Do I have to use the spacers?
Never place the terrarium directly on the JBL TerraTemp heating mats. This can cause heat accumulation and possibly the bursting of the bottom pane of glass. Spacers are attached to the heating mats to ensure a distance between the terrarium bottom and the heating mat. A distance of about 3 – 4 cm from the terrarium to the surrounding walls needs to be maintained as well. This enables an even heat transfer and avoids heat accumulation.
In addition the substrate used needs to ensure perfect heat transfer into the terrarium. Dense materials with few air chambers are generally suitable. This includes sand and sand-like materials, such as JBL TerraSand and JBL TerraBasis. Wood shavings and bark substrates, such as JBL TerraBark, JBL TerraWood and JBL TerraCoco, are extremely heat-insulating and therefore not suitable.