first BP, need help with setup

[The Serpent Merchant]

what would be the best way to raise the temp a bit, just use a bigger lamp? and I am using the round dial thermometers. the substrate is 2" thick right now so I'll have to remove some. I havnt been able to find a thermostat locally and have to order one online, would you recommend I not use the uth until I receive the thermostat?

Yes, I would unplug the UTH until you get a thermostat.

Don't bother looking locally for a thermostat, as they are hard to find and the good ones are almost never available.

Here are 3 good thermostats:

1. The hydrofarm. This is the cheapest thermostat available that I would recommend. It isn't very accurate, and should really only be used if you can't afford a better thermostat:

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-MTPR.../dp/B000NZZG3S

2. The ranco thermostat, This is a mid-Range product, it is more accurate than the hydrofarm, but not nearly as accurate as the herpstat. This unit also lacks the safety features of the herpstat

http://www.reptilebasics.com/ranco-etc-111000

3. The herpstat. This is a cutting edge thermostat. It is extremely accurate and has multiple layers of safety features. These are what I use and would recommend over anything else. They make a fwe models, I would recommend the Herpstat intro +, the Herpstat 1, the Herpstat 2, or the Herpstat 4 if you plan on expanding your collection.

http://spyderrobotics.com/home/products.html

Your thermostat probe can be attached to the underside of your UTH with aluminum foil tape, this can be purchased at Walmart or any hardware store.

You will set your thermostat to what ever is necessary to make your probed thermometer read 90 in the cage. That might mean 92, it might mean 98 it vaires from setup to setup.

As for your temperature issue I would recommend slightly changing your setup. The only part of the cage that needs to be 90 is the basking spot. This will be created by your UTH. UTH's only heat surfaces and not the air in the cage. This is why a probed thermometer is necessary and the dial ones just won't work (they measure in the wrong places) The rest of the cage (the cool side and the air in the cage) only need to be 80 degrees. So I would center your heat lamp on the cage and let it maintain the cage at 80. I suggest you use this bulb so it can be left on 24/7:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...AvailInUS%2FNo

The 75 watt bulb should be just about perfect for this task.

Here is the thermometer you want, it costs $12 at Walmart and measures 2 temperatures and humidity:



All you have to do is place the unit itself on the cool side on the cage, and the probe centered on the hot side of the cage directly over the UTH.