Quote Originally Posted by digcolnagos
I'm thinking about sticking a small ReptiTherm pad under one end, without a thermostat. I figure I'll leave it on for an hour or so, get it to full power, then check it by touch. Can't imagine it would get too hot to burn him, but I don't want to take the chance. The enclosure now is a uniform 80 degrees. Which is the greater sin: A small pad without thermostat or too-cold environs for a few days?

I would use a dimmer in the mean time so you have some form of control. The UTH can and will get hot enough to burn the snake in just a few minutes.