Heat Too Hot?

I'm getting ready to purchase my first leopard gecko, and I want to make sure I have the heat set up right. I have a UTH, and the thermometer is reading 90*. My concern is that the tile above the UTH where the heat mat is feels hot. Shouldn't it feel a little cool, since my body temp is 98.6*? I have 2 corns that use UTHs, set at 84*, and those feel cool to the touch. Do you think my thermometer is just reading wrong? I have a Zilla probe thermometer, taped right over the middle of the spot where the UTH is. It's kind of irritating me because I can't figure out what is wrong. Anyone have any input?

you have the probe over the heat mat on top of the tiles yes? and if you have a warm hide already set in put the probe inside there. A good temp range is 88-95. I have mine at 96 inside the warm hide because my leo is a juvi so i like to keep it a bit warm for him since hes growing.
Also try moving the probe around and see what temps you get.

You could also try to use one of your other probes to make sure that yours is reading right. if you have probes in your corn's viv maybe borrow one for a couple hours to make sure it's reading right in your leo's viv.

Also it will make a difference in the type of tiles you're using. What type are you using? Ceramic/porcelain, natural stone like slate, granite or marble, or peel and stick vinyl? Natural stone will spread the ehat evenly over the entire tile surface so it may feel a bit warmer than you'd expect, ceramic and porcelain are insulator sso the heat may feel buffered and not as intense, and vinyl tiles are really thin and a good conductor of heat, it's like not having anything really between your uth and the leo except for less than a half inch of substrait including the viv glass. This will feel the warmest since the uth literally is right there.

You also want to make sure that you're not obstructing the tip of the probe with teh tape you're using to hold it down. Iusually like to recommend electrical tape a it is narrow and sticks well, yuo generally don't have to worry about an edge coming up and sticking to your leo. This is how I have mine secured and it reads perfectly fine





You want to make sure the tape is behind any ring type collar that might be near the probe end, that way you're not obstructing the sensors.

Anywho... fiirst thing you need to do is test the probe out, try a different one and see if you get a different reading. I keep my viv between 94-96*F for Eros and I can definitely feel the warmth coming thru my vinyl tiles above his uth. I would boost your temps a bit honestly. 90 is really a bare minimum for leos and if you're getting a juvie you're going to want it at least 94-ish imo.

Thanks for the replies. I'm using peel and stick tile, but I left the paper on the back so I can take out the tile for easy cleaning if he gets especially messy. I'm using electrical tape to hold it down, but I think the tape may be a bit too close to the end of the probe. I will try to measure the temperature with a thermometer from one of the snake's cages, just to make sure I don't have a faulty thermometer. Just to be clear, the tile should just feel a little warm when its at about 90*F, or should it feel hot?

That depends in how long you leave your hand there and the quality of your tiles. It shouldn't feel hot like you jump back date and are like dang that burned, it should feel mildly warm but noticeably warmer than the surrounding area. You should feel some heat coming thru esp moreso if they're thinner lower end vinyl tiles. Also I wouldn't leave the paper on the back of the tiles, if you don't want to sick them down, which I have mine stuck with no problems, moisture won't get under them if properly stuck down, you should take the paper offand rub some sand or talc on the sticky part to kill the sticky. Paper is a mold factory esp when you add moisture and heat.

Ok. I'll take the paper off the back, and hopefully with the rheostat the temp will get up. If not I guess I'm taking a trip to petsmart tomorrow (I'm always looking for an excuse to go anyway ). Thanks for your help

If you're using a rheostat you should be able to get temps up a bit if you're not maxed out. Also what type of uth are you currently using? Have you tested the thermometer yet to make sure it's reading accurately?

Yes I tested the thermometer a couple of days ago. Both had the same reading so I think they're working right. I just exchanged the uth today. I'm using the one made by ZooMed. I hooked it up about an hour ago and so far its up to 93*, and I'm pretty sure it is still rising. I have it maxed out right now to see how high the temp will get. Also, I got my gecko today! He is exploring now. I'm checking the temperature every five minutes, literally, to make sure it is not getting too hot.