Well isn't today a lovely day... I found out that my corn snake still has mites even though I have spray my tank with and my corn snake 3 times with Reptile Spray (every 4 days) except during this one time when she was shedding and unfortunately my ball python shared for a couple of mins the feeding/cleaning tub... so... I guess it's quarantine time for both...

I took the opportunity to try another thing, I took out the thermostat probe from inside the tub (it was slightly taped) and moved it outside the tub. The probe seems to be getting in the way of the heating pad so the sides of the heat mat are actually warmer than where the probe is. I first measured out the temps without the substrate and they were 95-85F around the heatpad, 80F outside it. The temps start falling from left to right from 95F to 80F and when I put the newspaper in the temps went to 86-80F around the heatpad (I still lost 9F what the hell). I didn't take out the newspaper but instead I flipped it over a little and checked the temp and they dropped down to 88-80F. I know the Hydrofarm thermostat switches the heat mat on and off so it's expected a little variation on the temps but it was at it's warmest point when I checked out the temps.

I don't know what the hell is going on.