Where to put thermostat probe in cage with rhp ?

[Manasha-Bogo]

Hey there,

I just moved my snakes into their PVC cages tonight. I have the thermostat probes taped directly onto the RHP but I think this is affecting the humidity reading. I'm getting 0% humidity.

Where should I locate the thermostat probe in a cage that has the RHP ?

BTW, for anyone that knows my story with my female ball that had to be hospitalized for 7 days after a 2 week mite infestation... here's an update: As you might remember, at 6 months of age she weighed in at 86 grams at the vets office. Today she weighed in at 118 grams. She's doing *very* well eating like a champ and becoming strong as heck. The male still wins out on fatness and strength, but she's 300% better than she was weeks ago and I no longer worry for her life. Once they setting into their cages, they should be fine as long as I maintain temp & humidity... I'm keeping them on live mice for the moment. In 2 months, I'll graduate them to rat pups and beyond.

[The Serpent Merchant]

First off, no tape should ever be used in a snake cage, eventually your snake will find a way to get stuck to it.

I would place the probe directly under the RHP at the op of the substrate layer. (ground level)

What are you using to measure humidity?

[kitedemon]

I after agree with Aaron but in this case I do not. I simply do not like the thought of a snake being able to come between a heat source and the probe. I would recommend dangling it about 3 inches or so below the RHP. I have been testing this method for some time (3 different probe placements) and found it to be a good compromise. I don't get exact temps on the floor but it is not as dramatic as on the RPH and IMO safer than on the floor.

0% RH is almost non existent, I suspect a faulty hygrometer. They are can be very fussy and can go out of calibration very easily. Digital units are especially prone to this. I would remove it blow out the probe as best you can (blower brush would be great vacuum set reversed would work well too.) and try again. If that does not work I'd replace the unit with a second one. My personal preference is these ...

http://www.cheaphumidors.com/p_analo...CC-ANALOG.html

All mine have a magnetic attachment it works ok but not stellar I often just pull the metal disk off the brass housing and tack it with some hot melt glue. Or use a rare earth magnet to replace the original one. I have tested 26 so far and out of the box they all have been with in 7%RH accurate and are easily adjusted to accurate again. The best digital unit I tested was about 5% Rh of correct and the worst was over 30% off. The best of this model I found to be as accurate as a salt test is capable of 1% this is in fact the majority tested out spot on. Much better than any digital I have ever checked. They also resist dust and debris super well I have actually plucked one out of a water bowl and it continues to work accurately and with out problem after it dried out.

[Manasha-Bogo]

I don't know how I can forget that tape inside the enclosure is a no-no. I totally forgot about that. When I checked just now, the tape was already stuck to one of the snakes and the other snake working on getting tangled up with it as well. i removed the tape very gently using water and removed all the rest.

I'm using a brand new herpstat2. Prior to being installed on this PVC cage, the probes were living between the bottom of the plastic tubs and the heat pads where the snakes were living. They have not been wet or dirtied at all. But having said that, I just checked and the humidity in both cages is now reading at 100%. It's late so the light was off but when I went to remove the tape, I noticed a lot of moisture condensed on the glass. I put a second hygromter in one of the cages and it's reading is up to 80% and still rising. So it seems this reading is correct too. Perhaps the 0% reading earlier was a result of not giving it enough time.

[Manasha-Bogo]

btw, I am not sure if 100% is bad, but it's likely due to the new substrate which is moist and the large water dishes I put in there...

Since the probes are now on the ground, I dropped the temperature on the herpstat to 85F. I will come up with a better solution tomorrow.

The humidity readings on the herpstat dropped after I openned the glass doors to remove the tape and are rising once again now.

The male's cage..


The female's cage...

[The Serpent Merchant]

Is the herpstat set to humidity mode? and if so which setting?

[kitedemon]

It looks like a zoo med hygrometer to me in the males cage. I am guessing you are not using the spyder robotics humidity probe I have only played with one once and found it to be the best digital one I have ever handled. The temp probes are seriously tough units I'd not concern myself with them.

Probes need to be secure especially with heat source and probe both inside the enclosure. I would make sure to enable the over and under shut down alarms before bed just in case mr or mrs snake moves the probe tonight!!! I would not recommend leaving a Tstat probe floating under any circumstances. It needs to be stuck some place. I am guessing you have ambient air temp control? I would power down the RHPs and just use ambient temps to keep things safe. 80-85 will be fine just don't feed until you get the hot spot figured out. That will be fine for a few days no problem and absolutely over night. Better safe than sorry.

[Manasha-Bogo]

Yes, it's a spyder robotics herpstat2. The zoo med is the second one I threw in there to test the accuracy of the herpstat. (kinda funny that I'm gauging the quality of a Rolls Royce using Hyundai equipment) You can't see the probe in the male's cage. It's running along the right wall and between the wall and the hide.

I already turned off the herpstat and the rhp's. I'm too paranoid to leave that thing running 18 hours until I get back from work tomorrow. (Yep, I'm working memorial day. joy!) I'm sure the snakes will survive one day at room temps. Better that than burns!

[The Serpent Merchant]

You really need to leave it on, trust me, even unregulated a RHP is very safe to use.

[kitedemon]

Aaron they reach 160ºF at least my reptile basics does... on the floor mine pushes 115º too hot.