Hi, sorry but it's me posting again :-D

I was going to borrow a friend's heat pad for my forthcoming (fingers and everything else crossed) litter. It's a Petzone, brand new, unused, looks and feels lovely ... but it must be duff as I can barely feel any heat coming out. Says on the box it reaches a cosy 28C!!  Anyway, it's well out of guarantee, there's no warmth so am looking at getting my own.

I've got the loan of a Snugglesafe microwave pad, this I intend to have aside just in case, but I really would like an electric heat pad.

I'm veering towards the Petnap aluminium pad.  My bitch isn't a chewer, but it's her first litter so that could change!  However, the aluminium pads don't have a thermostat, does that matter? 

What pads do other people use and what would your recommendation be?

> but it must be duff as I can barely feel any heat coming out

Most heat pads are designed to get warm when they are covered by bedding ie vet bed. it's like a safety facter so that if mom digs and uncovers it it wont burn the puppies. The more bedding covering it the warmer it wil get,

Ah that's a thought, I was just wondering if it needed some pressure on it.  I'll try it myself this evening, stuff it behind my back and see what happens!  You may have saved me an outlay :-)  Thanks

I have recently bought as vivarium one, as it is completely flat. 

I used one borrowed from a friend years ago and it was great inside a pillowcase under the bedding.

I have one of the metal topped ones too (but it is about 1/2 inch thick), which is better than the PVC squishy one, as the edges came unglued on that.

Ah ha, now that's an excellent idea.  My friend also has one of these mats, quite large, she uses it for recovering/over wintering hedgehogs!  I know that one works.  Thank you.

I bought a Petzone one for my litter last week and it's great - lovely and cosy.  Might sound silly but have you turned it on and just left it for 20-30 minutes?  They don't heat up immediately.

> I'm veering towards the Petnap aluminium pad.

100% recommend!  I originally used the polythene covered ones, which just don't last long at all.

My breeds have never chewed either, but I wish I had used the Petnap aluminium from the start.  Love the metal instead of an electric cord that could possibly be nibbled.

I eventually decided to order the fleece covers for mine - although not strictly necessary when it is under the vetbed.  Once finished with, the cover gets washed, and the metal pad is easy to wipe over with Virkon, and keep germ free.  I love them.

Yes I have turned it on and left it running over 30 mins.  I've even had a lie down on it ... ok my weight might have totally killed it!! 

How hot does it get?  I'm not expecting it to be boiling hot to the touch, but I was expecting to feel some sort of heat.  I haven't covered it with vetbed and left it for a while, will do that to see if it makes a difference.

JeanSW, how hot does it get if covered with vetbed? I read a post from a little while ago that indicated the aluminium plate heated up too much with vetbed on, and was only designed for a simple fleece cover.  I do like the idea of the aluminium covered cord too.

Thanks folks for your time and comments, they really are appreciated.

We have a snuggers, it looks a bit like fibreglass, it's thermostatically controlled and is fab, we've had it for about 20 years and is as good as new.  Despite much searching on google we can't find another one and presume that the company has stopped trading so fingers crossed it doesn't conk out!!  I wouldn't consider using an electric one without a thermostat.

> I was just wondering if it needed some pressure on it

It's not weight that controls it, it's the padding that triggers the heat. I have had one of the green vinyl squidgy ones for yrs and I've had no problems with it. I make sure it has material underneath it as well as on top and it gives a nice gentle warmth out without it overheating the puppies.

> JeanSW, how hot does it get if covered with vetbed?

It doesn't get too hot for comfort as far as my pups are concerned.  I know I don't really need the fleece cover as well, it's more aesthetic than anything.

I have 4 day old pups on one at the moment, and they wriggle on and off.  I think they are more likely to move back on when mum has asked to go up the garden.  I just love them, and the safety of the aluminium covered cord.  And so much easier than the polythene that wrinkled when it was cleaned.  I haven't got any creases to get into for cleaning!

I try to make sure that there is enough room for mum to escape if she wants to move away, into a cooler corner of the whelping box.  For my breeds, that means that the smallest size is enough.  They are made to last definitely, and I expect to get years of service (probably outlive me.)

> I just love them, and the safety of the aluminium covered cord.

I had a Petnap for my cats and it lasted over 15 years! I also had a plastic flat pad one but chucked it after it seemed to get TOO hot after a few years, I just didn't trust it any more. I have a metal Petnap again now for emergencies, I got it in a charity shop for £1 and it works perfectly. I guess it might be possible to plug it into some kind of thermostat or circuit-breaker if you were worried about it, but I understand they work on gentle reflected heat... meaning the bare pad will feel cold when on, but not being used by the animal - but when sat on it somehow reflects back the body heat.

I also have an old-fashioned stone hot water bottle... (boot sale £3) now they are great, and retain heat for up to 12 hours wrapped in a towel or blanket. Though it is usually used for my feet in bed in winter!

jokelly, how warm to the touch does your Petzone get ... I'm still trying to decide if the one I've borrowed is duff or not!

bare pad will feel cold when on, but not being used by the animal - but when sat on it somehow reflects back the body heat.

Sounds like an induction cooker hob!!  Will be scouring the charity shops now!

It's fairly warm to the touch, I certainly woudn't want to sleep on it!!!  Sounds to me as if yours doesn't work.  It heats up to a good temp in about 2o mins.

jokelly, thank you for your reply. A friend and I were both having a good feel, and neither of us felt we'd want to go to it to get warm, the main warmth was just coming from the fleece cover. What a shame, does sounds as though it's not working. Never been used and out of guarantee ... I might just write to the company anyway and see what they've got to say.  Thank you again.

switch it on ,put on cover then place a paperback book ( to substitute for weight of a pup) on it and leave for awhile when you go back you should feel underside of book is warm to the touch if pad is working. thats how I test my pad when using it again for first time after storage
Stan Berry

Hi Stan, thanks for that ... will unpack it and have a go now. I'm quite determined it should work, it's a very nice pad and will be even nicer if it works :-D

Hi Stan ... din't work, think we've definitely got a duff pad. Will write to the manufacturer, although well out of guarantee it's not been used, so worth a shot. Thanks for your help though :-)

just a thought..... have you checked the fuse in the plug and the wiring in plug to see if everything is working where it should be?
Chris

Hi Chris

Everything seems to be ok, in truth there is a teeny weeny bit of heat, but really barely anything, and what heat there is, is just in one particular section of the pad.

I remember when petnap was invented way back around 1970 by a guy who had a cat that slept in the outside porch. He started selling them from home.I bought a couple then,and they lasted for over 20 years,great value as they only cost a few pounds.They are so safe,and take the burden of keeping the pups warm off mum,so she does not need to lie with them so much although she is never far away for the first week or so.Years back it was stone bottles and pig lamps,but the heat under the pups tummies is so much better.I have one in use today,even though it is very warm outside,and the pups are 10  days old now.Once they are moving about more,it will only be on at night

> I remember when petnap was invented way back around 1970 by a guy who had a cat that slept in the outside porch. He started selling them from home.I bought a couple then,and they lasted for over 20 years,great value as they only cost a few pounds.

I didn't know that... thanks :)
My first Petnap was bought in the mid-80's when I lived in a house without central heating. I wanted my cats to have some warmth in winter while I was out at work. It later earned its laurels with my cat litters, being used to keep at least 30 newborns warm over the time I had it, as well as continuing its original purpose in winter. It didn't die - I gave it away when I no longer needed it. During that time I also bought a vinyl one, but it wasn't used for long as it seemed to get far too hot by itself, and looked slightly melted so it was ditched and the old Petnap brought out again. I wouldn't be surprised if my old one is still in use, 25 years after purchase from new.

The other great use for these heatpads when not in use for animals is under seed trays to bring on plants
Stan Berry

pet nap  for me.

another great tip for use for a heat pad  ............. place demi john with newly made wine  on one to get it fermenting . lol