Digital Thermometers for racks?

[VereMyth]

So I bought a rack...(Yeah I know, what happened to the AP enclosures...? A Repticon happened...) SO yeah, But I do need some advice about the temp range keeping right now I use my temp gun and the thermometers from my zoo-med screen top terrarium. That is currently empty because keeping humidity up in my racks have proven a lot easier.

1. Do I need thermometers inside EVERY tub that has a living reptile? Do I keep two like a regular terrarium or is temp gunning every day a good solution too? If I do need thermometers for every tub I am in trouble I need suggestion on a brand that has multiple probes and one monitor that won't break the bank too terribly.

2. Hides I plan on getting some anyway(The breeder and seller of the rack said something about not technically NEEDING a hide but I care for my animals and know that Regina still appreciates her hides in her tub so I will be getting some smalls to fit in the little one's racks) but Pangea is being slow to restock any home remedies that anyone has used and worked that DO NOT involve a soldering iron(I don't own one) would be great (Cardboard, etc.)

3. So far I have been temp gunning randomly around the heat tape nightly to make sure that it is heating properly it seems to be but I noticed a hot spot on my temp gun but when I attempted to rescan the same spot it read differently every time first temp was 95(lowered the T-stat to 90 from 91) to see if that would help then rescanned again to my surprise the same area was about 91.something so I think I might have accidentally held the trigger too long and got my finger or something. Will monitor. But would even more additional thermometers on the heat tape itself at each shelf be recommended?

Any other tips from you rack owners would be appreciated!

[RXLReptiles]

So.... I can't speak for everyone, I know some people on here have gone a little bit thermometer crazy, but I run 2 thermometers on my rack one in the top tub and one in the bottom one. Since heat rises I just make sure the top isn't too hot and the bottom isn't too cold. You can run one or two per tub, but I just use the 2 for the rack total, plus my temp gun.

That being said make sure to run your thermostat probe around the middle of the rack so you'll have the best chance for even temps from top to bottom.

Also, what thermostat are you running, and is your rack open sided or enclosed? An on off thermostat will cut power to the heat tape when it reads your set temp, but the temp probes can be a little slow to read. And if you have an open sided rack the draft can cause some fluctuation as well.

Hygrometers may be something you want in each tub, but still not technically necessary. I use the humidity probes on my 2 thermometers and cycle them through my tubs throughout the week, it gives me enough info to know if I need more humidity in a particular tub.

As for hides, cardboard boxes work, I use plastic tub/basket things from Dollar Tree and cut an entrance in it. Now I do use a soldering iron/wood burner, but the same thing could be done with decent scissors (not from the dollar store) and sand paper or a lighter to soften the edges. That method is super cheap and easy to make.

I've also gotten into the habit of drilling a very small hole in the corners of the tops of my hides to make sure that humidity doesn't condense in there and make the bedding/snake wet.

Honestly hides are one of the cheapest things you can make yourself. Literally anything that isn't see through and has enough volume to hold the snake will work. Up to, and including, the tops/bottoms of foam restaurant to go boxes. Feel free to be creative because snakes don't care what the hide looks like, only that it does it's job of keeping them cozy.

[RXLReptiles]

Anybody else have some knowledge they could drop in this scenario?

[VereMyth]

Sorry, it took so long to reply I work/sleep then had to go shopping and got few more supplies xD.

However, I did end up getting a Soldering Iron from Amazon. It is currently working and I bought some fairly cheap plastic containers from my Walmart cut them into shape melted down the rough edges and such.

I re-temped after moving my thermometer and my Rack had a whopping 107 directly on the plastic THANKFULLY my Normal Ball DOES NOT burrow(I have had her for 4 months and Not one single time did she leave traces of burrowing.)

But I moved my thermal probe to the thermostat I am using it came with the rack its an exo-terra thermostat(http://www.exo-terra.com/en/products...ostat-600W.php)

The probe was taped right next to the heat tapes wiring(Where it comes off and into a plug)
Moved it to that hotspot which happened to be the middle rack where she is. Hopefully, this evens out the heat distribution.

Will get back after I get a decent time frame to check temperatures throughout the rack.

[pbenner]

I just got my first rack. It's an AP Quick Ship 375. I've got a picture of it up in another thread if you want to look;

There is (1) long piece of Flex Watt running through the entire rack, so only one plug in, as such, I have a Herpstat 1 running this rack.

I have it's probe up near the top, this is furthest from the power for the rack. Currently most of the tubs have hot-spots on the top of their bedding between 87.8 and 88.9. The cool end of the tub is holding around 77 degrees average. I will probably move the probe soon, but I'm not sure to where. The probe space they provide isn't the best in my mind. I think I want it directly on the flex watt to insure that it doesn't get above 90, but not sure.

I have my Laser Probe sitting on top of the rack at all times to check if I have concerns.

So far so good, but you shouldn't use heat tape without some type of Thermostat, and spending the $160 on a good Thermostat to protect your animals is worth every penny.

Best,

Paul

[VereMyth]

I just got my first rack. It's an AP Quick Ship 375. I've got a picture of it up in another thread if you want to look;

There is (1) long piece of Flex Watt running through the entire rack, so only one plug in, as such, I have a Herpstat 1 running this rack.

I have it's probe up near the top, this is furthest from the power for the rack. Currently most of the tubs have hot-spots on the top of their bedding between 87.8 and 88.9. The cool end of the tub is holding around 77 degrees average. I will probably move the probe soon, but I'm not sure to where. The probe space they provide isn't the best in my mind. I think I want it directly on the flex watt to insure that it doesn't get above 90, but not sure.

I have my Laser Probe sitting on top of the rack at all times to check if I have concerns.

So far so good, but you shouldn't use heat tape without some type of Thermostat, and spending the $160 on a good Thermostat to protect your animals is worth every penny.

Best,

Paul

All my heating is run with a thermostat xD They were never, not on a thermostat.\

THe hot spot was probably because the probe was not installed far enough away from the power inlet. My rack is also run by one very long piece of Heat tape I can recommend moving your heat probe to the central part of your rack. Even if you have to get a bit creative with where to put the wiring xD My temps have come out nice and evenly since doing that.