UTH not heating? Baby in jeopardy?!

[ae88weaver]

I brought my baby home today and set up his cage. I'm using an 8 gallon rubbermaid and attached the UTH (Zoo Med, small size, 8 watts) and judging by the 2 thermometers (one digital, one normal), the heater is not heating right... I attached the UTH underneath the outside of the cage, covering only one side, about 1/4 of the cage... I can't get the cage above 80 and that's pushing it and the UTH has been on there for about 3 hours. Although the size I chose said it was for tanks 10-20 gallons, did I make a mistake? Is this thing defective? Or are both my thermometers off (although they read my air temp correctly)? Should I use an alternative heat source? Should I get a larger pad? HELP! I don't want to put my baby in jeopardy!

[dr del]

Hi,

Are you measuring air temps or the surface temp on the inside of the rubbermaid just above the heat pad?

Is the heat pad on any kind of controller like a thermostat or rheostat?

How long has it been since you switched it on?


dr del

[ae88weaver]

Hi,

Are you measuring air temps or the surface temp on the inside of the rubbermaid just above the heat pad?

Is the heat pad on any kind of controller like a thermostat or rheostat?

How long has it been since you switched it on?


dr del

I put the probe of the thermometer on the newspaper substrate, over the heat pad

I had the pad on a thermostat that I am borrowing from a friend that he said was not accurate so I tried getting accurate measurments and since that wasn't working, I just took the heating pad off the thermostat and am using it by its self

I turned it on about 3 hours ago

[dr del]

Hi,

Three hours isn't that long - we normally advise people to have the setup assembled an running for 12-24 hours before trying to put the snake in it so they can adjust things.

It is common to have to set your thermostat higher than the desired temp to get things dialed in but this depends on where you put the thermostat probe.

What kind of thermostat is it?

Be very, very carefull trying to run a UTH without any form of control - some brands can get to 120f+ and that is more than enough to burn your snake.

I usually have the hot end of the tank as one third. Also a lot might depend on your ambient room temperatures - what are they at the moment?

I would put the probe of the thermometer under the substrate and hot hide.


dr del

[ae88weaver]

Hi,

What kind of thermostat is it?


I usually have the hot end of the tank as one third. Also a lot might depend on your ambient room temperatures - what are they at the moment?


dr del

It is a ESU reptile thermostat

My room temp is 70, all day all night long... It never changes...

[RichsBallPythons]

If it feels warm to your touch its working. If its cool then its faulty heating pad.