Hi I'm new here and worried about my ball :(

[Archimedes]

If you're concerned about the UTH being too hot, I'm not sure I'd put him on paper towels unless I had the UTH unplugged. The eco-earth will at least give a layer of insulation if you're still looking to monitor the UTH temp for a bit longer. You could even burn some of that humidity away with a desk clamp-lamp for the time being.

BUT if he's already showing signs of burning, paper towel/newspaper is probably best until that heals up. I'll reiterate though, make sure the UTH is properly maintained before even thinking about putting him on a thinner substrate.