Burns - Using A UTH Without A Thermostat

UTHs (the common abbreviation for Under Tank Heater), are one of the ball pyhton habitat's must-haves. Being small, usually adhesive, heat pads, they are excellent for providing a "hot spot" on the bottom of the tank for pythons to get tummy warmth, since they aren't snakes that bask for warmth

There is another component that MUST be purchased to use with a uth: a thermostat. Uth can heat to temps well over 100 degrees, with reports of them running at 150 degrees! Temperatures like this will burn your snake, and some of these burns can be life threatening. A thermostat, in this application, has an outlet for plugging the heat source into, and a dial or digital screen for setting the cut-off temperature. Some thermostats work as a "dimmer," regulating the heat without simply turning the uth on and off each time. Either way, you NEED some kind of thermostat as a partner to your uth. Without it, your snake could be severely injured.

The following pictures are of a snake that was burned and neglected to receive any kind of treatment for three weeks. This snake has been rescued, but its future is still uncertain. Please, control that uth! :)

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...1432073124.png

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...1432073118.png

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...1432073114.png

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...1432073100.png

(PS: a thermoSTAT is not the same as a thermoMETER. A thermostat controls heat, a thermometer measures heat. More about the differences can be found in several other posts on this site.)

Are you involved with the snake's rescue? If so, please post updates and treatment. I'm always interested to see how serious injuries are treated and seeing the rate of healing.

That is a nice post.

How do we get users to learn how to search the forum to find it? Its going to get buried like all the other million warnings and threads about how serious it is to have a tstat. Give it some time and you will see the search bar is the most under utilized tool on the forum.

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Originally Posted by KMG

That is a nice post.

How do we get users to learn how to search the forum to find it?

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Ah, the $1M question. I've joked several times that I could probably post a reply with a link to another thread to every single question. But, where would be the fun in that? ;)

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Originally Posted by Eric Alan

Ah, the $1M question. I've joked several times that I could probably post a reply with a link to another thread to every single question. But, where would be the fun in that? ;)

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You most certainly could.

I have always suggested users trying the search bar but people just want the answers brought to them.

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Originally Posted by DVirginiana

Are you involved with the snake's rescue? If so, please post updates and treatment. I'm always interested to see how serious injuries are treated and seeing the rate of healing.

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I am not involved with this snake. I saw it's pics/story in a Facebook group, so I am keeping up with it, and I will pass along any updates I get. I sure hope this girl makes it!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by KMG

That is a nice post.

How do we get users to learn how to search the forum to find it? Its going to get buried like all the other million warnings and threads about how serious it is to have a tstat. Give it some time and you will see the search bar is the most under utilized tool on the forum.

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I sent an admin a private message to let them know about this post, in case they want to "Sticky" it. If not my post, I hope they Sticky something about burns...

Oh, I forgot to add that heat/basking rocks can be just as bad...

Oh, and I <3 the search bar! I hate being "that person." ;) But I'll admit, sometimes it's hard to sift through all the results...

I'm hardly an authority on BPs, but on forums for species I've kept longer I sometimes feel like I should just save a word document explaining how to deal with certain problems so I can copy/paste it whenever the same issues keep cropping up. :P

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Originally Posted by DVirginiana

I'm hardly an authority on BPs, but on forums for species I've kept longer I sometimes feel like I should just save a word document explaining how to deal with certain problems so I can copy/paste it whenever the same issues keep cropping up. :P

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Not a bad idea!! ;) I'm definitely NOT an authority, but in the short time that I've been a member of this forum, I've seen WAY too many people using uth without a thermostat. It's just dangerous for the snake. :(

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...08-49-48-1.png

So far, the snake is healing. She's not out of the woods, but she seems to be improving.

http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a3...12-48-42-1.png

The lady who took in this snake says that a rescue may take her in, and she may already have an adopter lined up!

How hot can a UTH get without a thermostat? Anybody ever experimented w/this? I haven't, & won't, because my scale baby needs his & I don't have a spare lying around

I tested one that was on for barely 30 minutes, and it got over 120 degrees. HOT!

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Originally Posted by lizzy_troy

I tested one that was on for barely 30 minutes, and it got over 120 degrees. HOT!

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O wow!

Regarding the snake pictured in this thread, which is now in the care of a rescue group.

"She had her vet exam today. She has a systemic infection (basically the infection is beyond the wound is attacking her body in general) and a respiratory infection. we've got her on an injectable antibiotic for the next 20 days, and am switching to a daily nolvasan soak with silva sulphadine cream applied daily." (As of Saturday)

Please, use a thermostat with your heaters!!