Too cold!!

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. :oops: 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?

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.

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? :confused:

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?

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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 :(

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).

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Originally Posted by 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).

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

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

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

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

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

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).

I would love to do that, but I need 3 probes in order to control my 3 heating devices. I don't think the cheaper ones have multiple probes.

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Originally Posted by mrshawt

I would love to do that, but I need 3 probes in order to control my 3 heating devices. I don't think the cheaper ones have multiple probes.

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they can control multiple devises but to the same temperature. ie; i can have a CHE and an UTH,plugged into the thermostat and have them be the same temp.

I imagine you use glass aquaria? I can't help you much unfortunately, i use tubs now, single heat source (flexwatt on a thermostat) and i just keep my snakes in a closed off room where the temp dosent fluctuate too much.

you can also try insulating the tank, put foam board on 2 sides and the back to help keep in heat.

Oh, I've done everything that can be done. My temps don't fluctuate more than 2 degrees as is. I was just hoping for an easier solution than having to check the temps all day.

I got the heat lamp tonight at Petco, and it's been on his tank for a few hours... temps are still waaay too low, but I think they're slowly climbing up. The problem is that I only have one dimmer (with 2 outlets), so the UTH and lamp have to be controlled together. I'll get something more sophisticated eventually, but right now I can't afford $100-300 for a thermostat. :oops: He seems pretty happy regardless, and is a very good eater - so I'm not too worried at this point. Thanks for the advice, though!

P.S. Does anyone have advice regarding my question about where to place the Acu-rite sensor? I can't seem to find a good spot for it, which means my temp readings aren't really accurate yet.

FYI: Here's how the tank looks now... I haven't properly mounted the lamp yet, but how is it otherwise?

http://i131.photobucket.com/albums/p...s/DSCF5341.jpg

It all looks good except... Is that sand:colbert: Start using aspen, reptile bark, etc... I prefer paper towels but you have a tank so I would say aspen is next best. Oh and hides should be identical so the snake doesn't have to choose between comfort and temp. But everything else:gj:

p.s temps still looking a lil' low

You should start a new thread for that Lolo76 or continue with your old one.

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Originally Posted by eMonk

You should start a new thread for that Lolo76 or continue with your old one.

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Isn't this my old thread? :confused: That was one of the questions I asked in the original post, LOL...

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Originally Posted by rocky88

It all looks good except... Is that sand:colbert:

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Nope, those are paper towels... I can't use anything wood-based because of my allergies, so I was told paper towels are next best!

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p.s temps still looking a lil' low

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Yeah, they're still really low, but the lamp has only been on for a few hours - and I had the dimmer too low at first. I'll check again later tonight, and update on how they are.

Whoa - I just looked at my picture again, and that does look like sand. Cool! :D I used my fancy Viva paper towels from the kitchen, so they are super soft and thick... I'll buy some cheap ones before the next cleaning, since that could actually be affecting the temps (plus Viva's are too pricey for snake usage, LOL).

I just decided to switch my snake's cages around, since Delilah is in a wooden tank, and it seems to hold the heat MUCH better... plus she's in my roommate's room, which is probably the warmest room in the house. So she'll be in the glass one from now on, and we'll see if that balances things out at all!

Ok, so you have a lamp and a UTH?

You should be able to easily manage a 82* cool side and 92* hot side with those.

The accurite probe should be under the paper-towels right on the glass above the UTH. The accurite unit should be under the heat lamp (which will be managing your coolside and ambient).