Heating Question!

[adam_degel]

If everyone here says they keep the UTH at 92 degrees how do you compensate for the substrate? i dunno.. cause i have to put it to at least 100 degrees for the double layer of paper towel to stay in the 90's?

thanks

[tbowman]

I usually keep my warm spot around 90. Put it up as much as you need to get the floor of the cage to the temp you need.

[Argentra]

What the thermostat reads is not important... it's what the floor of the enclosure reads. If the stat must be set at 105 to get 94 inside, then so be it. Different materials, UTH strengths, and substrates will affect the temps in different ways. That's why digital thermometers with probes are so important.

[Moonshae]

What the thermostat reads is not important... it's what the floor of the enclosure reads. If the stat must be set at 105 to get 94 inside, then so be it. Different materials, UTH strengths, and substrates will affect the temps in different ways. That's why digital thermometers with probes are so important.

The "so be it" has the caveat of making sure the temp under the substrate against the bottom of the enclosure doesn't get high enough to burn the snake, right? Although with paper towels, the difference shouldn't be too huge that this would be an issue.

[Argentra]

Yes, a thermostat is always needed to keep the UTH or other heat source stable and low enough not to burn. Depending on the plastic, glass, vinyl, what-have-you that the bottom of the cage is made of, the heat will transfer through differently. The most important temp reading is the inside floor of the cage, under the substrate, right over the heat source. This should be no higher than 95. Amount and type of substrate is added to adjust that temp down to 92ish for the snake.

[jglass38]

Measure your temps on the floor of the tub, not on top of the substrate. The snake will find it's way to the heat if it requires more warmth.