Hi Paul –



Ditto what Mark says above. Many of the promotional materials on these UTH’s stress how safe they are due to their relatively low maximum temperatures. I notice the Bean Farm quotes a range of 65 to 95 degrees “depending on exterior temperature.” Well, this may be so if you plug one in and leave it out in the open with nothing sitting on top of it. But of course, that’s not how these things are used (or marketed). I believe most of these products reach temperatures unregulated which can easily burn reptiles. I’ve measured 120 degrees (probably higher, I just can’t recall) beneath the substrate in a Vision cage placed directly on top of an Ultratherm. I believe the situation would be similar with most of the brands typically found for sale in pet stores. Please understand, I do not consider the capacity to reach higher temperatures a liability for my set-ups because I make sure I monitor and regulate the output. One can always dial down; one can’t make something get hotter than it was designed to be.



Determining what the actual temperatures we are providing (or not) is so critical to the health of most herps we keep that I think everyone should consider getting an infrared thermometer, especially now that their prices are so reasonable.



-Joan

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