Too cold!!

[Lolo76]

I finally got my Acu-Rite therm/hygro, and just set it up a few minutes ago. First, I'm still having trouble figuring out where to place the sensor - under or over the paper towels I use for substrate, and on top of the heater or next to it? And do I leave the sticky pad on the sensor? Regardless it's telling me what I already knew, which is that my tank is WAY too cold... right now I'm only getting a reading of about 84-85 on the hot side, and low 70s on the cool side. He doesn't seem to mind, since he's taken two meals happily, and actually seems to prefer sleeping on the cool side. But since it should be nearly 10 degrees warmer overall, should I add a heat lamp in addition to the UTH?

I think the problem is simply that my room is always freezing, and that's where I'm keeping him (since I live with roommates). San Francisco is a very cool climate, especially in the summer, and my room has an outside door that doesn't close all the way... so even with the house's heater set at 71, my room probably doesn't ever get above 65. I personally love that, but I think Toby might be getting too cold. I just moved his tank to a warmer side of the room, but should I get a heat lamp? And if I do, should I put it on the same side as the UTH?

[cinderbird]

Do you have a thermostat for your set up? If you dont, i -highly- suggest getting one.

Lamps can suck humidity out of the air and create another problem if you don't go out of your way to avoid it, there is a sticky here somewhere about how to modify a screen top to hold more humidity.

Thermostats or rheostats might help you a lot. There are cheap things like dimmers or REALLY low end thermostats (that don't even have a temperature you set them to) or better, higher end thermostats that you basically set and forget once you get them set up properly. If your room temps aren't stable i reccomend a johnson controls or a ranco. They're a little pricey, but they will do the job well.

The sensor on the thermometer goes, usually on the outside of the enclosure on the heating source, or inside the enclosure on the heating source. just make sure that your snake can't urinate on it or move it because that will drastically change the reading.

Personally, i have mine outside the enclosure (this includes the thermostat probe as well). This way it can't be peed on. hehe.

[Lolo76]

Right now I have the heater attached to a dimmer, and it's turned up all the way. What's the difference between a dimmer and a thermostat/rheostat?

[mrshawt]

A dimmer is a rheostat. It adjust the current going into the device. This is one I use, and I love it. Yes, you have to fiddle with it during the day to keep the temps the same, but they're way cheaper than thermostats. Warning: Do not leave without checking the temps! A rheostat only measures the amount of current going in, it does not regulate temps directly!
You can get these at Home Depot or Lowes

A thermostat uses a built in probe to both measure the temp and adjust the heating device to match a preset temp. They are much more safe as you don't really have to keep checking it, but they are way more expensive.
Helix
Ranco

This is something I'm not sure on, but do you need a diff thermostat for each heating device? Is there one which has multiple probes?

[hud556]

[QUOTE

This is something I'm not sure on, but do you need a diff thermostat for each heating device? Is there one which has multiple probes?[/QUOTE]


No im running a UTH and a CHE off my herpstat its got 2 probes. I only use the CHE because I have a wall mounted AC unit in my apartment and sometimes its drafty, so about once or twice a day the CHE will kick on for a few minutes to regulate the ambient temp. wow I just realized my bp has a thermostat and my apartment doesnt

[mrshawt]

Are there any with 3 probes by any chance? I would like to be able to regulate the warm, cool, and amb temps with one unit (if I ever decide to get thermostats instead).

[hud556]

Are there any with 3 probes by any chance? I would like to be able to regulate the warm, cool, and amb temps with one unit (if I ever decide to get thermostats instead).

yeah try the herpstat pro from spyder robotics I use their products and they are top notch

[mrshawt]

Crap, for $300, I'll just stay with the rheostats.

[hud556]

Crap, for $300, I'll just stay with the rheostats.

ive used rheostats in the past but with the temp changes in my place im so happy i got a T stat

[cinderbird]

not all thermostats are 300, rancos and johnson controls are affordable at 90ish shipped an assembled through rich at reptilebasics.com . he has excellent customer service, and i just purchased another thermostat through him that should arrive. whats really great with him is that he entirely stands behind what he sells, my thermostat power strip had a malfunction and i sent it back to him, months after i bought it and he fixed it for free and shipped it back to me.

90 bucks might seem like a lot but when you think about it, if it -only- costs 90 for the security of your snake, well, thats a plus. (or at least that was the school of thought i had, hehe).