A Question About Thermometers

Hi everyone. This is my first post on the forums. I have a question about thermometers. My Acu Rite thermometer and probe combo says it's 95 degrees Fahrenheit on the warm side, and 85 degrees on the cool side. My Zilla handheld thermometer "gun" says that it's 92 degrees on the warm side, and 84 degrees on the cool side. Does anyone know which one is more accurate, or if either of those brands are more reliable than the other? If the acu rite thermometer is correct, then it's too warm in my ball python's tank, and if the zilla thermometer is correct, then the temperature is just right.

Temp an icecube ;)

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Originally Posted by Redsandjunkie

Hi everyone. This is my first post on the forums. I have a question about thermometers. My Acu Rite thermometer and probe combo says it's 95 degrees Fahrenheit on the warm side, and 85 degrees on the cool side. My Zilla handheld thermometer "gun" says that it's 92 degrees on the warm side, and 84 degrees on the cool side. Does anyone know which one is more accurate, or if either of those brands are more reliable than the other? If the acu rite thermometer is correct, then it's too warm in my ball python's tank, and if the zilla thermometer is correct, then the temperature is just right.

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The answer is that both are correct, given their acceptable tolerances:

• The Acu-Rite is +/- 2 F
• The Zilla is +/- 2.5 F

It's probably somewhere between 93 F and 95.5 F degrees on your hot side if you look at the overlap in tolerances between the two. Regardless, turn your thermostat down so that you get a reading around 90 degrees - that way you won't have to worry about being "on the edge".

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll be sure to go and get a light dimmer for the lamp today to lower the temp.