Heating a whelping box...

Some common questions that are often asked are:

Is your whelping box heated....?

What heating system can i use...?

Can i put i heat mat inside the box...?

At Whelpmate™ we have designed our whelping box tub base out of ABS plastic. We chose this material for its thermal transfer properties, meaning that it passes heat through very easily and is not very insulative.

The main reason we chose this design is so that you can place a heat mat under the tub (between the black tub and the floor) giving you the ultimate in safety. No more puppies chewing on chords, no worry of electrocution, no overheating from wrapping up in a heat pad. The heated area under the box will pass the heat straight through the base and to your pups and will never move. We recommend that approx 1/4 to 1/3 of the size of the base be heated (in one corner) which gives the pups the opportunity to get away from the heat as necessary but to huddle over the together when required. We also recommend that a thermostatically controlled heat mat be used which will prevent it from overheating (as pictured below). These are relatively cheap and can be bought from many online stores.

In winter it is necessary to place a rug / towel / rubber mat, under the whelping box, in order to insulate from the floor. Place the heat mat on top of the rug and then the whelping box on top.

In summer, however, have the whelping box straight on the floor with the heat pad still underneath. This will allow for the cool floor to cool the area of the base that is not in contact with the heat pad. This gives a greater temperature differential to allow your pups to thermoregulate more efficiently.

This is the most convenient, hygienic and safest way to heat your puppies.

Can i use a heat lamp i hear you ask....?

Of course you can, however we recommend that you keep the lamp off the walls. Excessive heat due to contact with the lamp could cause the walls to warp slightly. Due to the risks of using a heat lamp, such as burns, breakages etc, we steer clear of this way of heating and just stick to the heat pad underneath, and of course we recommend the pups are in the house with you. As such they are going to be in a comfortable environment (warmer or cooler) as you will most likely want to keep the house at a reasonable temperature for yourself. The heat mat then just provides that extra warmth a young puppy may require.