Thermostat and Substrate Questions

[Adam Chandler]

Once back when I used tanks my normal pushed away his substrate(as almost all BPs do) and curled up right over the glass on top of his UTH. When I picked him up his belly was very red and 3 large blisters had formed where his skin contacted the glass. What I had to do was go out to walmart and get a dimmer switch and a 6ft extension cord. Cut the extension cord and ran it through the dimmer switch and made myself a sweet rheostat.
However as the temperature in the room change the rheostat had to be changed also. Eventually I just said screw it and moved to a rack system with Helix thermostats which has been great.

[spartybassoon]

So if the temps are in the right zone, they won't burn themselves by being right up against it? It may sound like a real noob question, but I'm still waiting for someone to say that it is ok for a snake to cuddle the glass at 90 degrees F...it just doesn't seem right to me.

[seeya205]

This is why you keep the uth at 90 and not the substrate because they will burrow to the glass for heat! This is normal and will not hurt the snake at 90!

[Kaorte]

What kind of thermometers are you using?

[spartybassoon]

I've got an electronic one with a probe that is right where the hot spot is.

[Kaorte]

I've got an electronic one with a probe that is right where the hot spot is.

right on the glass under the substrate? If that is indeed where you have it and you are only getting a temp of 80-82, your UTH might be defective. They should heat up to 120* unregulated.

How much substrate do you have over the probe? is there any airflow under the UTH?

[Vypyrz]

right on the glass under the substrate? If that is indeed where you have it and you are only getting a temp of 80-82, your UTH might be defective. They should heat up to 120* unregulated.

How much substrate do you have over the probe? is there any airflow under the UTH?

I use those same ones and they come with the little plastic risers. If they are using them then the heat is probably being lost. I cover my Exo Terras with a piece of polystyrene insulation, so all the heat goes up, and they maintain good temps.

SpartyBassoon, If you decide to use polystyrene insulation, it is crucial that you use a thermostat to run your UTH...