A UTH with out a THERMOSTAT (not a thermometer) will cook your snake.

You absolutely need a thermostat to use the UTH.

An unregulated UTH will get well over 100*F which is enough to slowly burn your snake.

To clarify, I am talking about the heat mat that you ALREADY have on your cage which means that it probably is already too hot for him right on the surface. Take your probe and put it under the substrate right on the glass where the UTH is.

No offense but changing all those lamps out during the day sounds like the biggest pain in the butt on the planet... Not to mention it probably does an awesome number on your humidity.


Keep in mind we are only trying to help you find the most successful way to heat your tank safely and effectively. What you are suggesting with the CHE's will work and I have seen people do it, but you will then be struggling with humidity.

Many people have gone through the trial and error of different heat sources and how effective they are. It is the general consensus that a UTH on a thermostat is the best option for a ball python. If you need supplemental heat (if the room is colder than 70*F) then a low wattage heat lamp, CHE, or second UTH will work best.

There is honestly no reason for you to be changing out your lights all the time. As someone else has said before "set it and forget it". It should not be this much work to keep constant temps.