat Twin Thermostat, Lucky Reptile Thermo Control PRO II, Lucky Reptile Thermo Control 2, Komodo Thermostat, Microclimate MiniStat 100 or 300

These are the most common thermostats and often the cheapest too.  They work just like you would expect.  You plug in your heater of choice and place the sensor where you would like the thermostat to monitor the temperature.   By adjusting the setting on the thermostat you will be able to create an area with complete temperature control for your animals to bask in. 

On/off thermostats work by turning on your heater at full power, when it reaches the temperature you have set it will turn the heater off allowing it to cool slightly, when it gets too cold the thermostat will turn the heater back on to warm up.  This process is constantly repeated to give a roughly even safe temperature.  The only downside to this process is that it will not give a completely even temperature at all times, variation will not be huge but for delicate species or where a constant temperature is important for any reason you may want to consider a pulse or dimming thermostat.

Can be used for; heat mats, heat cables

Don’t use for; We also do not recommend on/off thermostats for use with bulbs.  Whilst some can be used without problem constantly turning on and off a bulb is likely to shorten its lifespan significantly.

Pulse proportional thermostats - e.g. Habistat Pulse Thermostat, Habistat Day/Night Pulse Prop Stat, MicroClimate B2 Pulse Thermostat, Microclimate B2ME Thermostat,

Pulse thermostats are great when non light emitting heat sources are used and greater accuracy is needed.   They are set up in exactly the same easy way as on/off thermostats but use a different technology to give a more constant temperature.

When you turn on the thermostat for the first time and set the temperature the heater will be turned on just like an on/off thermostat.  Rather then turn of the heater altogether a pulse thermostat will then send short pulses of electricity to the heater which after a short time will even out to give an “on-off-on-off-on-off” sequence allowing just the right amount of electricity to get to the heater to provide a nice steady temperature without the drops and rises you may be familiar with.

Can be used with; heat mats, cables, ceramics, incubators

Not recommended for; light emitting heat sources including infra-red (pulse stats will simply cause these to flash on and off constantly)

Dimming/Dimmer Thermostats - e.g. Habistat Dimming Thermostat, Habistat Day/Night Dimmer Stat, Microclimate B1 Dimming Thermostat, Microclimate B1ME Thermostat

Our final type of reptile thermostat is just as easy set up as the others, it is just the technology inside that is different.   Although they are specifically designed for accuracy when using light bulbs for heating, they can also be used with a variety of other heaters.

These thermostats work just like a dimming switch on a light at home.  They will provide more electricity to warm up the heater (brightening the bulb) and less to cool down (dimming the bulb).  This provides a very steady temperature that is constantly monitored by the thermostat to prevent overheating.

Dimming thermostats do present one issue not found in other thermostats, they often have a minimum load to work correctly.  This means that the heater you plug in must be at least a certain wattage.  For some models this will be as low as 5w and present no problems, for others it could be 40w in which case most heat mats would not work with it, for bulbs though that should be easy to achieve.

Can be used with; light bulbs, infra-red bulbs, heat mats

Not recommended for;  low wattage heaters.

Day/Night Thermostats - e.g Habistat day/night pulse or dimming stats

Some models of thermostat have a day/night feature.  The type of thermostat will be one of the above (e.g. a pulse proportional thermostat with day and night feature) but there will be a way to set up the thermostat so that it will drop to a lower setting during night time hours.  This can be useful when you want to provide a natural night time drop in temperature.

The most common way to set the day/night periods is with a basic electrical timer but it is also possible to buy special switches that monitor light levels and respond to them by providing a night time drop.

What does the wattage mean on the different thermostats?

Every thermostat will have a wattage displayed on it (e.g. Habistat Mat Stat 100w thermostat)  Don’t worry though, high wattages won’t use more electricity, it indicates the maximum wattage of the heater you can plug in to it.   Plug in a more powerful heater and you could damage the thermostat.  If you are using two or more heaters with one thermostat, it is the total wattage you need to consider.

There is generally no minimum heater wattage but remember to check dimming thermostats as these are the exception.

Is there anything else I need to know about thermostats?

Hopefully all your questions have now been answered and you are better equipped to choose the right thermostat for your needs and your reptile.  

Ultimately each heater will have its own instructions and recommendations and whilst we have tried to be as comprehensive as possible in general terms please check carefully before making a purchase