Hello everyone, I'm new to BP keeping. I've been doing extensive research for the past year or so and bought my first BP 2 weeks ago. As far as temp goes I've seen sources saying the hot side should be between 80 to 90F and others saying it should be between 88 and 95F. From that I figured that, though not ideal at both extremes, temps from 80 to 95F are fine, with ideal temp at 85 to 90F.

I use a plastic tub as enclosure (1.7 foot long to 1.2 foot wide for a 2 feet female ball python) For heating I use a heat-mat plugged into a thermostat. I have a towel on the floor (for isolation) then the heat-mat and then the plastic tub sitting on top of it (I mean directly touching it). I have about an inch of aspen fibers as bedding in the tub.

I have 2 questions:

1st --> in the recommended temperature supposed to be the temp of the heat-mat, bedding or ambient air in the hot side?

2nd --> is a linked question, where should I put the probe of my thermostat? I mean I know it's in the tub of course but I mean should I put it beneath the substrate and stick it to the plastic above the heat-mat or should I put it on top of the bedding? From what I've seen I've supposed I should put it under the bedding but by doing so the temp of the bedding itself in the hot side never rises above 75 -81F MAX. Should I actually put the probe on top of the bedding so that the bedding itself is at 90F? and if so won't the actual heat-mat get to hot itself?

Cheers in advance for your kind answers to come ^^