Question about uth and substrate

[The Serpent Merchant]

You can make a hill if you want but there aren't any benefits of a thicker substrate layer.

Yes you can put the UTH on the same side as a heat lamp (though this isn't how I would do it)

I would put the UTH on one side and the heat lamp in the center. The UTH which must be regulated by a thermostat will provide the basking temperature of 88-92 degrees. The heat lamp in the center of the cage will maintain the air temperature in the cage between 78-82 degrees. This way you can use a lower wattage bulb. A lamp dimmer for the heat bulb is a good idea so you can adjust the heat output.