Temperature questions

I currently house my juvenal corn snake in a 5-gallon glass terrarium that measures 16'' long by 8 1/4" deep by 11" tall. On one side of the terrarium I have 1 to 5 gallon ZooMed under the tank heater and a ZooMed 50w basking lamp. I use the basking lamp as a heat source during the day and the under the tank heater at night. Yesterday I purchased a ZooMed precision analog thermometer for use in the enclosure. I placed the thermometer in the center of the enclosure and about 6 inches above the bottom per the instruction on the back of the thermometer packaging. I recorded at temperature of 90 degrees using the basking lamp during the day and about 74 degrees at night using only the under the tank heater. I decided to check the temperatures on the bottom of the terrarium were the snake spends its time. The temperature under the basking light when it is on is about 110 degrees. The temperature on the side of the terrarium that has the under the tank heater is about 115 degrees when it is on. They cool side with the under the tank heater on is about 77 degrees. I currently use three layers of newspaper as a substrate and all temperature measurements where taken on the newspaper. My question is do I need to get a rheostat and should I increase the layers of newspaper.

Sorry for the long post but I am new to keeping snakes and I want to provide the best environment for my corn snake.

Thanks

I would definately get a reostat for the UTH.
As for the heat lamp, I don't use them. The UTH is usually enough for keeping them warm unless it's extra cold in the area where you keep your snake. If you are determined to use the lamp during the day I would at least lower the watts.
I keep my ambient temps around 80 degrees and the UTH I have on a reostat that I keep a degree or two below 90.
90 for an average temp is too high. It won't hurt if it gets that high for short periods because of weather, but with those temps you risk cooking your snake or at the very least you could wind up with a snake that can't hold down it's food.
Other people might be able to give you better optimum temps but it will definately be lower than what you have now.

Temperature

Steve,

Where are you taking your temperature measurements? Is it on the floor of the enclosure on the UTH side? My ambient temperature in the room I keep my snake will be around 72 degrees in the winter and 78 degrees in the summer.

Thanks

Yes, I take my temp readings on the floor where the uth is.
If the ambient temp of your room is at 72 during the winter, you might try and kick up the room temp a little, but as long as you have the uth on, it shouldn't be a big problem.
If room temp stays 78 in the summer, you could even turn off the uth if you want to.

Oh yea. when I check the ambient temp in the cage, I check it just above the substrate, away from any direct heat (above the uth or below a heat lamp).