Euro Rep Habistat Heat Mat produce ultra long wavelength infra red heat. This wavelength is invisible to the human eye & tends to furnishings in the cage rather than the air. This action of heating is very similar to the sun & it has the ability to heat anything that it strikes but with the air temperature remaining much lower. Reptiles absorb this at in a manner very similar to basking in a natural enviroment. Heat mats do get warm but provide a very gentle warmth which the animal can sit under or on top of. Used under normal conditions the mats cannot burn the animal.