Zilla Temperature Controller with UTH?

[PythonLover137]

Hey everyone! So I'm getting my first Ball Python soon and trying to set up the tank right now, but I'm confused about the UTH and the thermostat I have. It's a Zilla 1000 watt temperature controller. It says to place the probe in the warmest part of the tank but away from the radiant heat source. I thought the probe was supposed to go on the UTH so it could measure the heat and control it. I'm just worried about it getting too hot and burning my snake. Do you think the probe would be fine to go on the UTH even though the directions say away from radiant heat source?

[Sunnieskys]

Go to the stickies under husbandry. Setting up the tank. Step by step. The probe goes between the uth and glass.

[PythonLover137]

Thank you! Trying to work out the temperatures now. The UTH reads 92 but the rest of the warm side is only around 82. Setting up a lamp to try and increase it. Cool side is about 76 right now.

[Brandonbeaty]

Thank you! Trying to work out the temperatures now. The UTH reads 92 but the rest of the warm side is only around 82. Setting up a lamp to try and increase it. Cool side is about 76 right now.

you need a thermometer inside on top of the substrate to measure the temp of the hot side above the UTH and adjust your thermostat to get the temp up. say your hot spot is 82 and uth reads 92. you may have to adjust the thermostat to 102 to reach temps of 92 inside the tank on top of substrate. dont quote me on the thermostat setting just play with it a bit till you find the right comparison

[Brandonbeaty]

you need a thermometer inside on top of the substrate to measure the temp of the hot side above the UTH and adjust your thermostat to get the temp up. say your hot spot is 82 and uth reads 92. you may have to adjust the thermostat to 102 to reach temps of 92 inside the tank on top of substrate. dont quote me on the thermostat setting just play with it a bit till you find the right comparison

the main reason the prob for the thermostat is to be placed out side is to insure that the snake can not come in contact and interfere with its reading or move the prob of the thermostat

[PythonLover137]

That makes sense, thanks!

[jezzaboo13]

I am in the same boat as you, I have the Zilla t-stat 1000 w/ UTH
I ignored the "away from radiant heat source" directions because everything I have read on here says to place the t-stat probe between the UTH and the bottom of the enclosure. But when I do this I have to set my t-stat to like 105 to get it closer to the 90 I'm looking for right where the snake is laying.
Is this normal? Are other people having to do this too? It seems a lot less accurate.
I have a thermometer with probe directly on the floor in his warm hide.
When I first set everything up I had the tstat probe right next to the thermometer probe inside the tank and I honestly was getting better/more accurate readings like that. But I didn't want to risk him peeing pooping or moving it so I changed it. Now I'm confused

[jezzaboo13]

I am in the same boat as you, I have the Zilla t-stat 1000 w/ UTH
I ignored the "away from radiant heat source" directions because everything I have read on here says to place the t-stat probe between the UTH and the bottom of the enclosure. But when I do this I have to set my t-stat to like 105 to get it closer to the 90 I'm looking for right where the snake is laying.
Is this normal? Are other people having to do this too? It seems a lot less accurate.
I have a thermometer with probe directly on the floor in his warm hide.
When I first set everything up I had the tstat probe right next to the thermometer probe inside the tank and I honestly was getting better/more accurate readings like that. But I didn't want to risk him peeing pooping or moving it so I changed it. Now I'm confused

[Brandonbeaty]

I am in the same boat as you, I have the Zilla t-stat 1000 w/ UTH
I ignored the "away from radiant heat source" directions because everything I have read on here says to place the t-stat probe between the UTH and the bottom of the enclosure. But when I do this I have to set my t-stat to like 105 to get it closer to the 90 I'm looking for right where the snake is laying.
Is this normal? Are other people having to do this too? It seems a lot less accurate.
I have a thermometer with probe directly on the floor in his warm hide.
When I first set everything up I had the tstat probe right next to the thermometer probe inside the tank and I honestly was getting better/more accurate readings like that. But I didn't want to risk him peeing pooping or moving it so I changed it. Now I'm confused

yes its normal to have your tstat set higher. i have personally put the prob in the tank and outside. its always better to be safe with your snakes and just leave it outside. but i wont lie to you like people on here it is just fine being inside the chances that the snake will move it are slim and the snake moving it far enough to throw the readings off enough to get the tank way to hot are even slimer. but then again you wear a seat belt in a car because of the what ifs.... same concept here. my probs are on the out side and recommend that. just bump the tstat up till it reads good on the in door thermometer.

[PythonLover137]

I am in the same boat as you, I have the Zilla t-stat 1000 w/ UTH
I ignored the "away from radiant heat source" directions because everything I have read on here says to place the t-stat probe between the UTH and the bottom of the enclosure. But when I do this I have to set my t-stat to like 105 to get it closer to the 90 I'm looking for right where the snake is laying.
Is this normal? Are other people having to do this too? It seems a lot less accurate.
I have a thermometer with probe directly on the floor in his warm hide.
When I first set everything up I had the tstat probe right next to the thermometer probe inside the tank and I honestly was getting better/more accurate readings like that. But I didn't want to risk him peeing pooping or moving it so I changed it. Now I'm confused

Yes I've been messing with mine and I also have to have it turned higher to make it the right temp. The probe is in between the UTH and the glass and I have a digital thermometer probe measuring the temp. I don't have the snake yet so when I get him I'll have to figure out where the probe will go after that and still be able to measure the temp. Good luck to both of us.