New Baby + UTH Question!

[ThatOneSpazz2]

Ok so, originally I was planning on waiting a bit to get another snake-- and it was preferably going to be a kingsnake morph of some kind.

...Then I found an absolutely gorgeous little baby Rosy Boa in need of a home; A San Jacinto Rosy Boa female, more specifically-- and next month I will officially be bringing her home!
(I'll gladly update with a pic or two of her when she gets here~)

So far my setup is going just fine! Got all the necessities ordered and things are already getting here. I'll have the full cage up and running smoothly by the time my little lady gets home, but here's the dilemma:

I know Rosys are burrowers. A good thick substrate is a must for them! She is a tiny baby, so she's starting in a little 10 gallon glass tank, with an appropriately sized, tiny heat mat.
Due to it being so small, I am unsure if I should mount it underneath like usually suggested, or on the side?
(I worry the heat won't reach through the thick bedding.)

To add more info: I WILL also be using a low-wattage basking light on the same side, to help with the temps and all that. Both of which are going to be regulated by a thermostat of course.
Should I just mount it on the underside anyway and let the basking light take care of the "above" temps, or mount it on the side??

Thanks for any helpful input~ !

[chairman]

I would mount it on the bottom as usual. They are a burrowing snake and will usually burrow right down to the glass to sit on the heat pad.

I would be careful running both a heat mat and a bulb, especially if you only have one thermostat controlling both. Little snakes can dehydrate quickly and aren't as forgiving about temperature spikes as adults are.

[ThatOneSpazz2]

I would mount it on the bottom as usual. They are a burrowing snake and will usually burrow right down to the glass to sit on the heat pad.

I would be careful running both a heat mat and a bulb, especially if you only have one thermostat controlling both. Little snakes can dehydrate quickly and aren't as forgiving about temperature spikes as adults are.

I figured that would probably just be a go-to, but I am only worried due to how weak the actual UTH is wattage-wise.
I'll just experiment to see.

I admit I plan on keeping the basking bulb on for a set amount of time each day, to help with a good day-night cycle, so I'm not so much worried about that. Besides, I am more than prepared to mist it once or twice a day if it comes down to that!

Thank you, though! I am just a nervous future snake mommy~

[ThatOneSpazz2]

We've got an UPDATE, FOLKS!

"Rosa" is officially home!
She is tiny, and beautiful, and feisty and I adore her~ <3
(She literally just came today, so obviously imma let her settle for about a week before I dare feed her, or touch her again or anything. But OOF I adore her already~)

Here she is in all her tiny, angry little glory~
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And then her in her new home, already exploring within a minute. XD
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NOW THEN: I have a simple question-- hopefully-- that I'd like input on.
It comes to getting the temps in the cage-- or in this case, glass tank-- to where you want when using a UTH with burrowing substrate.
So far, even though I've been experimenting for nearly a MONTH with this dang thing before I got her here, I still can't quite get the temps to where they need to be.
No matter what I do, I can't get the temps inside-- especially on the hot end-- to reach 85-90 for her basking/hot spot. The UTH just...Isn't penetrating the substrate layer.
Is there any way I can change the probe placement, maybe?? I have it mounted/taped TO the UTH to measure it's temps more accurately, and I'm using a heat gun to register the temps inside, but I can't get it to where it needs to be.
Should I put the probe INSIDE the tank, under the substrate and taped/suctioned down to the glass to measure it that way??

(If all else fails the lamp I ordered is coming soon, so I could easily default to using that instead and forgoing the UTH. Though that will be it's own can of worms, for sure. X'D)

Help, please~ X'D

[chairman]

What is the brand name/model of your heat pad?

What is the brand name/model of your temperature controller?

It is odd that a heat pad designed for reptile use and installed on an enclosure at room temperature (70 F or so) would be unable to heat up to a low temperature like 90 F. It almost sounds like you're using an improper product (perhaps an undersized heat mat) or have a defective product.

You can also check your temp gun settings to make sure it is measuring properly. Sometimes they have settings to record the low temperature, display an average temperature, or record the high temperature.

[ThatOneSpazz2]

The Heat mat is a Fluker's 10-20 gallon. I can't find the model.

The thermostat is a HYDGOOHO "Reptile" Thermostat, a pretty basic one because I couldn't find the one I actually wanted. It will only go up to 108 Fahreinheight as a precautionary limit or something, but that doesn't concern me right now.
I can actually get the heat mat to go to whatever temperature I want with the thermostat, so again that doesn't concern me. The heat just...Isn't getting through the substrate at all.

Technically I'd say the heat mat almost seems too big for my 10 gallon somehow. I know they're only suppose to take up like, 3/4s of the cage?? But I am quite sure it takes up more than half.

When I had my ball python, I had a different thermostat (The one I was trying to find-- the "Inkbird" brands) and I remember distinctly I had to set it WAAAY higher than the intended temperature for the snake in order to actually GET the temps. (Thankfully both the thermostat and UTH I had then were fine with that, and I had no problems.)

I had thought that was how you're suppose to do it, but the more I read about UTH placement and usage, the more I seem to see that everyone just sets to the original desired temps...And it just magically works.
I am honestly very confused over all this, now.

I do admit that the thermostat especially is a cheap one as I again, couldn't find the one i wanted that was still in stock, but i really am confused as to what to do about the UTH situation now.

[chairman]

Your heating setup sounds fine. Use your temp gun directly on the glass over the heat pad to dial in your thermostat's target temperature. Make the glass 90 F or so.

The heat from the heating pad is likely being lost through the top of the cage, and why your substrate isn't the temperature you want it to be. To trap a little heat in the substrate, try placing a hide over the thermostat probe. A hide should trap enough heat to create a larger heated area under it.

Just make sure to have a hide or two on the cold side, too, so your snake doesn't only have a hot, dehydrating hide to spend time in.

[ThatOneSpazz2]

Ah all right, I'll try that and see if it helps, thank you!

No problem with the hides, though; I am well versed on the need for hidey-holes for my noodle~