Under Tank Heater - Samson's new love

[dizeedoo]

Samson is about 18 months old. I only just got him set up with a UTH and Thermostat (he seemed happy and his tank was previously consistently about 73-78)

Well!!!!!

I've been dumped for a UTH.... I did the big clean and set it all up and turned it on then put him back in. He slithered down his log and into his substrate (aspen) and stopped.... tail still on the edge of the tank. I wondered if everything was okay. I encouraged his tail inside the tank and secured the lid.

About 15-minutes later his head popped up on the cool side but I could see his lower half still was down the warm end. I swear he had a look on his face like a dog that is being scratched in that favorite place.

He seems to be thrilled with his new warm spot. Let me recommend the UTH to anyone who has not yet gotten one.

One question I do have is for those who have had the same Thermostat I have ~~~~ ReptiTherm 500R. It has a color dial to select the temp. I didnt realize that when I bought it online. Still, I have a digital thermometer that is on top of the UTH along with the probe for the Thermostat.

So far, I have it almost at the lowest color and it's sitting around 85 but has snuck up to 90 or so. Is it normal that although the setting is static the temperature changes (is it the environmental air changes?)

I can't imagine what might have happened if I didnt have the thermostat. I would probably have set it at half way (like the instructions said) and cooked the poor little bugga.

whattya reckon?

 

[Jenstar]

My first boy didn't have a UTH for about a year. Since he has had one he hardly ever leaves it. I feel bad being a misguided snake mom for that long, but he is really happy now.

 

[Floof]

I have two ReptiTemps, on my younger two corns. I've noticed that--if the room's temperature fluctuates hugely, so will the reptitemp. I actually had to lower one of them, after it had worked perfectly and kept the tank at 84/85* for a few months, after my bedroom accidentally got up to around 90*... The thermostat was trying to warm the tank up even though the thermometer said it was around 90* at the spot. My other one, currently placed in the living room, has done much better. It keeps the hot spot right around 85*... My digital thermometer is one of those min/max ones, and according to it, the highest it has gotten has been 87* in the last month. Lower the setting on the ReptiTemp a little. Play around with it until it starts keeping the thermostat right around 84 or 85, and just keep an eye on it for the next couple weeks to make sure it isn't getting too hot. The room's temperature doesn't seem to have a lot to do with it unless you're fluctuating from 60's to 90's like my bedroom does on occasion (been playing with the heater until I can get the taiwan a proper-sized heat pad for the new big tank). The fluctuating up to 90* is most likely the normal fluctuation you're going to get with an on/off thermostat, so you just need to set it a little lower than you have it.

 

[dizeedoo]

My first boy didn't have a UTH for about a year. Since he has had one he hardly ever leaves it. I feel bad being a misguided snake mom for that long, but he is really happy now.

hahaha.... then you know exactly how I feel. I had no idea he would be so into it. He pops out on the cool side every now and then (just head and an inch or two of neck) and looks like he's at the spa! lovin it!

so you just need to set it a little lower than you have it.

Thanks, yeah I have and in the past few minutes the thermometer has ranged from 74.5 to 77.5 but I did pay attention and the furnace just cycled on/off too. I think lower is better for now. I'm out of the house for 12 hours a day some days so I don't want it getting too hot for him. Thanks for sharing at least I know it's not just me.