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$20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
I'm most likely going to get a UTH and ditch the heat lamp. I've seen my 75 watt infrared heat bulb dry out the air so much in my female BP's enclosure that it when as low as 25%. The light is off now, and I raised the humidity level to the appropriate level. She's housed in a $20 gallon enclosure, so I'll need a UTH large enough to cover 1/3 of floor space. So, how much would that UTH cost me (I think the UTH is made for 10-20 gallons) and how much would the dimmer cost me (and where can I buy it? Plus, the dimmer is only for now until I purchase a thermostat.)?
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
I got an extra $20 tonight from a family member, so I was going straight on to spend it on a different heating source for my female.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
The UTH is probably going to run something like $25-$30 for the size you want. The big ones can get quite pricy. Not sure about the dimmer.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
The Lutron 300W dimmer is $10.
And if your house is on the colder side, I would recommend a 30-40g UTH instead.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
I have a 20-30 G UTH on my 40G tank, and it works wonders, but then again my house stays at a pretty good temp (not cold, not hot, like right in the middle :) ) But like mrshawt said, Ive noticed if your house/room temps are too hot or too cold, a smaller/bigger UTH is probably needed than what you originally planned.
And the Lutron dimmer she recommended is awesoommeeee :)
So go with that, its like 11 something after taxes. The UTH I have I think was 40 bucks after tax? So a 30-40 might be a bit more than that.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
My UTH, which I bought from Petco, was about $23. I'm not exactly sure what size it is but I think it was made for 10-20 gallon tanks..The Lutron dimmer I bought as a temporary thermostat alternative from Lowes was $14.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
This is what I would use for a UTH...
http://www.reptilebasics.com/11-Flex...e-p-16134.html
Nothing beats 3.40 per foot.
He will even wire it for you at no extra cost aside from the $5 to cover the wires and clips needed.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
I would get a thermostat first. You can't use belly heat without a thermostat so if you can only afford the belly heat then it is useless until you can get a thermostat.
I would order a reptitemp 500r online and then order some flexwatt (if money allows) from RBI. That stuff is as cheap as it gets and does its job very well!
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaorte
I would get a thermostat first. You can't use belly heat without a thermostat so if you can only afford the belly heat then it is useless until you can get a thermostat.
I would order a reptitemp 500r online and then order some flexwatt (if money allows) from RBI. That stuff is as cheap as it gets and does its job very well!
What's wrong with just using a dimmer?
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by van_garret2000
What's wrong with just using a dimmer?
Honestly, to me they are just a temporary fix. All the adjusting you have to do does not make it safe enough in my opinion.
I have still had heat spikes with dimmers and I don't trust them for the long term. Plain and simple.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by van_garret2000
What's wrong with just using a dimmer?
it doesnt adjust the enclosure temps for temperature change in your room.
a thermostat will turn the heat off if it starts getting too warm.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaorte
I would get a thermostat first. You can't use belly heat without a thermostat so if you can only afford the belly heat then it is useless until you can get a thermostat.
I'll have to disagree on that, but only a very short-term, temporary basis. Here's the thread that was written about it: http://www.ball-pythons.net/forums/s...ad.php?t=98678
ReptiBark works well in lowering and raising the snake away from the UTH. For those few days while waiting for a thermostat ordered online to arrive, it'll do. Of course, if you don't already have the bark and need to spend money to buy it, then you may as well buy that Lutron dimmer.
Playing the adding/removing bark game also worked for me because during summer I'm home a lot more and so was able to constantly keep an eye on temps. If I were working a full 8-hour day out of the house, I'd be afraid of using an unregulated UTH.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Hi,
The problem with the depth of bark idea is that snakes are perfectly capable of burrowing down through it or simply shoving it out of the way. :(
dr del
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Thermostats are really pricey to get for just one snake... and if you are using a commercial heat pad and not flexwatt you really don't need it. A dimmer would be adequate for a single pet snake IMO. Air conditioned houses aren't going to get too hot for a snake without a thermostat unless the heat pad takes up the whole cage, in which case you have bigger issues. That's why our store doesn't sell flexwatt or thermostats, because we cater greatly towards these kinds of customers with just a few snakes who don't have rack systems or designated snake rooms.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hulihzack
Thermostats are really pricey to get for just one snake... and if you are using a commercial heat pad and not flexwatt you really don't need it. A dimmer would be adequate for a single pet snake IMO. Air conditioned houses aren't going to get too hot for a snake without a thermostat unless the heat pad takes up the whole cage, in which case you have bigger issues. That's why our store doesn't sell flexwatt or thermostats, because we cater greatly towards these kinds of customers with just a few snakes who don't have rack systems or designated snake rooms.
What about the Repti temp 500r? That costs $25.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hulihzack
Thermostats are really pricey to get for just one snake... and if you are using a commercial heat pad and not flexwatt you really don't need it. A dimmer would be adequate for a single pet snake IMO. Air conditioned houses aren't going to get too hot for a snake without a thermostat unless the heat pad takes up the whole cage, in which case you have bigger issues. That's why our store doesn't sell flexwatt or thermostats, because we cater greatly towards these kinds of customers with just a few snakes who don't have rack systems or designated snake rooms.
That is really not true. Commercial heating pads get just as hot as flexwatt and I have seen it with my own eyes.
I have also used just a dimmer in an air conditioned room. There are heat spikes well over 100* and that is not safe for the animal. There are cheaper thermostat options out there. If someone is using a dimmer, I think it should only be a temporary fix. Forking up the extra $25 for a thermostat is not a big deal to ensure that your snake will not be cooked.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Hi,
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hulihzack
Thermostats are really pricey to get for just one snake... and if you are using a commercial heat pad and not flexwatt you really don't need it. A dimmer would be adequate for a single pet snake IMO. Air conditioned houses aren't going to get too hot for a snake without a thermostat unless the heat pad takes up the whole cage, in which case you have bigger issues. That's why our store doesn't sell flexwatt or thermostats, because we cater greatly towards these kinds of customers with just a few snakes who don't have rack systems or designated snake rooms.
Sorry, I totaly disagree.
A thermostat might seem pricey at first glance but they last for years and can be moved between enclosures as the snake grows - and it means the temps are always right. I think that and the thermometers and humidity monitors are simply the most important pieces of equipment you can buy.
Your statement about comercial heat mats is simply wrong - you cannot say they will never get to a dangerous temperature because some of the makes and models will. Ultratherms might only get 10 degrees above ambient but the rest can and will reach 120f +
A dimmer switch is a viable method of control in a relatively stable temperature environment - anywhere else and you will need to monitor it and continually adjust.
If your house only varies by a few degrees then fair enough - mine varies by considerably more than that over the course of the year. I also sadly don't have air conditioning.
The simple fact is too cool a temp will possibly lower your snakes immune system and lead to infections getting a hold etc in time but too high a temp will kill it or cause neurological problems within hours.
It is entirely your choice what your shop sells but thinking they are not needed is simply not correct.
dr del
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
WHen I have look at a Repti Temp 500R Thermostat at a petstore it didn't have a temperature range on the dial, just a low to high type thing. How do you know what temp you are actually setting it at?
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by van_garret2000
WHen I have look at a Repti Temp 500R Thermostat at a petstore it didn't have a temperature range on the dial, just a low to high type thing. How do you know what temp you are actually setting it at?
You use a thermometer to measure the temperature.
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kaorte
You use a thermometer to measure the temperature.
So is it just a trial an error thing until you get the right temp?
Will all of those reptitherms have the same range on the dial or does it vary from one to another. What I mean is if one is set at 90 degrees will another be 90 in the exact same spot?
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Re: $20 to spend on UTH and dimmer, would it be enough?
Quote:
Originally Posted by van_garret2000
So is it just a trial an error thing until you get the right temp?
Will all of those reptitherms have the same range on the dial or does it vary from one to another. What I mean is if one is set at 90 degrees will another be 90 in the exact same spot?
Yes, but you have to do that for any tstat really, as the temp at the probe may not always equal the temp on the substrate.
The second question depends if the tstats are in the exact same conditions. In theory, they are all manufactured the same and should be the same to work, but sometimes some units are different.
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