Problems with thermostats + ambient room temp.

So I keep all my animals in one room. They all have under tank heaters and I regulate them with individual Hydrofarm Jumpstart Thermostats. I know, on-off thermostats aren't exactly ideal but at the time they were the best option for me. Pretty soon I will be switching to a Herpstat. Anyway I just moved to a new area where it is A LOT colder than what I'm used to. The house reaches around 60 degrees at night, but I figured my animals were fine with their thermostats and hot spots. Nope. For some reason all of my thermostats aren't reaching the set temperatures. My Bp's hot spot is set to 93, but his digital thermometer is only reading around 85 on the hot spot, I also tested it with my temp gun (variable by about 6 degrees) and it read 83.

To put it simply, I'm wondering if cold ambient air temps are affecting the thermostats abilities to reach the set temp? And would a room heater help fix that problem?

Seems weird to me, I feel like they should be what I set them to no matter what. Which is why I'm planning on switching to Herpstat soon. I'm also wondering if my animals will be okay with the lowered temps for the next two weeks? I live way out in the middle of nowhere and currently without a vehicle. I'm going into town on the 22nd to pick up my new car and I was going to get a room heater then.

Overview- ambient temp at night: 60
ambient temp during day: 70-78
Hot spots: varying from 80-87

Where do you have the thermostat probe placed? Does the thermostat just continually provide power to the heat pad or is it turning on/off?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have the probe on the heat pad (outside the tank). It turns on and off. It reads 93 on the thermostat before shutting off (which is what I set it to) but the problem is that my thermometer and temp gun are reading a different temp inside the tank.

I was also thinking maybe the probe isn't secured well enough against the heat pad. My tanks sit on shelves and I slide a piece of cardboard in between the shelf and the heat pad +probe. Maybe I should get some electrical tape and stick it on there instead.

Still, they were working fine before it started to get cold here.

I am confused as to where the cardboard is. Is the heat tape flush against the bottom of your tank? You can also use the temp gun to check the heat tape temp to verify your thermostat is getting the correct reading.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes, sorry. The heat pad is against the bottom of my tank, and the card board is against the heat pad. I use it to keep the probe on the heat pad.

I just checked the temp on a heat pad like you suggested, I have it set at 93 but the temp gun says the heat pad is 113... then when I check the inside temp it says 83. Maybe my gun is going wacky too. :confusd:

The heat tape can have temperature variation.

What kind of substrate do you have? Are you taking the temps on the top of the substrate or on the inside surface of the tank?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I use ZooMed forest floor for my Ball Python, but the area where the heat pad is I've cleared the bedding away and put paper towels there so he can lay directly on the warm spot. The rest of my snakes are on paper towels. So to answer your question I'm taking the temps on the paper towels.

It sounds to me like the issue is related to the ambient temperature. You're losing the heat being conducted through. Is this only happening in this one tank though?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think you may be right. So would a room heater help fix this problem? It is happening in all the tanks, they are all in the same room.

If I was reading right your thermostat probe is attached to the bottom of the uth and not sandwiched between the uth and bottom of the enclosure correct? My house is always 60-65 and a problem I was having with the thermostat probe being on the bottom of the uth is it would cause an temp fluctuations bc heat was hitting one side of probe and cool air the other. I moved the probe so it was sandwiched between the uth and bottom of enclosures and it fixed my problem.

Also you should always take your temp under paper towel or any substrate.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Yes, you are right, it's on the uth. That definitely makes sense about the cold air hitting it, I am going to try sandwiching them right now and see what happens. :D Thank you, you are a life saver.

I agree with chrid - probe between UTH and tank and take your tank temp under the paper towel.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Also are you using another heat source for the cool side? You need to keep cool side around 78-82 and with your temps getting down in the 60s that is much to cool. Being that I live in 60s all year round I use rhps to heat all but 2 of my snakes, the rhps heat both sides of cage allowing me to use only one thermostat. The other 2 snakes I use 2 uth, one for hot and one for cool but I have to use a thermostat for each side.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Are you taking your temperature on top of or under the substrate?

Okay I'm back, so I put the probes in between the uth and the glass. Waited a few minutes. Thermostat was reading 92, I took the temps under the paper towel and it read 92, although it varied by a degree or two in other spots. Guess that's normal though. But that leads me to another question. If it's 92 under the paper towels and only 85 on top of them (where the snake lays), am I still having an ambient air problem? Should I up the thermostats for now and get a room heater to fix the problem?

That temp on top of the paper towel would most likely be higher when your snake is actually sitting on it. I think you're good on the hot side. You may want to address the cool side if there's no additional heating over there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks Gator, I guess that would make sense. I don't have another heat pad on the cool side. I was wondering if getting a room heater and keeping it at 78-80 would fix the issue with the cool side?

It will, but it'll kill your electric bill.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hmm. Well I guess I'll have to weigh my options lol.

Options for cool side are heating room, che or red bulb with thermostat (will hurt humidity), another uth and thermostat, or rhp depending on type of cage your using.

Also exactly as gator said when the snake lays on paper towel it will be hotter, just like if you put your hand over a hot pan on stove it would feel hot but if you pressed your hand onto the pan it would be much hotter. I would drop your thermostat so it's 90 under paper towel bc 92 is close to the high end of the temp range so 90 would be better in case of a fluctuation.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

Thank you chrid, you have been very helpful. I am looking into getting a room heater.
I am leaving the temp at 92 (for my Rosy Boas) as they are pretty heat tolerant being desert snakes and have a higher recommended basking temp than BP's. I have my Bp at 90 though :)