What temps are more important?

[Vengeance]

The surface temp on the top of the substrate, the temps when you bury half way down into the substrate or the temps directly at the bottom of the tank?

I'm finding that they vary quite a bit, on top the temps are sitting quite nicely at 90 - 92 but if you bury down a little bit the jump a bit to about 91 - 95, which isn't too bad, but if you get all the way to the bottom of the tank, which I have covered with newspaper, the temps skyrocket too between 95 - 100. It's only in the spot right at the basking area but I was curious as to which temps I should be most concerned with because obviously I'm never going to be able to get all 3 the same. Any suggestions? I am useing newspapaer to cover the bottom of the tank then I have Exo Terra's Jungle Earth as substrate on top of the newspaper with about a 1/2 inch layer of the substrate.

[BoidKeeper]

You are being very proactive, good for you.
The news paper is a great idea to help prevent the snake from getting burned by being able to get right down to the glass.

was curious as to which temps I should be most concerned with because obviously I'm never going to be able to get all 3 the same.

I would be most concerned with the temp that the snake can achive direct contact with. In this case the snake can get down through the substrate to the news paper so I would aim for 95 directly on the newspaper which should give you about 90 on the top of the jungle earth. You can add more newspaper to help cut down on the heat as well as making sure the heat pad is not directly touching the glass. Also jack the tank up on all four corners to alow for airflow under the tank.
I never peel off the backing and stick my heat pads to the glass because then you can't re-use them on different cages. Also by not sticking them to the glass you have a greater ability to lower temps if needed.
Hope some of this helps,
Trevor

[Vengeance]

I never peel off the backing and stick my heat pads to the glass because then you can't re-use them on different cages. Also by not sticking them to the glass you have a greater ability to lower temps if needed.

D'oh! I have two UTH's one that is a really old metal one that just sits under the tank and the other that sticks to the bottom of the tank, I figured it would be best to stick it directly too the tank, but I can see your point on how there is no way to reuse it. Oh well live and learn as they say.

Thanks for the advise it is helpful, I think I might thin the layer of substrate a bit so there isn't such a huge variance between the top and bottom of the substrate, but I'll be sure to get the temps directly on the newspaper down to 95.