Where do you place your thermostat probe?

[biggc1]

Someone posted on kingsnake the other day who had his probe placed in the bottom of one of the tubs. The probe got moved or whatever, flex watt got to hot melted the tub and killed a snake that was on a breeder loan.

[tmlowe5704]

Someone posted on kingsnake the other day who had his probe placed in the bottom of one of the tubs. The probe got moved or whatever, flex watt got to hot melted the tub and killed a snake that was on a breeder loan.

he was probably one of the ones who had it just laying there.

[casperca]

I too was contemplating where to place the therm probe. Bailey Reptiles has a pretty good picture if there is still confusion. It is in step 24 of the "how to build a rack" link. They talk about wrapping the probe to simulate the plastic of the tub that the heat needs to pass through. This may be useful in lowering the difference between what you need to set the thermostat at and what the temp actually is in the enclosure. Makes sense to me. Hope it helps someone.
Here's the link.

http://www.baileyreptiles.com/cb70rack.html

- Catie

[BaLLPAddICT]

My T-stat probe is under the newspaper substrate, taped to the bottom of the tub, directly underneath the warm hide.

This to me would seem like one of the best ways, you think so? That way since the prob is taped to the bottom it wouldnt be able to move and you can set the thermostat accurately (maybe a little higher since the heat still has to go through the substrate). I am actually planning on building a rack today into the next couple days and I didn't really think about where I should be putting the probe, I just assumed that you put it on top of the substrate over the flexwatt heated area but didn't relize that the snake could easily just move it.

[daniel1983]

This to me would seem like one of the best ways, you think so? That way since the prob is taped to the bottom it wouldnt be able to move and you can set the thermostat accurately (maybe a little higher since the heat still has to go through the substrate). I am actually planning on building a rack today into the next couple days and I didn't really think about where I should be putting the probe, I just assumed that you put it on top of the substrate over the flexwatt heated area but didn't relize that the snake could easily just move it.

I found that method flawed. Since most tubs do not sit 100% flat on the surface that they are set on, each tub will sag slightly as weight shifts in the individual tub.

For example, if you have a rack system with the thermostat probe taped to the bottom of the tub. Since the tubs sag slightly as the ball python's weight shifts.....If you have a heavy ball python lay on top of the probe and 'push it' closer to the heating element causing increased heat due to distance from the heating element and heat trapped between the snake and the heating element.....you will not end up with an even heating across the rack because the thermostat will adjust accordingly for what is happening in that tub ALONE.


Did that make any sence?

Putting the probe directly on the heating element leaves for less error if setup properly.

[Subzero]

Im suprised to see so many of you vote that you put the probe on the substrate, whats if the snake :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r:s on it, or worse tips the water bowl... I dont think some of you know what the probe is for exactly. If water got on it, it would instantly cool, and you thermostat would kick on full power to try and heat the probe back up, even though your snakes are frying.

[tmlowe5704]

Im suprised to see so many of you vote that you put the probe on the substrate, whats if the snake :cens0r::cens0r::cens0r::cens0r:s on it, or worse tips the water bowl... I dont think some of you know what the probe is for exactly. If water got on it, it would instantly cool, and you thermostat would kick on full power to try and heat the probe back up, even though your snakes are frying.

Any good thermostat has safety precautions built in to stop that.

[Sausage]

Yep, water messing up your temps [in most cases] isn't something to worry about. Unless your t-stat is old and unreliable, it should not be a problem.

[BigDan35]

I'm wondering about this too. I'm in the process of setting up my enclosure for the arrival of my first snake. It's a Ball Python and will be anywhere from 2 to 6 months old. The substrate I'm using is compressed coconut husk. The type of heating I'm using is an under the tank heating pad. Most people say to put the probe of the thermometer UNDER the substrate in the tank, right on the glass where the heating pad is. But wouldn't that be an inaccurate reading? Because the heat has to transfer through that 1 or 2 inches of substrate...so the surface temperature would be quite a bit cooler on top of the substrate than under the substrate right on the glass where the heater is.

So I would think the most accurate reading you could get would be having the probe right on top of the substrate in the enclosure...but then I'm trying to think of how that would work? The snake would probably move it around a lot.

Anyways...am I just crazy though or does anyone else see my point? I think having the probe under all the substrate would give you an inaccurate reading, because the temperature down there wouldn't be the temperature on top of the substrate.

[dr del]

Hi,


We know the point you mean.

But.

Your snake can burrow and it's important to make sure it cannot come into contact with temperatures that could damage it.

So the solutions we use are;

Place the probe outside of the tank so it gives an accurate reading and cannot be affected by the animal inside - most recomendations are to place it between the heat mat and the bottom of the glass tank. But use the therometer(s) to take the temp readings inside the tank both at the surface in the hot hide but also under the substrate next to the heating element.

Then adjust the depth of the substrate so that the surface temperatures can get to the correct levels without the under substrate readings being dangerously high.



dr del