Continuing this in another topic because I feel it is important to the safety of anyone who thinks this.
Neither of these statements are correct. Everywhere I just looked online says to place the probe just as I have. As someone that has UTH with the probes between the enclosures and them, I can tell you there is no way they could damage the mat.
If this wasn’t a burrowing species then I would believe you, but that is not the case with sand boas. If it is in the enclosure, he can urinate on it. It just depends on when.
What does everyone else think of UTH thermostat probe placement? There are just too many things that could go wrong for me to ever risk putting them inside the enclosure. On top of the first page on google when I ask this all having results that support placing it between the mat and the enclosure, and not inside the enclosure.
The only heat mats designed to be usable inside an enclosure are ultratherm mats, and they’re not to be anywhere they can be soiled on. When I use uth I put the probe between the heat and enclosure bottom.
I also put my probe in between the heat mat/heat tape and the glass/PVC. That’s how I’ve read to do it, heard to do it, and now definitely will recommend others do it.
I put the mat on the outside and the probe in between the glass and the mat. From the outside in: Heat pad, sensor probe, glass, cute little danger noodle. I agree that it is important to attach the probe to the outside since if it is moved (there isn’t any good safe and secure way to prevent this) or urinated on (always possible for burrowing species) then it could easily kill the snake.
Most probes are moisture sensitive unless they specify otherwise. Even the probes included with a herpstat will fail in high humidity. They are aware it happens, and have a page on their site about it. I lost 6 clutches in 2019 due to a moisture caused failure of my herpstat 2 probe. Herpstat replaced the probe for free because it’s a fairly common issue. If it happens to probes from the top t-stat maker in the hobby, it’s likely to happen to any lesser unit as well. If it’s in the cage it will eventually get wet.
I agree that it is important to attach the probe to the outside since if it is moved (there isn’t any good safe and secure way to prevent this) or urinated on (always possible for burrowing species) then it could easily kill the snake.