Might be a shot in the dark since we don't know what size hides and UTH you're using, but here's one possible idea? If your UTH covers more area than the hide does, you don't need to lift the hide to get a reading. You can just measure right outside it where the UTH is still heating the bottom of the cage. That'll at least be enough to tell you whether it's on or not.
When I want to double check my UTHs for peace of mind (though I do use thermostats), that's what I do.
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