SerpentLady4
New member
Apologies accepted,I know that many people recommend putting the probe on the glass floor of the cage--directly above the UT heater, but I do not. You would have to calculate what temperature would be rendered via the aspen substrate buffer, and that could change from season to season. Therefore, as ugly as it looks, I recommend putting the probe where the snake actually is (parallel again to not having your home HVAC thermostat out on the front porch). Then, until the man-made electronics fail, your theromstat will control the UT heater to the exact temp you seek for the snake (plus or minus two degrees F. on both ends of reaction to thermostat) VS. your temp equation that has the variable of changing temps in the room. They're expensive, but proportional thermostats control exact temps via delivering the exact amount of electricity to achieve the desired temperature at the probe. The kind you use (most common in the hobby) will tell the heat tape to be ON or OFF, but it will continue to rise for a degree or two, and vice-versa, the UT heater will need reaction time to heating up again, therefore, falling one or two degrees before delivering needed heat. The thermostat you have should work well for your needs. Just remember the golden rule of temperature for snake cages. The ONLY place in the cage that matters--in the realm of temperature--is the snake's body. Since the snake desires to be hidden, you therefore control the temp INSIDE that hide. It can be two to five degrees warmer or cooler literally on the outside wall of that thin hide. Especially since your cage is on the cold floor.
Again, Jennifer, sorry to have falsely presumed you had sand in the cage. You kept saying you didn't, but I was naively believing my eyes over your testimony.
Ok if not on top of the glass then what about right above the bedding and inside the hide won't work cause you wanted me to put a thermometer inside the hide and that is what I did