Temperature readings go CRAZY when snake is coiled up on the probe.

[hungba]

Ok I am wondering if I am doing this all wrong now.

Is this what I am supposed to do?

I have a rack with tubs in it and UTH heat pads under the tubs on each level. Each of the levels UTH has a rheostat attached to it. There is also a thermostat that has a probe that is taped to the heat pad in one of the levels.

I know that the thermostat is supposed to be adjusted to be HIGHER than 90F which is what I want my hot spot to be at. I don't know what to set the thermostat to. This is because I don't know what to do to measure the temperature inside the tub at the hot spot.

I have a digital thermometer with a probe in EVERY tub. I thought I got it all right after I adjusted the rheostats on each level so that it was slightly higher than 90F (about 93F) and then set the THERMOSTAT so that the THERMOMETER readings inside the tubs were all about 90F.

Now here is where the tricky part is. When I put a hide in one level (over the probe), the temperature changes. When the snake goes on the thermometer probes, the temperature rises 10F! So what am I supposed to do about that? Do I just not care about that, knowing that it is just because of the hide or the snake trapping the heat?

I also own a heat gun, but don't know what to do with it. I know how to use it you point and you click and read the temperature but what do I do with it? Do I pull the tub out and measure the hot spot? I know from the thermometer readings that as soon as I pull the tub out the temp drops... And what about the hides and the snakes affecting the temps anyway once I put the tub back?

Also, where am I supposed to point the temp gun at if there is a hide? I can remove the hide and measure under it but that is just like measuring with no hide. Am I supposed to just measure in there diagonally with a little slit open from pulling out the tub?

I am really confused about this and I want to get it right. Am I supposed to have the hot spot at 90F with or without the hide? With or without the snake on the probe/area I measure with the temp gun?

P.S. breeders keep 1000s of snakes healthy and I find it hard to believe they measure the temps in every tub twice a day. So am I just over thinking this and I should just set the darn thermostat to, say 95F and hope for the best? I don't get this.