Do you need a thermostat for a Zoo-Med UTH?

[-Achilles-]

I recently bought a Zoo Med under tank heater and I am trying to figure out the best way to set it up for my ball python. I've looked around on the forums here, and most people say to always hook up your UTH to a thermostat/rheostat. The instruction manual says that you only need a thermostat IF your house temperature raises above 80 degrees, and also that the heat pad only raises the temperature of the terrarium by 5-10 degrees.

So before I install this UTH, I was just wondering if anyone has used this product before (or has knowledge about it) can let me know if I can install it without a thermostat.

Thanks guys!

[Turbo Serpent]

Yes you do, otherwise these rise to temperatures unsafe for ball pythons. These pads reach temepratures around 105 - 110 which are far too high. They need to be lowered down using a thermostat to around 90 for the hot spot.

[Crawdad]

YES! Even the 1-5gal mini ZooMed mats can get to well over 100f without a rheostat or thermostat. I know this because I have the mini ZooMed mat, and have measured its heat with a digital thermometer. It was over 110f in spots. I have to turn it down half way with a rheostat to keep temps at the 90-93 range.

Make sure you are measuring temps with an ACCURATE digital thermometer. The Acu Rite brand can be found at Walmart, Home Depot, or just about any other large box store, or hardware store. They run about $13.

My ambient house temp is about 74 degrees in the snake room, so it is definitely not a house temp issue. Be careful!

[771subliminal]

you want to have a thermostat for anything that heats up.

[-Achilles-]

Ok thanks guys.

The only thing I don't understand is, why does the instruction manual say you don't need to get a thermostat? It would be different if they never mentioned getting a thermostat, but the manual specifically states you don't need one. This can get really misleading, because if you guys didn't tell me about this I would have plugged it in and possibly burn/kill my ball python.

Shame on you Zoo Med

[Kaorte]

Well some species of reptiles can handle temps that high. The heat pad is not species specific and will work unregulated for some species.

I don't know if zoo-med makes a thermostat so that might be why they don't tell you to use one. Because you would be buying a product that wasn't theirs.

[-Achilles-]

Dang-it... O well, guess I'll be off to the store again.

[nixer]

zoo-med does make a thermostat but its unreliable at best.

[stlsteelersfan]

I have a repti 500 on the UTH on the outside. and I have a ACCURATE digital thermometer. With the probe under aspen just above glass bottom at the edge of the hide in warm area. It shows a temp of 99-102 just above pad. Put also have a digital laser temp gun and it shows the the aspen at hide edge and just inside hide at 78-81. why is temp so diffeerent? it is 74-76 in cool side and that temp is what I get with digital laser temp gun. what am I doing wrong

[BOWSER11788]

not to hi-jack thread, but my zoo-med- gets my 20 longs hide only to like 89 degrees, wonder why