New rack driving me crazy.

[ahnshaye]

I'm trying to get temps and humidity correct in a new sweaterbox rack from reptile basics. First the humidity is around 65% with quite a few holes in the tub. I've got a small water bowl in it all the way to the front on paper towel for substrate. Is this still too high? Second is the temps. I got the belly heat with a herpastat set at 99. I've got a reptile basics pe-2 infrared thermometer, an accurite with probe under the paper towel and an accurite with no probe all on the hot spot. The PE-2 reads about 90-91, the accurite with probe reads 97 and the one without probe is 87. So is there any way to tell which temp reading to trust? Or is this about right since the probe is directly on the plastic tub? Sorry about thelongg post just want everything right before putting my new pickups in. Appreciate any feedback.

[ahnshaye]

Anyone have any input?

[Slim]

Your humidity is fine. I shoot for 60-65%. With my RBI racks I find that I have to set the temp on the thermostat at about 102 degrees in order to reach a measured surface reading of 90 degrees.

I use my temp gun to measure the surface temp of the substrate (I use kraft paper), and only use an Acu-Rite to measure my ambient temps. I would trust the temp gun reading. The PE-2 is fairly accurate.

[Shera]

^what he said. I would aim for about 89 on the surface with the IR, just to keep the actual under paper-towel temps a couple of degrees under the 97. They have a way of sucking up belly heat, and when you are testing surface temps with an IR (with no snake on top) there are air temp playing a role. Others please correct me if they feel I'm wrong.

[ahnshaye]

Thanks for the replies. I'm just worried about thermal burns.

[CryHavoc17]

If you think critically about it all three temp readings your getting are correct. The probe is directly on the tub with substrate insulating it, so it should read higher then anything else. The temp gun is just measuring the substrate temperature with nothing to insulate it. And the unit is measuring the ambient air temp above the tape.

It seems like your pretty much dead on where you want to be. None of those readings are remotely close to being capable of burning an animal

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[ahnshaye]

If you think critically about it all three temp readings your getting are correct. The probe is directly on the tub with substrate insulating it, so it should read higher then anything else. The temp gun is just measuring the substrate temperature with nothing to insulate it. And the unit is measuring the ambient air temp above the tape.

It seems like your pretty much dead on where you want to be. None of those readings are remotely close to being capable of burning an animal

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That makes a lot of sense. I guess I just worry too much and can't see the logic. Lol
What if they go under the substrate and lay directly on the tub in the hot spot 99°-100° wouldn't burn them?