would this work?

ok so i was talking to a lady yesterday who has an interesting setup, she has a uth with a 12x12 ceramic tile on top to diffuse the hotspot created by the uth, then a blanket as the substrate. the reason i ask is that she runs this uth w/o a t-stat or rheostat! it is used a 6ft RTB but i was thinking about using it for my juvi bp. is this safe?

I think using a blanket as substrate would just hardbor bacteria and be an awful mess you clean up. I also don't think ceramic is a suitable control of the UTH in the same way a tstat works.

It just sounds too risky in my opinion.

Depends on the temperatures generated. You don't want your ball python sitting on anything that gets much hotter then the mid 90's. If it's a little cooler, that's fine. If it's hotter, then you'll want to control the temperature somehow.

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Originally Posted by MarkS

Depends on the temperatures generated. You don't want your ball python sitting on anything that gets much hotter then the mid 90's. If it's a little cooler, that's fine. If it's hotter, then you'll want to control the temperature somehow.

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i think im gonna try it but im gonna put it on a rheostat. im just trying to figure out wether it will really diffuse the heat or just create a big hot spot

May I ask why you want to do this?
Wouldn't the overall temperature also be based on the weather? If it was really hot out you would need some kind of control on the UTH unless you kept stacking ceramic plates. :P

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

May I ask why you want to do this?
Wouldn't the overall temperature also be based on the weather? If it was really hot out you would need some kind of control on the UTH unless you kept stacking ceramic plates. :P

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i am using a rheostat due the fact my house temps are all over the place im using it more to kill the hot spot and spread the heat out more. as for the towel thats what my local vet uses for all the reptiles they board and its fine just requires more care thats all

A rheostat is probably the worst idea if you know that your house temps fluctuate. Do you self a big favor and get a thermostat :) Then there is no need for blankets and ceramic tiles...

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Originally Posted by Kaorte

A rheostat is probably the worst idea if you know that your house temps fluctuate. Do you self a big favor and get a thermostat :) Then there is no need for blankets and ceramic tiles...

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i do plan on getting a t-stat however there is no money to do so at the moment so im using the rheostat as a temp solution. as for the towel whats wrong with that? is going to hurt my snake? and the tile i will say again is to spead the heat from the uth. all im really asking is if the tile to spread out the heat is a worth while idea or am i just wasting my time?

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Originally Posted by SnkChrmr650

i do plan on getting a t-stat however there is no money to do so at the moment so im using the rheostat as a temp solution. as for the towel whats wrong with that? is going to hurt my snake? and the tile i will say again is to spead the heat from the uth. all im really asking is if the tile to spread out the heat is a worth while idea or am i just wasting my time?

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IMO, I think it is a waste of time. You should save up and buy a thermostat. You can get a rheostat for now, but you will probably be messing with it all of the time if you house temp fluctuates often.

A blanket or towel will hold moisture, and eventually start molding. I would just stick with paper, mulch, or aspen.

Hope this helps.

Yeah that is the problem with non-disposable substrate. After a while (regardless if you wash it well) it will get nasty and start to smell, which means bacteria is growing.

The cheapest t-stat I know of is the reptitemp 500r and it is well worth the $25. Especially if you only have one or two snakes. It works well :)