Yes that is normal. The thicker the material the heat has to travel through the more heat you will lose. Everything is close to correct but the thermometer probe should be on the bottom of the tub, under the substrate. Also your substrate should be thin, 1/4 inch range. This will allow you to keep the tstat set at a lower temp and keep your snake safe no matter if it lays on top of the thin layer of substrate or moves the substrate and lays directly on the tub floor.
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