Need help with stat and temps?

[Mhyles]

I'm having trouble keeping my snakes hot side between 27 - 29 degrees, or 80 - 84 Fahrenheit. The stat, a MicroClimate 100, is set to 27, but yet the thermometer shows the temperature inside the faun to be going up to 34 degrees/94 Fahrenheit.

Before I put the snake in there, the temperature would stay a constant 78 - 84, now that he's in there it's rocketed for some reason? does anyone know how i could keep the temp lower?

Thanks..

[Artemisace]

misting the cage regularly helps me keep my temps pretty stable, also keeps the humidity up. last time I checked though a ball pythons hot spot should be about 90 fahrenheit. that's what I keep mine at and my ball does great, I use a hydrofarm heat mat regulator that works for me. are you measuring temps on the substrate or glass, or both? sorry don't mean to sound condensending just trying to help.

[Willie76]

Need a little more information. What type of enclosure...glass "aquarium" or what? Where is the probe and how is it secured? What are you measuring temperature with...little dials or temp gun? Are you talking of the air temps or the temp right over the heat mat? Heat mats are not designed to heat the entire enclosure...just to create a warm spot.

Probe should be sandwiched between heat mat and the bottom of the enclosure from the underside (outside the enclosure). This is one of my quarantine tanks:

[Mhyles]

Need a little more information. What type of enclosure...glass "aquarium" or what? Where is the probe and how is it secured? What are you measuring temperature with...little dials or temp gun? Are you talking of the air temps or the temp right over the heat mat? Heat mats are not designed to heat the entire enclosure...just to create a warm spot.

Probe should be sandwiched between heat mat and the bottom of the enclosure from the underside (outside the enclosure). This is one of my quarantine tanks:

It's a little faun, I can take a picture if you want. It's plastic. The probe was on the inside of the aquarium, near the hot spot. I'm measuring it with a digital thermometer, one on the cold side and one on the warm. The temperature right over the heat mat. I know.

I didn't realise you had to put the probe between the faun and the heatmat, I had it on the inside of the cage. What sort of a way should I secure it to the heat mat? Sellotape?

Thanks so much.

[Willie76]

This keeps it from getting moved by your snake and causing undesirable readings. You need to up the temp on the tstat a bit to get the right temp at the warm spot, but it is the best placement if you can...The thermometer probe should go on the inside.

As far as securing the probe, as you can see in the picture, there is tape that holds it all to the underside of the enclosure around the edges of the heat mat (never use tape INSIDE the inclosure). I don't recommend putting any tape over the probe as it can trap heat and give you high readings. You cans secure the probe wire with a bit of tape, but usually when I set up my tanks...glass or PVC, it stays pretty well.

As far as what kind of tape, I see you're quoting temps in Celsius and Fahrenheit so I assume you're outside the US. I use aluminum HVAC tape that can be found at most hardware stores and should be available in other countries. I do not recommend Sellotape.

[Mhyles]

I'm from Ireland, so yeah.

I just have the stat pushed down on the heat mat by the weight of the faun. I'll see how it goes, and I'll get back to you if I need any more help.

Thanks a bunch!

[H&AHoward]

Ok I'm currently trying to rehome all my Bp's into my/there new rack which has heat tape running down the back it has 8 shelves enclosed all but the front it's open 41 quart bins. With that being said I asked my wife to order me a helix stat instead I got a hydrofarm which max's out at 108 I put the probe on the inside of the bin on the hot side best reading I got was an 85 then I taped the probe to the tape to make sure its works good it is! Left it taped to the heat tape, and put another of probe in the bin called an acurite and its been holding at 84day and about 77 at night . Am I doing something wrong am I using poor quality?!? I'm wanting to order the Herpstat Intro now but before I do just wondering.....What to do?

[Willie76]

Thermostat of choice has always been the Herpstat. Spring the few extra bucks for the Herpstat 1 or above. They have the safety relay and a nicer looking case. I have used hydrofarms on my QT tanks, but these are single glass tanks and they work fine for the small, temporary enclosures. For my AP T8s I use a Herpstat.

[H&AHoward]

ok will do is there much difference between herpstat 1 basic and herpstat 1? Thanks for your reply

[Willie76]

I don't believe the basic has the safety relay which will shut down the unit if the tape fails.