Just brought a UTH today and notice theres no low-high switch... So how hot does it get.... Can it burn the snake? my snake always like going underneth of the aspen... Right now mine temp is around 84F, which i guess is ok... for the hot side.. So whats every one UTH temps at?
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What is the Max temp for UTH?
- Thread starter 581775017
- Start date
marty.warwick
Original & Best
UTHs do not usually have any controls on them so a Rheostat or Thermostat is needed, without them they can get very hot.
84F is fine for the warm side, but sounds a little too perfect for an uncontrolled heatsource. So can I ask how you are taking the temperatures? If it is a dial thermometer on the side you won't get an accurate reading, you want the ground temperature rather than the air temp. So if you haven't, try to get an Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer with a probe. (available from good petshops and you can get them from hardware stores etc.)
Now about those Rheo/Thermostats;
A rheostat is like a dimmer for a light. You can manually control the amount of power going top the UTH and adjust it according to your temperatures.
Here is a link to make a Rheostat nice and cheap.
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19168&highlight=rheostat
A thermostat uses a probe. You set the temperature that you want. And when the probe detects that temperature it will shut the UTH off until it lowers a few degrees, in which it will turn back on, and so on.
You should have the thermostat probe near to the UTH because, like you said, snakes like to burrow.
And a good idea is to have the probe for your Indoor/Outdoor thermometer right by the thermostat probe. So they both detect the same temperature.
This also is good because this way you know what the highest temperature in the vivarium is at all times.
Hope this helps.
84F is fine for the warm side, but sounds a little too perfect for an uncontrolled heatsource. So can I ask how you are taking the temperatures? If it is a dial thermometer on the side you won't get an accurate reading, you want the ground temperature rather than the air temp. So if you haven't, try to get an Indoor/Outdoor Thermometer with a probe. (available from good petshops and you can get them from hardware stores etc.)
Now about those Rheo/Thermostats;
A rheostat is like a dimmer for a light. You can manually control the amount of power going top the UTH and adjust it according to your temperatures.
Here is a link to make a Rheostat nice and cheap.
http://www.cornsnakes.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19168&highlight=rheostat
A thermostat uses a probe. You set the temperature that you want. And when the probe detects that temperature it will shut the UTH off until it lowers a few degrees, in which it will turn back on, and so on.
You should have the thermostat probe near to the UTH because, like you said, snakes like to burrow.
And a good idea is to have the probe for your Indoor/Outdoor thermometer right by the thermostat probe. So they both detect the same temperature.
This also is good because this way you know what the highest temperature in the vivarium is at all times.
Hope this helps.
Eremita
and cats...
Also check out this thread to see how hot one unregulated mat became in a test by one of the forum members.
-Sean
-Sean
The maximum temperature will depend on the size and wattage of the mat, which also (probably) varies from brand to brand. Most will get too hot for a corn. Just make sure you are measuring the temp correctly as Marty suggested above. More specifically, measure the temperature underneath the substrate (right against the glass over the UTH) and not just on top of the substrate. If your snake burrows, it won't be on the top of the substrate, so it is important to know the hottest temp that it will feel (which is under the substrate, right against the glass).
I will definitely check tonight under the substrate... On top of the substrate its always 82-84... So if under the substrate is still under 90 does that mean I don't need a thermostat... Becoz when I brought the UTH the sales person said it shouldn't beable to burn the snake... :shrugs:
BeckyG
Making it up as I go
Here's my tale:
I have the same UTH you do on some of my tanks. When I measured the temp at the top of the substrate, it read, like yours, a perfect 84. However, when I put the probe directly on the glass under the substrate, it read 130.
A thermostat or rheostat is a MUST. Even if it were perfect now, during the summer you would definitely need temp regulation.
I have the same UTH you do on some of my tanks. When I measured the temp at the top of the substrate, it read, like yours, a perfect 84. However, when I put the probe directly on the glass under the substrate, it read 130.
A thermostat or rheostat is a MUST. Even if it were perfect now, during the summer you would definitely need temp regulation.
BeckyG said:
Just made a rheostat last night and brought a thermometer with probe! Yup when I check on the glass it was somehting over 100F!!! I was like OMG... No wonder the snake was staying away from the hot side for that day... How hot before it will burn the snake if it goes under?
bitsy
Owned by Corns since 1991
Unfortunately, it's not just about how hot the mat gets, it's about how long the snake is in contact with it.
Snakes' nervous systems don't seem to register heat in the same way that a mammal's would. For example, spotlights in vivs. If a human touches the bulb of a spotlight, we'll immediately register that it's burning hot and move our hand away to minimise our injury. However, there are numerous examples where Corns (and many other reptiles) have gone and sat on unguarded, searing hot, bulbs in vivs for some time and been horribly burned as a result.
It's quite possible for a Corn to go and sit on (or under) an unregulated heat mat for a long time, without sensing that it's in danger of injury.
Basically, we can't trust the snake's instinct to preserve itself when it comes to artificial heat sources. It hasn't evolved the facilities to deal with them. We have to take control of that aspect of its welfare by always using a thermostat.
bitsy said:
So basically its a bit stupid
I just made a thermostat last night and i found out that we can barly feel 85F... Its just at most luke warm to us but its perfect for the snake... I hope my new corn loves his new home ... cause i spent alot of time, effort and money on her...
bitsy
Owned by Corns since 1991
LOL! "Stupid" is a bit harsh - I prefer "Corns have not yet evolved a coping mechanism"!
A human's body temp is in the mid 90s, and a Corn Snake's ideal maximum is around 90. So it does follow that something that feels hot to a Corn, will feel cool or lukewarm to us.
A human's body temp is in the mid 90s, and a Corn Snake's ideal maximum is around 90. So it does follow that something that feels hot to a Corn, will feel cool or lukewarm to us.
bitsy said:LOL! "Stupid" is a bit harsh - I prefer "Corns have not yet evolved a coping mechanism"!
A human's body temp is in the mid 90s, and a Corn Snake's ideal maximum is around 90. So it does follow that something that feels hot to a Corn, will feel cool or lukewarm to us.
Im so glad i got rid of my human heat pad that i use to use... I remember when that pad was under the glass it would hurt if i touch the glass for more then 3 secs!! But one thing I still don't understand, For a fact I know that the human heat pads are for sure stronger then the uth but why is it back then when i use to use the human heat pad it always show 78F but when I use the uth it shows 84F? ( im talking about on top of the substrate) :shrugs:
