Ongoing Experiment: Unregulated ZooMed UTH, Heat yield and transfer

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Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

The companies that manufacture these products NEED to market them responsibly, and recommend CLEARLY on the packaging that they should not be used without a rheostat or thermostat, if they don't place a rheostat on the cord (which would be the most ethical solution).

Claims that people are not using them 'according to directions' don't cut it. Substrate WILL be pushed aside by any animal, even if it does provide some protection from the heat of the UTH. Therefore, the product is a hazard to the animal, even when used as directed, as it is intended that the animal be in the cage, with access to the substrate, and is therefore able to move the substrate.

My personal issue with these companies is not that they make these products, but that their packaging fails to provide accurate instructions to consumers on how to SAFELY use them. I don't want them to pull their UTHs off the market, I want the to change their package text to provide proper instructions for pet owners.

I'm glad to see people doing these experiments to prove that the company's claims are deceptive.

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Exactly

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by WingedWolfPsion

The companies that manufacture these products NEED to market them responsibly, and recommend CLEARLY on the packaging that they should not be used without a rheostat or thermostat, if they don't place a rheostat on the cord (which would be the most ethical solution).

Claims that people are not using them 'according to directions' don't cut it. Substrate WILL be pushed aside by any animal, even if it does provide some protection from the heat of the UTH. Therefore, the product is a hazard to the animal, even when used as directed, as it is intended that the animal be in the cage, with access to the substrate, and is therefore able to move the substrate.

My personal issue with these companies is not that they make these products, but that their packaging fails to provide accurate instructions to consumers on how to SAFELY use them. I don't want them to pull their UTHs off the market, I want the to change their package text to provide proper instructions for pet owners.

I'm glad to see people doing these experiments to prove that the company's claims are deceptive.

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X2 so many companies do testing in very specific conditions and then produce tech specs based on un realistic conditions. Look at cars and stated milage do you usually see the projected milage for highway sometimes in my case but not often.

I use a number of UTHs in rooms that are rarely 80º I have always done maxed out tests to see how hot hot is so I can accurately set a failsafe limit. I have always used 97º interior temp as a max for a failsafe (after the primary failed) Most of my failsafes are set between 100-105º not near the max running temp of a UTH exoterra zoomed and ultratherms are all in use and the only one that maxed at 99º interior was the ultratherm, still too hot. NOTHING inside a snake cage should EVER be over 100º for any length of time.

I have the temperature results from this mini-experiment, if anyone is interested in seeing the completed table with every reading. Each one was in the range of 104 and 116. The difference in temperature between the inside and outside was always between 0 and 3.

Substrate addition (1/2 inch of aspen sani-chips) lowered the temperature of the hot spot by 2-3 degrees. The lowest temperature recorded, with the thermometer ON TOP of the substrate layer, was still 104. Once the substrate was added, the outside temperature of the UTH was actually slightly hotter than before (between 113-116F instead of 109-112F).

Again, I don't mean to bash any products or practices from this project. My only message for this is... unless your reptile is suited to rest on temperatures above 100F, it would be a great idea to use a rheostat or thermostat with this type of device. Even with barriers like glass and substrate, a well-ventilated room below 82F, and a functional and properly applied heat pad, temps can exceed 100F. While an animal is not likely to receive horrid burns from them, the temperatures are far above most husbandry recommendations and will cause more problems than solutions. :)