Temperature Issues

My BP has a UTH and a heat lamp for when the ambient temp drops.

However, my apartment isn't temperature controled and I'm having a hard time keeping his temps right. I live in upstate NY and the temp... fluctuates. It might be 90 tomorrow and 65 the day after.

Like this morning, I got home from work at 7am and it was cold out. I checked his tank and it was a little cooler than I'd like (ambient was 72ish and hot spot 80ish) so I flipped on the heating light (and just to avoid that question - it is outside the tank so he can't get on it). When I went to sleep at 8 the ambient was about 80, the hot spot 92ish.

However I woke up at 3 or so and it was HOT. I check on his tank and his hot spot is 97 and the ambient 95. I flip off the light but my apartment is now 85 degrees...

Any ideas how to regulate temp when I can't regulate my apartment temp?

Ideally you would want a proportional thermostat like a helix or a herpstat. They're expensive but worth it, and much cheaper than vet bills for an RI. You can use an on/off thermostat like a ranco or a johnson but I don't think they would work as well b/c of your temp fluctuation inssue.

thermostat.

simply the most important peice of equipment after a thermometer.

If it is to regulate a lamp you will need to use a proportional one such as a helix or a herpstat.

For heat matts etc you can use the on/off types like ranco or johnson (sp?).

It's one area where I don't recomend skimping as it will last for a long time, can be transfered between enclosures - and if it goes wrong can kill your pet.

Rheostats are ok if you check and adjust frequently and don't have massive temp swings but nothing beats the reliability of a thermostat dialed in correctly.


dr del

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Originally Posted by Spaniard

Ideally you would want a proportional thermostat like a helix or a herpstat.

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I honestly don't know how they work. Would that just be that I set the temperature and it controls the uth? I have a dimmer on the uth to keep that down now, how would a thermostat work?

Hi,

Well you set it up like you set up the dimmer - measure temps and tweak the setting till they are right.

But unlike a dimmer the thermostat will automatically keep them there when your room temp fluctuates from that point on. :gj:


dr del

I have used several different types of dimmers and rheostats and NOTHING compares to a thermostat, BEST investment I have ever made for my snakes and a must for bp owners. I control my lamps on a dimmer and my UTH on a ranco thermostat. It cost me $60 off ebay and it clicks on and off according to whether or not the UTH is above or below 90 degrees. It varies between 88 and 91, so worth it.

:) Thermostats are the BOMB! And a TOTAL necessity for proper snake keeping. They keep temps within 2 degrees for on/off and less then 1 degree with proportionals...even when your room temps are all over the place!

Oh, and Missi: Is your differential set to 1 on the Ranco? Just seems like it shouldn't have that much fluctuation...

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Originally Posted by Argentra

:) Thermostats are the BOMB! And a TOTAL necessity for proper snake keeping. They keep temps within 2 degrees for on/off and less then 1 degree with proportionals...even when your room temps are all over the place!

Oh, and Missi: Is your differential set to 1 on the Ranco? Just seems like it shouldn't have that much fluctuation...

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I use a ranco and it is set at 1 degree and I have flustuations of 4-5 degrees, At night I set it higher and during the day I set it lower, still its much easier than using a rheostat.

I think its due to the probe being directly on the UTH, if the probe was inside the enclosure I dont think I would have much fluctuation, but Im afraid if the snake pees or water is spilled on the probe then it will cook my snakes....

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Originally Posted by Mochelem

I think its due to the probe being directly on the UTH, if the probe was inside the enclosure I dont think I would have much fluctuation, but Im afraid if the snake pees or water is spilled on the probe then it will cook my snakes....

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Don't put the probe inside the enclosure. During feeding session, a rat chewed on the helix probe and ruined it. Because it happened on a thursday night, i couldn't get a replacement probe until the following tuesday. Good thing i had cheap ranco as a backup.

If you can afford a good proportional go ahead and get it. then pick up an on/off t-stat a reptile show or second hand as a backup. I am in michigan, so I know what its like to have fluctuating room temps.

Thanks everyone for the advice, looks like I'm going to get the proportional. Stan is in his tank looking at me just daring me to try to skimp on him. :P

But really, thanks. I guess I read about tstats and it never really occured to me what they are for... I'm not always the quickest. I'll give it a look and see what fits Stan's needs best - you guys haven't steered me wrong yet!