Probing tank temps

[Theely]

Ok, so I got myself some digital thermometers that also do humidity... the stupid things don't probe for the humidity though only the humidity were the display is at... I'll have to bring one back or something... ANYWAYS...

I'm currently cooling down my warm side, it was to hot, so here are the questions.

I use astroturf like stuff for the substrate and when measuring temps I want to measure belly temp correct? On the side with UTH the temp difference on the surface of the substrate and under it is VERY different. For example, I WAS using an uncontrolled UTH. Under the substrate(carpet) the temp was 113. On the surface of the carpet though, the temp was 94.

I would assume that I would measure the surface and not under it since the snake won't be going under it? What would be a good way to hide the probe wire(s) since I'll be measure the carpet surface?

[BMorrison]

Glad to hear you got something to check humidity with!

However I would ditch the Astroturf for Aspen or Bed-A-Beast or something like that as I hear cleaning the Astroturf stuff can be a pain and it doesn't simulate natural environment as much.

Just my

Glad to hear you're fixing things so fast. It's nice to see this forum constantly helping people. Keep on keepin' on!

[Theely]

Glad to hear you got something to check humidity with!

Thats the bad things. Those cheap Indoor/Outdoor Accurite thermometers don't detect the humidity where the probe(outdoor temp) is. Only where you have the digital display (indoor temp). So should I stick the whole thing in the tank with the snake? I can't see that being a good thing. I found that odd when I brought them home. I've seen a few photos of people using this exact same thermometer.

[BMorrison]

Alot of people leave gauges to check humidity in their tanks, just leave them low to the ground. Wouldn't want snakey falling

[Theely]

So you're saying I can put both my digitals in the tank with the snake? I'm not sure if that sounds safe. Still not sure where I should be measuring the temps either... on top or bellow the carpet. I'm not going to switch that... yet at least.

[soy.lor.n]

Alot of people leave gauges to check humidity in their tanks, just leave them low to the ground. Wouldn't want snakey falling

hehe I went to check my temps last night (I had 2 UTHs because it had been cold, but now the weather's getting to where it should be, so I unplugged 1 UTH and need to watch my temps...anyway..) and saw that the screen was blank! I was really worried it had already stopped working, but I saw that somehow when Uli was climbing on it, she loosened up the battery cover just a little. I can't even imagine how it happened!

[soy.lor.n]

So you're saying I can put both my digitals in the tank with the snake? I'm not sure if that sounds safe. Still not sure where I should be measuring the temps either... on top or bellow the carpet. I'm not going to switch that... yet at least.

I think you should measure under the substrate, but keep in mind that's what you're doing, and get some kind of idea about how warm it is on the surface of the substrate compared to the reading on the thermometer. But then I think the big reason people usually say to do that is in case your snake burrows through the substrate, which isn't too likely in the case of carpet hehe.
I use a carpet with aspen on top, and I actually put it under the aspen, on top of the carpet.

[Theely]

I think you should measure under the substrate, but keep in mind that's what you're doing, and get some kind of idea about how warm it is on the surface of the substrate compared to the reading on the thermometer. But then I think the big reason people usually say to do that is in case your snake burrows through the substrate, which isn't too likely in the case of carpet hehe.
I use a carpet with aspen on top, and I actually put it under the aspen, on top of the carpet.

Under the carpet directly on the glass I can get a reading of 100 yet sitting on top of the carpet its perfect (90-92) and the cool side is at 78 and slowly climbing. 100watt infrared over the warm side, 60 over the cool.

[soy.lor.n]

Under the carpet directly on the glass I can get a reading of 100 yet sitting on top of the carpet its perfect (90-92) and the cool side is at 78 and slowly climbing. 100watt infrared over the warm side, 60 over the cool.

How are you measuring both temperatures (on top of the carpet and under it) at the same time?
I just think you should measure the surface temp with your top on long enough to make sure that temp has evened out (so using both probes or using a temp gun) just because the surface temp is a lot more likely to vary with the top off than the glass temp

If you were doing it like that, then it sounds like you want it to read about 100, but I would check that over time too, as that might change with the weather. (or maybe you'll want to get another type of substrate hehe)

[Theely]

How are you measuring both temperatures (on top of the carpet and under it) at the same time?
I just think you should measure the surface temp with your top on long enough to make sure that temp has evened out (so using both probes or using a temp gun) just because the surface temp is a lot more likely to vary with the top off than the glass temp

If you were doing it like that, then it sounds like you want it to read about 100, but I would check that over time too, as that might change with the weather. (or maybe you'll want to get another type of substrate hehe)

Thanks for your guys help btw. I appreciate it! I have two digital thermometers. I had one on top and below the carpet just to see the difference. Now I moved one over to the cool side to see whats happening over there. warm side is now 92 and cool is 80. the top of my tank is just a wire mesh. I read that I should probably cover that with foil though so I'll probably be doing that pretty soon since that helps with humidity as well.