Questions about temps over heating mat

Ok, I’ve been monitoring temps like crazy because I’m paranoid and want to make sure I’m providing her the right temps. I have a heat mat set up under the one hide with the thermostat probe just like in the “how to set up a 20 gallon tank” sticky. Inside the tank, on the glass and directly above the heating mat is a temperature probe for a thermometer and a very thin layer of coconut husk substrate. Above the tank, is a dual dome with a 50 watt basking lamp for day and a 50 watt black night bulb, both on timers and dimmers. I have an additional thermometer with probe for checking ambient temps and also an IR temp gun for surface temps.

Cool side ambient temps are between 78.5-81.6 consistently. Hot side temps are 88.4-92.7 consistently with it occasional surface temps on top of the hide and directly under the basking lamp, hitting 93.1.

My concern is the temperature from the thermometer probe directly above the heating mat. The thermostat controller I’m using has a huge probe and a range that only goes up to 94 degrees. It is a thermostat I Had originally gotten 9yrs ago for my Russian tortoise, but didn’t really need because her habitat is well within her more forgiving ranges. With the thermostat set to 94, the thermometer probe on the inside floor of the tank only reaches 85.4 degrees, BUT when she is in the hide and directly on top of the heat mat and temp probe, her body traps the heat and it goes up to between 89.3-89.7 degrees.

I’ve ordered a new thermostat with a broader control range because I’d like it to be right at the middle of the desired range at 90 degrees... My concern, and question is, if I get the temp to 90 degrees when she isn’t laying on top of it, then when she is laying on top of it and trapping in the heat, it will put the temp probe reading at 94-95 degrees. So what should I do? Should I set the thermostat to get the thermometer probe reading 88 when she isn’t laying on it, knowing that when she is laying on it, it will read around 91-92 degrees? Or should I shoot for 90 degrees knowing that when she is on top of it, it may read above her desired range and just trust her to move her butt off it when that happens and go to the other side of the tank?

I would set the thermostat for 90*F and monitor the temps and your snake's behavior to see if that needs to be lowered. Even if it does pop up to 94-95*F that's not hot enough to hurt your snake, just enough to make it uncomfortably warm. Plus, that temperature increase should be transmitted to the probe, which will cause the thermostat to cut power to the heat mat so it can cool off.

Awesome! Thank you!


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