Okay, so first off, thank you all for the responses. Sorry it has taken me a while to get back online and respond, myself.

I do want to clarify some things: I do have a dimmer attached to the thermostat. I was using a lamp foot dimmer switch + Hydrofarm heat controller. I changed to the CA brand RF1000 heat controller + a NEW dimmer switch. So far, so good: it keeps the hot side around the set 90 degrees (88.6-90.5). The change is because I was babysitting a friend's leopard gecko and his tank setup uses the CA heat controller for the UTH; there was a 1-2 degree margin of difference between the set temp and what I was getting with the ZooMed digital temp gun. (And yes, I am fully aware that there is a huge difference between a UTH and a ceramic heat emitter. But it seemed like several things needed to be changed, and the heat controller was one of them.) FYI, I am working on the info that I need her hot side to be around 90 and the cool side to be about 75.)FYI, I am working on the info that I need her hot side to be around 90 and the cool side to be about 75.) I am routinely using the ZooMed digital thermometer "gun" AND have added 2 more digital thermometers. Everything is synching up at this point with 1-2 degree changes. This is a significant improvement in temperature variation. However, I am still not happy with how small the temperature gradient is (90 on the hot side and down to maybe 84 on the cool side). She currently spends most of her time in the hide on the cool side--a small pet water bowl with a cut-out that lets her actually be under the bowl full of water and measures at 77 degrees. Maybe this is okay, so long as it is a stable 77 degrees? I also drilled and installed two more 3" vents on the cool side; hopefully, this will also encourage the cool side to be more, well, cool. And, if necessary, I can keep adding those vents to the ceiling, but really, it's looking pretty tacky now, IMHO.

PROBLEM: Even with the above modifications, plus the wire cage around the heat emitter, said heat emitter is registering at 150 degrees! WTF? How can I fix that, to prevent further burns? I am not able to move things around much as it is a small tank, and I don't want to stress her out by getting a bigger tank. HOWEVER, this is NOT DOABLE! It seems totally effed up that the tank temps are so low but the emitter is so darned high! Any suggestions or helpful hints here?


And as far as the burn goes, yes, it is a burn. A lesser degree burn, but a burn nonetheless. She is about to shed again, so I am trying to leave her alone as much as possible. But she is healing well, and I am keeping my fingers crossed that this shed will be better. I am misting daily, and monitoring her closely (but without bothering her too much). And whether she could have come into contact with the actual heat emitter, NO, no at all--but she definitely could have come into contact with the wire cage that is surrounds the emitter. It sticks out 1" further than the emitter itself, and that is securely mounted and has not ever come off without me unscrewing it from the ceiling of the tank. And even though I have never seen her coming anywhere near it, obviously she does things when I am not around. I am stumped at how all the digital controls set to maintain the ~90 temp are allowing it to get that high (especially with the dimmer, too!), and I had hoped that switching to the CA RF1000 would fix that, but it hasn't.

I wish I could figure out how to attach pictures!! I know they would be helpful! Yet another thread I need to read!


So, bottom line, thank you for the info/advice. I am constantly still checking the temps (especially with the temp gun), and making sure that she survives this burn and never gets another one. But more help is still needed!

And now I hate the way the tank looks, but figuring out what other tank to go with is another huge task! There are plenty of threads that discuss THAT topic!

Thanks again, everyone!

Laila