Thermostat controller questions

[EmiLee]

Hi! After reading here in the forum it seem to me that you need a thermostat controller for every heat source right? Crazy, been watching videos on YouTube from some larger breeders and they failed to even mention that you need a thermostat controller. Either way... I am planning on having both a UTH and a heat source above tank as we have pretty cold temps here in our house.

Does each one of these devices need a thermostat controller?

Do they make thermostat controllers that can handle multiple devices?

Also been considering purchasing a digital thermostat connected to an app in my phone so it’d let me know if temps would get too low or something. Has anyone tried one of those before?

just a few questions. Grateful for this forum and for all helpful people here.

[EmiLee]

https://www.ink-bird.com/products-ou...stat-c919.html

here is he one with an app

[SquirmyPug]

Yes each heating device needs its own thermostat. There are some thermostats that have multiple probes so you can control multiple heating devices, you will have to find out which brands have that option. I'm pretty sure herpstats have that option.

[Cheesenugget]

I don't know any thermostats made for reptile or other animal keeping that has an app where you can monitor temps remotely. The main concern is not simply knowing about the temps, it is whether or not you can make it back home in time to fix it. What you don't want is a thermostat to malfunction, heat temps goes out of control and burn your snake. Therefore, what you should be looking for is a thermostat that is accurate as well as having safety features that kicks in when you are not home or aware that something is wrong.

Herpstat 1 and above have these safety features where it will buzz if the temps are over or under the limit you had set, and shuts off after 30 min if the temps are not back down to normal. Fyi, the cheaper models for Herpstat have the buzzer but would not shut down.

Secondly, for 2 heat sources, yes, you will need a thermostat for each (I don't use one for basking lizards as they know when to move. Snakes don't for some reason). Herpstat 2 comes with 2 separate probes and 2 types of function: dimmer or pulse. Dimmers are great for lights and pulse is more for UTH although dimmers can be used for it too. You don't want a thermostat that is not a dimmer for lights though.

So it seems like Herpstat 2 and up is what would meet your needs. It is pricey but its brand is a very much trusted product within the herp community.

P.S. Most popular pet tubers don't mention or show their thermostats. You would think it is important enough to be mentioned. My theory is that they don't want to show the audience that they purchase cheaply made thermostats to avoid being criticized especially when they make $$ showing off their pets. Not only that, cheap thermostats allow them to afford more animals. So doing your own research is absolutely necessary.

[Hannahvh]

Hello and Welcome!

Yes, all heat sources should be connected to a thermostat to prevent them overheating and accidentally harming your little buddies. I saw the same thing when I was getting started, even a guy in a reptile store once told me "oh no thermostats are overkill". But not worth the risk in my opinion!

Do you have a ball python? Or another reptile? I haven't looked at your profile, so I'm not sure.

But to answer your question simply, yes to both. Both the UTH and heat lamp can be set to separate thermostats as a very simple solution. BUT, they do make thermostats that can hold 2 (or even up to 4+) different heat sources. The only thing is on many of those double thermostats, it only has one temperature gauge, so both heat sources would be set to the same temp. If you have a BP for example, the UTH would want to be set to 90-92 and the overhead would be around 80 or so for the ambient air, but you couldn't accomplish that with using the same dial, you know? There might be thermostats that have 2 separate dials as well, but I haven't found one, so I personally just use two separate thermostats- quick and easy You can get the cheaper ones for like $15 on Amazon- just look for ones with good name brands and lots of reviews to find more reliable ones.

Also, make sure you install them correctly! For a UTH thermostat, the probe should be placed UNDER the tank and between the UTH- like a probe sandwich. UTH>probe>bottom of tank. This prevents your critter from accidentally moving or damaging the probe inside the tank. You will likely have to set the thermostat a little higher than the temp you want as it will have to heat through the bottom of the tank. For the overhead, place the probe inside the enclosure, but not directly under the lamp/source as it could give it some whacky readings!

Other than that, I would strongly recommend getting a temp gun ($10 on Amazon) to be able to manually measure the temps throughout the enclosure. The thermostat gauges just set the heat source to that desired temp, but it does not read the temp inside your tank. And I would also recommend a digital thermometer for the ambient air and a hygrometer to measure humidity. You can get a "2 in 1" digital thermometer/hygrometer on Amazon for another $10 or so.

Good luck and make sure to research the correct temps/humidity for the species you have!

Hi! After reading here in the forum it seem to me that you need a thermostat controller for every heat source right? Crazy, been watching videos on YouTube from some larger breeders and they failed to even mention that you need a thermostat controller. Either way... I am planning on having both a UTH and a heat source above tank as we have pretty cold temps here in our house.

Does each one of these devices need a thermostat controller?

Do they make thermostat controllers that can handle multiple devices?

Also been considering purchasing a digital thermostat connected to an app in my phone so it’d let me know if temps would get too low or something. Has anyone tried one of those before?

just a few questions. Grateful for this forum and for all helpful people here.

[Bodie]

I use the herpstat by spyder robotics (www.spyderrobotics.com). They are great. Some might think they are a little pricey, but they are top quality. They have various models for multiple outputs. I think they even have one that has six outputs on one controller. You can customize each output too. They also come with the same number of temp probes as outputs (6 outputs = 6 individual thermostat probes). I personally use the herpstat 4

[EmiLee]

Thank you so much for all this helpful info! It’s all starting to make sense now 🤗! I put down a deposit on a ball python baby from a breeder, won’t get him home for another month or more however just starting to get my tank set up correctly well in advance to make sure it all functions well and is dialed in before he arrives!

[Craiga 01453]

Thank you so much for all this helpful info! It’s all starting to make sense now 🤗! I put down a deposit on a ball python baby from a breeder, won’t get him home for another month or more however just starting to get my tank set up correctly well in advance to make sure it all functions well and is dialed in before he arrives!

Awesome!!!! You're already off to a great start!!