ok so i finally got a digital thermometer. i placed the probe under the substrate on the glass above the heating pad. at first it said it was like 106, 104, 102 degrees. it finally went down to 97. the ambient temp was measuring high too. and my humidity was measuring at 83%!!

i had the thermostat for the heating pad set to 90 degrees, so i lowered it a little to see if that would help. i ran out for an hour to go grocery shopping and came back to see the in temp at 79, out temp at 97 and the humidity at HI %. it didn't even have a number. i dont know what to do because now my bp is also all over the tank going on the screen top, on the sides, on the climbing branch. at first i thought maybe he was uncomfortable but then i remembered that it is feeding day at the petstore, but we changed his day to monday so he could settle in (only have had him for 4 days) and so that my step son could be home for the feeding.

he's definitely hungry though because i walked up to the tank and he opened his mouth all the way. i need to fix a few things, like i wanted to put something down under the substrate just in case so he doesnt burn his belly, thin out the substrate a little because even though the glass is hot, the substrate is very cool. it's reptibark and i may have too much down, i don't know. i also wanted to look at the thermometer to make sure its working right. but i don't want to stick my hand in while hes this hungry.

what should i do?