Unsure about some things...Some input would be awesome- New-ish Owner

[emeraldwinter]

Thanks so much
I know I'm new at this and it'll be awhile before I've seen enough to know how to handle most things, I just don't want to make any big mistakes and I definately don't want to hurt my snakey in any way. Access to experience is invaluable

[kitedemon]

Ditch the sticky humidity gauge - it's worthless. Pick up a digital one.

I tried to let it go by but just can't. Analogue instruments are not worthless. A Ok analogue hygrometer either bi metal or hair are often more reliable and contestant than the typical used resistive type found in cheap digital hygrometers that drift with time, dirt, dust, contaminants and abuse (bending wires).

The problem is there are a lot of lower quality analogue on the market the difference is the face card. On a decent one it will be metal so not to interfere with the needle. Card board tends to swell and jam the needle, however if the card is free they are often fairly good at least as accurate as the cheap digital ones that are +/- 5-10% if they are in perfect shape.

Many analogue ones can be calibrated to be perfectly correct some digital ones can as well but cost much more. Being very fussy with such things and having spent many years calibrating a whole variety of instruments I much prefer calibratable analogue hygrometers over digital I have had only one digital remain reasonably accurate (it is about 8% low my worst one is about 55% high) The re-calibratable analogue ones can be adjusted back to correct if they wonder but typically they don't shift much less than 5% a year, unless it gets dropped hard.

[ogdentrece]

I tried to let it go by but just can't. Analogue instruments are not worthless. A Ok analogue hygrometer either bi metal or hair are often more reliable and contestant than the typical used resistive type found in cheap digital hygrometers that drift with time, dirt, dust, contaminants and abuse (bending wires).

The problem is there are a lot of lower quality analogue on the market the difference is the face card. On a decent one it will be metal so not to interfere with the needle. Card board tends to swell and jam the needle, however if the card is free they are often fairly good at least as accurate as the cheap digital ones that are +/- 5-10% if they are in perfect shape.

Many analogue ones can be calibrated to be perfectly correct some digital ones can as well but cost much more. Being very fussy with such things and having spent many years calibrating a whole variety of instruments I much prefer calibratable analogue hygrometers over digital I have had only one digital remain reasonably accurate (it is about 8% low my worst one is about 55% high) The re-calibratable analogue ones can be adjusted back to correct if they wonder but typically they don't shift much less than 5% a year, unless it gets dropped hard.

Ditto! Totally second this. The problem with digital humidity gauges is that its sensors and probes and wires have to be kept in pretty prestine conditions to maintain its calibration, and that hasnt even gotten to the part of calibration accuracy yet! Off the rack, you would see the same kind, same brand, reading humidity with differences of up to 40%. And if they are off by say, -20% on a certain reading, it does not mean that at another reading at different humidity levels it will be off by -20% as well, because of the way digital hygrometers and sensors work. An analogue is much simpler, and if reading 30% at 10% humidity, will be much much more likely to read 85% at 65% humidity as compared to digital, because, as kitedemon mentioned, the problem is mainly with the cardboard and not the needle itself. So it is easy to correct on your own as well.

[kitedemon]

OP sorry for the divert. Instruments are an important addition and because of that and the wide range of what is available and massive amount of mis information they open a great amount of debate.

[Daybreaker]

^ Perhaps I should rephrase....by "worthless" I didn't mean all analogs (I apologize for not clarifying); I was just talking about those funky little cheapo ones that many first time snake owners buy at petstores - me being one of these new owners and not knowing better. After comparing it to my acurite digital temp/humidity thermometer I realized how off it was and I do trust my acurite more than the stick on one. Sorry for the confusion.

[kitedemon]

I have had very bad run with accurites I'd trust the little stick on ones more based on what I have seen. They are so easily tested there is no reason not to know. The cost of a calibratable analogue one is very low.

http://www.amazon.com/Cheaphumidors-...8348674&sr=8-6

I don't know what the shipping is but...

FYI http://cigars.about.com/od/humidors/qt/hygrometers.htm

[Daybreaker]

^ Do you use the little stickies in your snakes tubs too? Or what temp/humidity thermometers have you had success with that you can recommend (or is just any stick-on one okay when tested)? I haven't had trouble with my acurites so now I'm kinda worried