2) A UTH MUST BE REGULATED BY A THERMOSTAT OR IT WILL BURN AND EVEN KILL YOUR SNAKE. Sorry to shout but I have been given too many "free" snakes that cost hundreds in vet bills because their prior owners didn't use a thermostat with a heating appliance, and despite the vet care I lost one to sepsis.
Agreed, see my answer above to question 10. The thermostat(s) are already on the way, but I have not received them yet, and since there is no snake in the tank anyway, seems little harm in running the heat pad to see what other heat sources will be needed

The thermostat probe gets sandwiched between the UTH and the underside of the enclosure. You measure the temperature over the UTH using a point thermometer or temperature gun to take the surface temperature of the enclosure floor, not the top of the substrate, because snakes burrow.
Yes, IR laser thermometer is being used to check temps at the glass, with substrate moved aside.

You only need about 1/4" of substrate over the UTH anyway. A UTH does not increase the ambient temp in an enclosure.
Everything here makes sense, and at the same time, conflicts with other sources. Which sources are right? I've read you must have 2 inches of substrate and the probe is on the glass-side so as to get an accurate reading. Its very confusing when the guidance is so contradictory. ;-) I've even seen tanks with 4 inches of ground cover. I wonder if the snakes get together and compare substrate depths - like humans might cars, or shoes.

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