Frequently Asked Questions:

If your facility has a Snyder cage or ICU base unit with a heated floor, the following information should be adhered to with regard to their use. Snyder Manufacturing Company has been manufacturing cage units with heated floors for well over 45 years. We want to keep our customers aware of the importance of responsible usage of these floors in providing the optimum care for animals.

Question: Can I use a blanket in my cage unit with a heated floor?

Answer: Using a blanket or other solid material for your animal to lie on, directly on top of the heated floor is not recommended by Snyder Manufacturing Company. Doing so will trap the heat between the floor and the animal, creating an extremely warm surface (at higher settings) that may pose the risk of an injury to your animal. In addition, it will also void any manufacturer’s warranty should the floor burn out. A natural dissipation of heat is required for a safe, comfortable and controlled heated floor experience. Heated floors are absolutely safe. Remember this is a mechanical device with an outstanding proven track record. However, every mechanical system has the potential for error. By acquainting yourself and your staff to the risks and rewards of a heated floor system, your patient’s health and well-being will be assured.

Question: How are heated floors constructed?

Answer:The heated floors construction is based on a pattern of heated wire strands that run side to side just below the surface of the floor. This construction is very similar to a heated blanket found in the home. The area of the heated floor, right on top of these wires, is many degrees warmer than the area in between the wires. The heat difference is very subtle, yet can affect an animal (especially a sedated animal) if left unattended for long durations. Snyder Manufacturing Company recommends that sedated animals should NOT be left unattended for extended periods of time directly on a heated floor as this could cause injury to the animal. For several years now, Snyder Manufacturing Company has been including our vinyl matting* in all of our ICU base units even though these floors are thermostatically controlled. These units accommodate the highest percentage of post-op recovery and sedated animals. Vinyl mat disperses the heat from the heated floor so it is safe to leave a sedated animal in this environment.

Snyder’s vinyl matting is lightweight, durable and keeps your patients suspended approximately 1/2″ off of the cage unit floor surface. This matting is highly recommended for any cage unit with a heated floor application. Call us for more details.

Question: Why don’t you thermostatically control all of your heated floors, like you do in the ICU’s?

Answer: The basic difference between a thermostatically controlled heated floor and a regular heated floor is, the thermostatically controlled heated floor has the ability in its construction, to allow for an actual ‘read out’ to display the active temperature. Both systems are still mechanical by nature and require the operator to physically identify a heat setting that feels right for any particular animal.

Question: How accurate are the thermostatically controlled heated floors in the ICU units?

Answer: Accurate to a point. Snyder Manufacturing Company has invested a considerable amount of research/development time into producing the best thermostatically controlled heated floors in the ICU recovery cages. All of Snyder’s heated floors have a variable of approximately plus or minus 3 degrees over or under the set/desired temperature. However, since your recovery cages in the ICU have been shipped with the recommended matting in place, the temperature difference between the ICU control panel and the surface of the matting is approximately 10 degrees. The panel shows the higher of the two temperatures.