Using both UTH and heat lamp?

[clairek]

Hi, new member and bp owner! This past week, in the worst of the winter, I've had problems keeping my ambient temps up on both sides just using a UTH. I already had a heat lamp around the house anyway, so I decided to set that up as well and raised the temperature on my hot side between 90-92. Is it safe to use both heating sources? I know how important belly heat is, but my ambient temps aren't quite where they should be, about 80 or slightly below on the cool side and early 80s on the hot side.

[M.P.C]

Uth provide only a hot spot on where they are attached... If ambient of the room cant be maintained then yes you can use the light but do be aware a heatlight will really kill the humidity in the tank... To counter this if your using a screen topped tank you can cover it in aluminum foil leaving an opening for the light and one over the cold side, this will help trap heat and humidity.. Also to create more humidity you can move the water bowl onto the uth or within the heatlights range .

[clairek]

Thanks for the suggestion! I'm actually using a Sterilite tub and I've never had a problem keeping my humidity up. I cut out a small hole in the to cover with screen wire, just enough for the light to get through. Hopefully the plastic lid will keep in the heat and humidity sufficiently

[LittleTreeGuy]

Yep, okay to use both. If you don't want to use the light, I put an oil-filled radiant heater near my tubs and it raised the ambient temps about 5 degrees.

[enginee837]

Heat lamp won't kill your humidity if you place your water dish under it. It actually helps.

[Slim]

Is your UTH regulated? Do you only measure the ambient temps, or do you spot check the floor of your tub as well?

[clairek]

Is your UTH regulated? Do you only measure the ambient temps, or do you spot check the floor of your tub as well?

I have a thermostat for my UTH and I use a temp gun for the surface of the tub and measure the ambient temps with thermometers with probes.

[Sauzo]

Actually belly heat isn't that important really. Ambient temps are more important. I don't use UTHs as I don't trust them even with a t-stat. I strictly use RHPs in PVC cages or CHEs on tanks, obviously both with Herpstats as I'm a Herpstat guy But you can use both, just have to make sure you have both set up T-stats. One to measure the UTH and another to measure the ambient temp on cool side. And like mentioned, if you slide the water dish close to the CHE, it will help the humidity. Same trick works for RHPs too as they both function on the same principle except RHPs wont instantly melt flesh if touched unlike CHEs.

[oculus_ignigena]

I use both. My bedroom for winter has typically been around 16-18C or like 64-69F so it's kind of necessary lol not one on its own will work and she seems to like it

[Skeletor]

You should get a new hygrometer...mine seem to go bad every now and then. Maybe your humidity is fine and the gauge is shot.