Heat issues

I am getting my first snake this weekend so I am scrambling to get all the temps and humidity right. So with the heating pad, It heats fine with the thermostat but when my thermostat says one temp, the temp gun says another. Yes, The probe is in the middle of the pad. I have put substrate over it too and maybe i got a bad substrate but it is NOT heating. The heat pad is around 90 degrees but above the substrate (1/2 - 1 inch in that spot) Is around 77 degrees. I am really confused why t his is such a difference with such a small layer of substrate. I have been waiting hours and it is not warming. Really confused... Also is the heat pad too small? I have a 36 x 18 x 12 (40 gallon low tank) and this is my heat pad https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Thanks

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Might be good to mention Im getting a ball python

Heat pads don't heat through much substrate. Only use a thin layer of it. Just think about how insulation works on cups, houses, your jackets, lots of things. Even though the pad is 90f under the glass the top may be a little cooler.

That's actually how it's supposed to be! Many people use a uth + bulbs above the enclosure to keep the air temps up. Do you have a bulb? Ceramic heat emitters are great because they don't put out light.

A uth is meant to be belly heat, they don't typically do very well raising air temps. Although the temp on top of the substrate seems low to you, you should leave the thermostat set to 90 degrees. Raising the thermostat can be dangerous.A ball python can and will dig down in the substrate and touch the glass, and if you turn it up your snake could get injured.

I will say though you could probably take out some substrate. For being right over the uth, 1 inch is kind of thick. If it's thinner (1/2 inch or even a little less in that area) heat can rise up a little easier.

i had the exact problem when i got mine. what i do is put a bit more substrate under the probes then just a tiny bit on top. eventually the substrate will heat up and stay pretty consitent.. i put the warm hide right on top too. dont stress it too much though your snake will be fine while you work it all out, youve done your homework so itll be all good

I’m thanks for the reply! Took out half the substrate so now it’s very thin. (Above substrate around 85 glass around 90) this is ok for the warm side? I do not have a bulb and don’t want to get one if I don’t have to to save money

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Originally Posted by Ball marley

i had the exact problem when i got mine. what i do is put a bit more substrate under the probes then just a tiny bit on top. eventually the substrate will heat up and stay pretty consitent.. i put the warm hide right on top too. dont stress it too much though your snake will be fine while you work it all out, youve done your homework so itll be all good

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Yeah um I HOPE I am reading that completely wrong?????? Probe NOT in enclosure and you should be monitoring the hottest surface your animal can touch. Psst they do burrow and if you have your probe buried in the substrate where it shouldnt be and can be moved you are not properly monitoring your heat source.

The point of a no contact thermometer is to check the temperature under the substrate. You will then adjust your thermostat to get the readings you want on the thermometer. Go by the thermometer number not the thermostat.https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...513d8a6d56.jpg

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Originally Posted by ImBadAtUsernames

I’m thanks for the reply! Took out half the substrate so now it’s very thin. (Above substrate around 85 glass around 90) this is ok for the warm side? I do not have a bulb and don’t want to get one if I don’t have to to save money

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90 on the glass is fine. Stop worrying about on top of the substrate.

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I’ve never seen people placing it on the outside. I’ll change it now thanks for telling me.

So I put it in there and now there is a giant opening in the heat pad is that ok?

no not under the glass thats silly thats not right at all and if you peel off the heatpad it usually ruins it. yes you make sure the snake is not getting down on the glass of course but theyre not sand boas lol. no need for the attitude that guy, has im not here for that. a couple inches of substrate on the warm side so they wont touch the glass has always workeds for me..if not change it. what i do works just fine and always has or id say nothing. a constant 32c on the warm side and 26c on the cool side. happy snake..never skipped a meal and always a perfect shed.

Well after some messing around I got warm side temps perfect but the cool side is not. Glass is around 71 degrees. I might just get a small heat lamp for that. Do UVB lights give off little heat or none?

If I get a bulb will it heat the whole enclosure? Can i get a weak one that will raise a spot by 8 degrees or so?

exactly dude ..thats what i do and it is perfect. just watch it for the first little bit and make sure the light isnt close enough to overheat it. then youll probably just have to mist a tiny bit more. you got it i can tell you do ..everyone has their ways and yours are great if they work

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Originally Posted by Ball marley

no need for the attitude that guy, has im not here for that.

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No attitude, just hate seeing bad advice given that can cause harm to an animal.
Setting up heating is not that hard.
Now to get back on topic.....
A properly regulated UTH will do little to nothing for ambient temperatures. There are 2 ways to help that.
1 heat the whole room
2 overhead heating for the enclosure

My reptile room stays between 78 to 81 year round.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

No attitude, just hate seeing bad advice given that can cause harm to an animal.

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Originally Posted by PitOnTheProwl

Setting up heating is not that hard.
Now to get back on topic.....

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..yeah no attitude at all. no passive aggrression at all. lol

you must have something mixed up. you got me all wrong and do what you want with yours im just saying this is how i do it and it works 100% positive.

im not gonna keep goin with this

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Originally Posted by Ball marley

no not under the glass thats silly thats not right at all and if you peel off the heatpad it usually ruins it. yes you make sure the snake is not getting down on the glass of course but theyre not sand boas lol. no need for the attitude that guy, has im not here for that. a couple inches of substrate on the warm side so they wont touch the glass has always workeds for me..if not change it. what i do works just fine and always has or id say nothing. a constant 32c on the warm side and 26c on the cool side. happy snake..never skipped a meal and always a perfect shed.

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It’s always heat pad then probe then glass. You sandwich the probe between the heat pad and the bottom of the enclosure.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Ball marley

i had the exact problem when i got mine. what i do is put a bit more substrate under the probes then just a tiny bit on top. eventually the substrate will heat up and stay pretty consitent.. i put the warm hide right on top too. dont stress it too much though your snake will be fine while you work it all out, youve done your homework so itll be all good

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You dont check temps of substrate or get the substrate to the temps the snake needs. That would mean the Glass would be Much Hotter than the snake needs. Neurological issues from over heating are no joke not to mention burns.
The info in this thread is blowing my mind.


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Originally Posted by ImBadAtUsernames

I am getting my first snake this weekend so I am scrambling to get all the temps and humidity right. So with the heating pad, It heats fine with the thermostat but when my thermostat says one temp, the temp gun says another. Yes, The probe is in the middle of the pad. I have put substrate over it too and maybe i got a bad substrate but it is NOT heating. The heat pad is around 90 degrees but above the substrate (1/2 - 1 inch in that spot) Is around 77 degrees. I am really confused why t his is such a difference with such a small layer of substrate. I have been waiting hours and it is not warming. Really confused... Also is the heat pad too small? I have a 36 x 18 x 12 (40 gallon low tank) and this is my heat pad https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Thanks

- - - Updated - - -

Might be good to mention Im getting a ball python

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Im trying to understand so dont get upset.
Is your UTH inside the tank? I see you said you put substrate over it? Or do you mean substrate is directly above it?
Hopefully the UTH is under the tank and what you want is the Probe to Tstat sandwiched between the UTH and the glass. (Outside the tank)
Then you set your tstat to about 90-92. After a couple hours check the Glass on the inside of the tank with your laser. It will not match the tstat. The whole point is to set the Tstat to whatever temp you need to get the inside glass temp of 90.
Example: my Tstats are set around 92.5 and my inside floor temp is 90. You loose some heat as it penetrates through. Also if you check the glass in different spots above the UTH you will get different reading. The UTH has wires running back and forth and sometimes you will measure the temp In-between the wires so its less.. other times its higher.. you want the hottest spot to read 91... as I move lazers around my floor reads 88.3...89.5... 90.8. Thats all perfect as nothing is over 91 and they are within Hotspot temp range of 88-91.
Hope i cam help ya understand better.
As far as Substrate. 1/2” is good and dont worry about the temp of substrate, they get their heat and will also burrow and move their body to get the heat they need.


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Originally Posted by ImBadAtUsernames

So I put it in there and now there is a giant opening in the heat pad is that ok?

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Use Metal Tape/foil tape (for heat ducts) to help fasten the UTH under the tank to the glass if you lost stickiness now. Hopefully you pealed it slowly and pulled strait not to crease the wires inside that can break.


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Yes the UTH is outside the tank. I moved the probe in between the UTH and ass and it does seem more accurate.