Do you increase hotspot temps with substrate?

[highqualityballz]

I normally use unprinted paper with a hot spot of 90-92f but am going to try out reptichip. Do i measure temps on top of substrate or the surface of the actual tub? If my temps are 90-92f with unprinted paper its going to be cooler on top of the substrate.

[Reinz]

Yes the top of the substrate will be cooler. But keep in mind that your snake may move the substrate around and expose the floor; or he may even burrow, so measure your temps BELOW the substrate ON the floor.

[CALM Pythons]

What Reinz said ^^^^^ so keep substrate thin thin under hide hot spot.

[cletus]

Yep. What Reinz said. They will go all the way to the floor of the tub to get to the heat.

[SpacegirlSpiff]

I keep my probe under the loose substrate... I do either paper towel or reptile carpet directly on the glass because I felt weird about her touching straight to the glass if she did decide to burrow.... and then on the hot side I have a very thin layer of Eco Earth substrate over that (little thicker layer on the cooler side)

My thermometer probe is on top of the reptile carpet, but UNDER the eco earth since like previous posts said, the snake could burrow under that part of it if she wanted

I keep my thermostat for the UTH set at 94* because the layer of reptile carpet blocks some of the heat.... that makes the surface on top of the carpet pretty steady at 90.

[Reinz]

I keep my probe under the loose substrate... I do either paper towel or reptile carpet directly on the glass because I felt weird about her touching straight to the glass if she did decide to burrow.... and then on the hot side I have a very thin layer of Eco Earth substrate over that (little thicker layer on the cooler side)

My thermometer probe is on top of the reptile carpet, but UNDER the eco earth since like previous posts said, the snake could burrow under that part of it if she wanted

I keep my thermostat for the UTH set at 94* because the layer of reptile carpet blocks some of the heat.... that makes the surface on top of the carpet pretty steady at 90.

This sounds like it is working for you. One thing you keep in mind is not if, but when your snake urinates on top of that probe. The urine will cool down rapidly after soaking through the substrate and will cause the probe to tell your thermostat to increase the temperature. Could this be dangerous? Possibly, it depends upon how long it takes the urine to dry.

It is scary when you have experienced probe misreads. After this happened once to me, I take precautions to make sure that it won't happen again.

[SpacegirlSpiff]

This sounds like it is working for you. One thing you keep in mind is not if, but when your snake urinates on top of that probe. The urine will cool down rapidly after soaking through the substrate and will cause the probe to tell your thermostat to increase the temperature. Could this be dangerous? Possibly, it depends upon how long it takes the urine to dry.

It is scary when you have experienced probe misreads. After this happened once to me, I take precautions to make sure that it won't happen again.

Oh! my thermoSTAT probe is not inside the enclosure, it is taped to the UTH under the terrarium with aluminum tape. Only my thermometer probe is on the inside under the eco earth to monitor the temp... and I also check periodically with an IR gun

Yeah, when I first started setting it up (before I had my girl, I set up a couple days in advance), I did originally plan on putting the STAT probe on the inside, but thanks to this lovely site I was shown why that's not a good idea... unfortunately I had already attached the UTH to the bottom and couldnt put the probe in between, but it is very securely taped to the bottom non-sticky side and seems to work well

[Reinz]

Sorry that I misread your post.

[SpacegirlSpiff]

No worries lol ...just wanted to assure you

meters and stats get confusing around here!