2 uths?

[kameo37]

Hello all!
I've got a baby (2 months) ball in a 10 gal. I'm reading about temps. Does everyone use 2 UTHs for the most part? I'm seeing a lot of people with rack systems...these obviously must use UTH s, but are they using 2? I'm just wondering since most care sheets say to have a gradient from 80-92, , but not lower than 75. So can the cool side of the gradient go down to 75? If so, then I don't need the 2nd UTH because my house doesn't get below that.
Maybe I just read that wrong somewhere? What does the majority here use? 1 or 2?
Sorry I'm being such a noob, I'm not new to reptiles, but newish to the world of snakes and I'm still figuring things out...

[TheSnakeGuy]

First, if you are using a UTH it needs to be regulated by a thermostat. Without a thermoSTAT(not thermometer) the UTH can easily reach temps of 120+ degrees and literally cook your snake. That being said, in a 10 gallon tank a UTH is not really necessary. I recommend using a single heat lamp with a red or blue 75 watt bulb placed near one end of the cage and left on 24hrs a day. This along with either an adjustable lamp stand or a dimmer switch will easily give you your 90warm/80cool temp gradient. It will also raise the ambient air temp to 78-82 which is necessary. A UTH on both the warm and cool sides will only give belly heat and got raise the air temp. Two UTHs wouldn't be useful unless you are heating a large cage, something like 40-55 gallon. I hope this helps.

[kameo37]

A little more specific info-- my cool side reads 77 on top of the substrate, which I would think is the coolest part of the tank. Also, that's in the morning.

[Rickys_Reptiles]

Heat lamps are garbage. Get a UTH with a thermostat. If you're going to have 2 UTH's then make sure to get either 2 thermostats or a thermostat with 2 probes.

[kameo37]

Yes, I already have the UTH on a dimmer with a probe monitoring the temps...no cooked snakes on my watch. I have read that heat mats are the preferred method because the lamps will dry it out too much.
SO, with the cool side getting down to at least 77, do you think a 2nd UTH is necessary?

[bcr229]

Yes, I already have the UTH on a dimmer with a probe monitoring the temps...no cooked snakes on my watch. I have read that heat mats are the preferred method because the lamps will dry it out too much.
SO, with the cool side getting down to at least 77, do you think a 2nd UTH is necessary?

With the size tank you have and your ambient room temperatures you should only need one UTH. A thermostat is preferred over a dimmer switch, though it'll make do until you get one. You can find decent thermostats on amazon.com for about $30.

The tank for my boa has two UTH's but it's a six feet long 125 gallon aquarium that we converted for snakes. We keep a hide on the larger UTH and one of her water tubs covers the smaller one. Keeping the water warm helps keep the humidity up, and she does soak in her warm bath periodically also.

[Rickys_Reptiles]

Yes, I already have the UTH on a dimmer with a probe monitoring the temps...no cooked snakes on my watch. I have read that heat mats are the preferred method because the lamps will dry it out too much.
SO, with the cool side getting down to at least 77, do you think a 2nd UTH is necessary?

Firstly, a dimmer is NOT enough for now, nor will it be enough EVER. A dimmer only restricts the amount of electricity going to your UTH, so instead of it getting very hot right away, it'll get very hot slowly. It will not stop your UTH from overheating and killing your snake. Get a thermostat, no if's and's or but's.

Secondly, If your rooms ambient is only 77F (25c) then you may want to considder adding a small heat lamp (low wattage) just to raise the temperature a couple degrees. Or, use a second UTH. Either will do. Another option is to cover most of the tank so that the heat that the UTH is producing lingers a bit longer inside. That could do the trick. You're only a couple degrees low on the cool end anyway.

[kameo37]

I have a hydrofarm regulator on my corn snake's tank and I hate it. It fluctuates way more than the dimmer. I really thought the dimmers were more controlled. So the UTH will overheat regardless of how much current it is receiving? It sounds like the UTH is very unpredictable. What about zoo med heat cable? We happen to have a spare one. Same deal? Are they as unreliable as the heat mats?

[Rickys_Reptiles]

I have a hydrofarm regulator on my corn snake's tank and I hate it. It fluctuates way more than the dimmer. I really thought the dimmers were more controlled. So the UTH will overheat regardless of how much current it is receiving? It sounds like the UTH is very unpredictable. What about zoo med heat cable? We happen to have a spare one. Same deal? Are they as unreliable as the heat mats?

Just buy a thermostat - there are no shortcuts that work.

[kameo37]

What thermostat do you recommend?