Please Help Me Regulate My Habitat

[Havalian]

Hi everyone, I'm sorry I have a lot to say but my snake means a lot to me.
In several days I will have a brand new home for my ball python. It is a 36x18x24 inch cage which will have an 80 watt radiant heat panel.
My questions today are directly related to maintaining the correct habitat within my ball python's new home.
I have already decided to use the VE-200 thermostat from Vivarium Electronics to control the heat panel, so barring any number of people telling me it's a piece of junk and never to rely on one, that part is already set.
What I really need help with is the best way to monitor and maintain the temperature and humidity. I have looked at some of the recommendations on this site so far but the more I read through reviews online the more paranoid I get. I've been looking at a couple on the AcuRite website (00891W3 and 00891A2 / 00892) but I've seen on this very forum that the hygrometer component on AcuRites can be off by as much as 10% in either direction.

I am asking for recommendations on a thermometer/hygrometer which can monitor the humidity level in the cage as well as the temperatures on the hot and cold side. I was planning to mount the probe from the thermostat right by the heat panel on the ceiling, and adjusting the thermostat until I had the correct temperature down on the ground (maybe I would need to set the thermostat for 96 degrees in order to achieve a ground level temperature of 91).

What is the best tool I can use to ensure I always have correct measurement of hot side/cooler side temperatures as well as the humidity level in the cage? If I know the temperatures are correct then I can easily optimize my equipment to provide the correct environment.

Thank you to everyone who stuck with me through this novel. I mean post.

[Alexandra V]

Personally, what I like to use is an infra red thermometer, that you sort of point and shoot to check the temperature. They have ones that are specific for reptiles, but one from your local hardware store will likely be cheaper and just as good for the job.

What I like about infrared thermometers over the digital kind with a probe is that you can hold it close to a surface for a spot temperature, or hold it further away for an average temperature of an entire area. That being said, if you really want just a thermometer for the hot end and the cool end, I like the Exo Terra digital thermometers with probes. You can stick one on the hot end, one on the cool end, and they make a similar design for a hygrometer that you can put somewhere in the middle of the cage. If you want to be really thorough, you can put a hygrometer on either end as well, but I haven't found that to be necessary.

[martin82531]

For ambient temps I would recommend http://r.ebay.com/QZdKB7, for UTH temps I use http://www.reptilebasics.com/pe-2, for humidity I would recommend http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...?ie=UTF8&psc=1, the hygrometer can be easily calibrated by doing a salt test.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7Ap96SlGZA

[boyer.michael.s]

Well you help ensure you have the correct temperatures for your hot and cool side, simply buy a temperature gun like the pro exotics PE-2. This will allow you to take surface temperatures of both the hot and cool side to ensure they are at the correct temperatures. As for recommending a thermometer/hygrometer, it depends on what you are willing to spend as everyone is going to have their own opinion on what works and what doesn't. I personally utilize acurite hygrometers but I do the salt test for each one and also compare the readings to the reading on the output of my dehumidifier.

[KMG]

I think a IR temp gun is by far the best way to monitor your surface temps. Using a rhp it is really important to know what the actual surface temp is.

For my ambient temps I use the Accurite units and find they are good at what they do. I have four units and beside the one I dropped and broke they all agree with each other on the temp of my identical cages in my snake room.

I would not mount your probe to the cage ceiling. That will not be reached by the heat and the surface temp will get way to hot. I Like to mount mine to the edge of the rhp. I glee the probe into a cable strap and then glue it to the edge of the rhp so the probe is sticking out directly under the rhp but not touching it.

[martin82531]

I think a IR temp gun is by far the best way to monitor your surface temps. Using a rhp it is really important to know what the actual surface temp is.

For my ambient temps I use the Accurite units and find they are good at what they do. I have four units and beside the one I dropped and broke they all agree with each other on the temp of my identical cages in my snake room.

I would not mount your probe to the cage ceiling. That will not be reached by the heat and the surface temp will get way to hot. I Like to mount mine to the edge of the rhp. I glee the probe into a cable strap and then glue it to the edge of the rhp so the probe is sticking out directly under the rhp but not touching it.

I like what you used to mount your probe. For my RHP probe I placed it a little closer to the floor like so.

[KMG]

Not bad Martin. Looks nice.

I use rhp units in my gtp, big blood, and brb. Both my blood and brb will dislodge low wires so I like mounting them high. I was alittle worried about my gtp but he never bothers it and they are really out of the way where they are. I also didn't want to mist and cool the probe off sending my units to hot. Not that I believe it could do any real harm in the short time it was misted.

[kitedemon]

I am with martin82531 on the recommendations. I don't like having batteries inside the enclosures. Accurites are not in my experience the best one I had was just under 4ºF in error (just inside what they will replace it) and two over (replaced under warrantee).

I would go on to recommend a fail safe thermostat. A second on/off unit that would shut down power if the probe got pulled loose of the heat or failure of the triac chip. A VE100 would be a good choice. I think every thermostat should have one unless it has a mechanical back up system and over and under shut off settings. I believe there is only one unit that has these the herpstats. They maybe the only ones exempt. The cost of a fail safe is small compared to the heart ache if a probe becomes pulled loose. There have been a number of people whom wished they had one over the years. Thermostats are not a place to save cash.