reasonable thermostat idea?

Would it be reasonable to use one thermostat to control heating to a corn snake cage and a BP cage? I've thought about getting something such as a Ranco and maybe putting a dimmer on the ine to the Corn cage, that way I could just turn it down a few degrees and only have to have one thermostat. Any other/cheap ways of doing this? Don't really want to have to spend a fortune on thermostats for the new enclosures.

you can get a Zoo Med 500R Thermostat

Reasonable thermostat that can control two basic enclosures like that. ( temps for both species are pretty much exactly the same) its about 30.00 and a good starter thermostat for the price. I use two of them on my setups, and have for a few years now, with no issues.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mooingtricycle

you can get a Zoo Med 500R Thermostat

Reasonable thermostat that can control two basic enclosures like that. ( temps for both species are pretty much exactly the same) its about 30.00 and a good starter thermostat for the price. I use two of them on my setups, and have for a few years now, with no issues.

---

Ive got one of those already controlling my BP enclosure, it just seems to not be the sturdiest of things, and the temp varies more than I'd care to admit.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Smooth23

Ive got one of those already controlling my BP enclosure, it just seems to not be the sturdiest of things, and the temp varies more than I'd care to admit.

---

The temp shouldnt vary that much. Its a thermostat, and while its not going to be 100% accurate or as close to accurate as say, the herpstats, i rarely have fluctuations that are even worth noting in my rack systems that use it. I also use Herpstats. Love the things. Worth every penny.

Where is your enclosure placed? Near a heater, or drafty area? Near a window? Radiator? anything that would change the temp?

A Rheostat is going to be worse, and you will have to adjust the knob according to the temperature of your house/time of year. Much less reliable than the 500R T-stat IMHO.

Things dont have to be perfectly exact either. just so long as they are in acceptable ranges, you are fine.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mooingtricycle

( temps for both species are pretty much exactly the same)

---

I disagree. Everything I read has said there's a ten degree difference. BPs at cool ~80 hot ~90, corns at cool ~70 hot ~80...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by b8g8

I disagree. Everything I read has said there's a ten degree difference. BPs at cool ~80 hot ~90, corns at cool ~70 hot ~80...

---

(remember i said "Pretty much" not... "definitely absolutely will never ever change ever in the history of the world".......
I dont keep my bps at 90 degree hotspots at all. 85-88 hot end, 75-78 cool. Wintertime i let my temps stay, and the cool side will get a bit lower.

I dont keep any of my snakes temps any differently and they all do quite well :)

you can run the dimmer but you also got ot watch out incase the dimmer failes. Right now until I get he flexwatt ordered my corn are enjoying room temp setup. no extra heat or anything but then again the reptile room stays 77-83 depending on the time of year/time of day the sun shines on that side. And hey are loving it better than the bp temps.

I will set up the smaller rack for hte corns to be a lower temp and the Bp will get the higher temps on their rack. I think until winter gets here the corns will not need the extra heat like the bps might.