Product/Brand Reviews

[ThyTempest]

Hey everyone,

I am looking to set up a 29G glass tank for a rescue bp. Tank dimensions are 30Lx12Dx18H. The snake is a little under 3 ft.

So...I'm going to break it up into sections, so if you can give me some advice on multiple sections, please break up your reply too. Thanks

1) Thermostats-looking into Johnson A-419 ($80)--reviews?
Considering going up to Herpstat, but I dont have much money, so it will probably come down to dimmers anyway, just planning for the future

2)Tempguns--RBI 201($25), RBI 205L($40), Zilla Digital Infared($27)--reviews?

3) Thermo/Hygro--R-zilla Terrarium (Digital) comes with 2 probes($17 or $18), Accurite($12)

4)Hides and Bowl brands--Specifically Zilla? Looking for a natural look.

5)UTH or Flexwatt?--Keep in mind, I will probably be on dimmers--Consider price and quality.

[ThyTempest]

Other options for tempguns (PE-1 an PE-2)

[ThyTempest]

No advice? Especially curious about tempguns and the two probe thermo/hygro

[sneakerpro]

Why don't you just make it easy and buy my tub?

[ThyTempest]

Maybe....just like you, I like glass. Hmmm....and...your tub really should have either that zilla dual probe, or 2 accurites. Ha!

[Patrick Long]

So you know your going with a dimmer

I would buy accurite 12 bux

You dont really "need" a temp gun but they are handy

you can spend the gazillion dollars on there water bowls and hides, or make your own hide and use a dog bowl or somethin like that

Like said above, if you have a dimmer just go for the uth

Its up to you, you can make it real cheap on yourself, or really expensive, the choice is yours

[starmom]

For Temp guns, I have the 205 and the 412. The 205 is cumbersome to use given the placement of the read out and the stupid and hard to find disc batteries that it uses. Because of these factors, I purchased the 412 and I love it!! I use it all the time, it is accurate, and it uses normal batteries!! Also, the way you hold it and the temp readout are sensible. I would get the 412 again in a heart beat!!

For temps/hygro, I use the Acurite. The only drag about it is that the unit itself is not waterproof. So, if a snake decides to pee nearby, some of the LED lines wont show up. I find this to be a huge drag and really don't know how to compensate since they are in the tubs as well as the cages (in the cages there is no problems since the cage is so large relative to the tubs!)

I use Helix's and Herpstats and would not use anything else. They are both rock solid and my snake's need rock solid temps!!

Good luck with your quest!!

[ThyTempest]

Anyone have any luck with the Zilla thermo/hygro?

Thanks for the advice so far.

[Gloryhound]

Hey everyone,

I am looking to set up a 29G glass tank for a rescue bp. Tank dimensions are 30Lx12Dx18H. The snake is a little under 3 ft.

If you are good with tools, you could build a display type enclosure using 16" wide laminated shelf board at Lowes or Home Depot at less than the cost of a new 29 gallon tank.

So...I'm going to break it up into sections, so if you can give me some advice on multiple sections, please break up your reply too. Thanks

1) Thermostats-looking into Johnson A-419 ($80)--reviews?
Considering going up to Herpstat, but I dont have much money, so it will probably come down to dimmers anyway, just planning for the future.

Rancos can be had for the same price or less (if you can wire it) and are my preference for economy T-stats. Otherwise I like the Herpstats. A temp probe goes bad on a Herpstat you just get a new one and plug it in. On a Helix you have to send it in!

2)Tempguns--RBI 201($25), RBI 205L($40), Zilla Digital Infared($27)--reviews?

I have been through Infra Red imaging training and honestly with what I know, without going into detail, I would not get any of the above tempguns. I got a Fluke Tempgun that came with an ISO-9000 cert of calibration. With that said though mine cost over $150.00 which is more than most people seem ready to fork out! Yet some of those same people will fork out a grand or more on a snake! With that said others have used the above guns and have had them work well enough for them. I just can not bring myself to trust cheap equipment that does not come with any gaurantee of calibration.

3) Thermo/Hygro--R-zilla Terrarium (Digital) comes with 2 probes($17 or $18), Accurite($12)?

Either should work, but I only use the digital thermometers as a reference for the direction the heat has moved. These are mass produced with a resister used for calibration and they only calibrate 1 in 100 then use the same resister in the next 100 produced.

4)Hides and Bowl brands--Specifically Zilla? Looking for a natural look.

Natural looking may look pretty to you, but your ball python does not care! All those nice little grooves and such that make them look so natural also make them extremely difficult to clean and sanitize. With that said if it makes you feel better about using them and you have the extra time to spend cleaning them go for it!

5)UTH or Flexwatt?--Keep in mind, I will probably be on dimmers--Consider price and quality.

If you are going to be using a dimmer do not, I repeat do not, use Flex-Watt. If you were using an actual T-stat and it was not being placed inside the enclosure with the snake then Flex-Watt is an excellent choice as you can make it the size you need. I would look into the reptile basics UTH for under your tank or inside a display type enclosure. We have used them with good results in our display enclosure. Our racks all use Flex-Watt though!

The above our my opinions on things and I have built several enclosures and racks. Some turned out good, others not so good! The more I build the better they seem to get!

[Argentra]

If you don't have the money for a Johnson or Herpstat right now, save yourself some grief and get a ZooMed ReptiTemp 500R until you have the funds for the better ones. Dimmers are a major headache! The ReptiTemp costs $20-30 and works just fine once you have it dialed in properly.

Flexwatt is cheaper, but you NEED a thermostat with it since it can get hotter than UTHs.

I tried Zilla, Flukers, Acurite and ZooMed thermometers, and I can say now that Acurite RULES! I much prefer having one (or two) in my enclosures.

As for natural looking hides, you could go with the Zilla Rock Den or the ExoTerra Reptile cave. But, as was said, making your own out of plant pots or plastic bowls is much cheaper.