ZooMed UTH Not Sticking

The temperature in the cage is too low and it's because the UTH is not sticking. I'm using some blue paper tape one the edges but it's still not sticking. Especially on the center where I need it to stick the most. I have duct tape, electrical tape, hot glue gun, blue paper tape, and regular clear tape. I might have some aluminum tape but possibly not. I think the hot glue gun will work the best but I'm not sure if the heat will melt it or it won't conduct heat as much. I do have a thermostat on it and I have it set to around 98 degrees (because of the low temps since the UTH won't stick).

I would remove it, take off any sticky remaining and all tape. Then reapply it using duct tape. Heat at the temperatures we expose them too will not hurt the tape or melt it etc.

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Originally Posted by MsMissy

I would remove it, take off any sticky remaining and all tape. Then reapply it using duct tape. Heat at the temperatures we expose them too will not hurt the tape or melt it etc.

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This, except with aluminum foil tape... duct tape leaves one nasty mess if you ever have to remove it.

I'd recommend foil tape. I use it on my UTHs and see people recommend it. I forget how much it is but home depot and lowe's both carry it. A role is under $15 US.

The directions say to wipe the area with alcohol, let dry then apply. What I did with mine is apply the foil tape to the glass, then place the UTH on the tape and tape around the edges as well. It might be overkill but nothing is pealing off.

EDIT: or do what the previous responses said too.

You do realize that uth are not good at warming the air in the cage? What are the temps?

I bought foil tape and the man refuses to use it. He sets up my uth's and they come off nicely if we need to switch them around. Maybe it's the fancy camo tape he love to use? :P Must be a guy thing.

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Originally Posted by KMG

You do realize that uth are not good at warming the air in the cage? What are the temps?

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I don't need to warm the air temperatures. I am talking about a ball python tank here also. They are around the mid 80's and I need them in the high 80's to low 90's.

I still need the center of the UTH to stick so I think using any kind of tape will just make the edges stick so that's why I would like to use the hot glue gun. I think the reason why it stopped sticking was because when I got the thermostat, I put the probe between the pad and the glass and the sticky stuff got exposed to the air and dried out.

So your surface temp is low and your ambient temps are good. The way your post read made it seem like your air temp was low and you were trying to fix it with a uth.

I like using the foil tape. Your uth should be fairly rigid and taping the edges should work fine.

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Originally Posted by Camel Zombie

I still need the center of the UTH to stick so I think using any kind of tape will just make the edges stick so that's why I would like to use the hot glue gun. I think the reason why it stopped sticking was because when I got the thermostat, I put the probe between the pad and the glass and the sticky stuff got exposed to the air and dried out.

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I've had that issue as well. What I do is put aluminum foil on the entire sticky part so I can move it if need be. Then make a few 'rolls' of foil tape(like what you do with tape when you stick a birthday card on a present lol), and put that around the center where your probe would be That way it can adhere in the middle of the UTH as well. After that, just use foil tape on all edges and call it a day.

If you don't want to use the foil tape 'rolls' in the middle, just make sure the pad is really taut when you tape the edges. That works on all of mine, unless it's a super big UTH.

I avoid sticking them on the cage altogether. Eventually they gotta all come off so I simply put a piece of cardboard underneath the UTH to make it press against the bottom of the cage. Problem solved.

Alternatively, you could use double-sided tape. That's what I use to fix my heat tape in place; stuff is gold. I got mine from Reptile Basics; has no problem with heat and doesn't lose its stick

I thought the foil tape could interefer with the temp probe readings? I thought I read that somewhere. I do the same as Snakeguy, but I use tile.

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Originally Posted by kameo37

I thought the foil tape could interefer with the temp probe readings? I thought I read that somewhere. I do the same as Snakeguy, but I use tile.

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Foil tape shouldn't be used to attach probes to UTH's, but it's fine to use to attach UTH's to the bottom of the cage.

http://i1186.photobucket.com/albums/...s/IMG_0439.jpg

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Originally Posted by Camel Zombie

The temperature in the cage is too low and it's because the UTH is not sticking. I'm using some blue paper tape one the edges but it's still not sticking. Especially on the center where I need it to stick the most. I have duct tape, electrical tape, hot glue gun, blue paper tape, and regular clear tape. I might have some aluminum tape but possibly not. I think the hot glue gun will work the best but I'm not sure if the heat will melt it or it won't conduct heat as much. I do have a thermostat on it and I have it set to around 98 degrees (because of the low temps since the UTH won't stick).

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Im having the same exact problem. I was freaking out at first but realized that my temps are fine with it just being under the tub. I have both probes there, it doesn't go higher than 91.5 or lower than 87.9. What surface do you have the enclosure on ?

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Originally Posted by TheSnakeGuy

I avoid sticking them on the cage altogether. Eventually they gotta all come off so I simply put a piece of cardboard underneath the UTH to make it press against the bottom of the cage. Problem solved.

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this.