Heat mat temperature setting
 

I've got ZooMed ReptiTherm UTH heat mats regulated by Spyder Herpstat 1 thermostats currently set to 100 degrees. I chose 100 because the heat mats I've found claim to operate - when they don't overheat - at "about 20 degrees above room temperature" (95) or in the case of Fluker's (which looks like a re-branded Ultratherm) "at 100 degrees". On the glass I can't really tell it's running... it's only 1 degree above body temp. The infrared thermometer reads only 77/78 degree at top of the substrate, 1.5" of ReptiBark. I want to use the heat mat as a primary heat source but I'd like a basking spot of +/- 86 degrees.

It's for a Honduran and a Pueblan in a 74 degree room.

Should I turn the temp up, or switch to a lighter/thinner substrate like Aspen, or both?

Snakes burrow. Clear the substrate away and measure the temperature of the glass over the heat mat.

The therostat’s temperature probe is directly on the glass.