UTH: Side Mount v. Bottom Mount

[Bruiser]

I see more and more people advocating for side mounting these heaters. Anyone have any thoughts on this? I imagine there would still be a burn hazard for a ball that climbs up the side of the glass as there is no sustrate to buffer the heat.

[The Serpent Merchant]

Side mounting just doesn't make sense. UTH's are named UNDER tank heaters for a reason. All they really do is increase the surface temperature of what they are attached to. They don't heat the air unless the UTH is dangerously hot and/or the cage it is heating has a very small internal volume.

Side mounting uses a lot more electricity and you get less heat in the cage from it. Even when side mounted it UTH's really should be regulated by a thermostat or at the very least a lamp dimmer, and bottom mounted absolutely must be regulated by a thermostat.

[Alexandra V]

Personally I don't think that I would side mount a uth for a ball python or any other terrestrial snake. They need to be able to absorb the heat through physical contact on a warm surface through their belly in order to digest best. While a UTH on the side of the tank might raise the air temperature a little, it won't help with heating the bottom surface of the tank like the snake needs and it won't get hot enough to bring the temperature anywhere near 90 anyway.

I would just stick with belly heat and a good thermostat to control it, as it's always been done.