Question about reading temps

[Eric Alan]

I have my thermostat set at 88degrees and that is when I am getting high 90s surface temps with my temp gun. I can certainly lower the setting of the thermostat but was worried when the air temp on the hot side goes to 83/84 on my accurite that it was too low a reading. But, if your saying that doesn't matter as long as the surface temp is reading 90 then in reality, I don't even need the accurite in the cage except for humidity readings. Is this correct. I should rely on what my temp gun is telling me - correct??

Thanks for your help with this.

That is exactly correct. Then, when you start to get a feel for what you need to do to keep the humidity at the place where they have consistently good sheds, you won't need the Acurite at all.

[L.West]

Thank you so much. I will reset my temps tonight and strictly go with what the temp gun says for now on.

My boys always shed out in one complete piece thankfully.

[L.West]

What is the lowest temp that is safe/healthy that I can have on my cool side??

What I also think is causing this particular tank to heat up more is the fact that it is stacked on top of another T8 with an RHP and getting residual heat from that.

[CALM Pythons]

That is exactly correct. Then, when you start to get a feel for what you need to do to keep the humidity at the place where they have consistently good sheds, you won't need the Acurite at all.

I use my Acurite constantly. I walk by several times a day and its convenient to see what Temps/Humidity is. What the Tstat says really doesn't matter its what the Thermometer probe for the hot spot says , head unit for ambient and humidity reading shows that matters..
As we all agree using the Laser for the surface is necessity above Substrate to dial in but then we know what the laser should say based upon what the Acurite probe says without having to open the enclosure.
Also you mentioned your Tstat probe being on or near the Substrate I believe? I keep mine 1/2 way between floor & Ceiling of the enclosure so it doesn't get wet/broken ect.. The probe on the Acurite is for all kinds of weather, the tstat probe isn't and costs 20 times more..
There are several ways to accomplish your temps... This is just what is easiest and most accurate for me


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[Eric Alan]

What is the lowest temp that is safe/healthy that I can have on my cool side??

I don't let my ambient temps drop below 75°F. My target temp is a few degrees higher than that at 78°F.

[CALM Pythons]

What is the lowest temp that is safe/healthy that I can have on my cool side??

What I also think is causing this particular tank to heat up more is the fact that it is stacked on top of another T8 with an RHP and getting residual heat from that.

Your correct.. Some people use a piece of insulation between the two, or Plywood painted black. I use the heat from bottom for the top and the top doesn't run as much. Thats why as i explained above I really love using my Acurite probe... The Tstat may have to heat up to 100 in some situations to get the Hot Spot to 90, in other cases the Tstat might heat to 80 to get the Acurite probe hot spot to 90 because you might use the heat from below like a UTH and the Tstat probe isn't on the surface hahhhahaha. Whats important is the Basking surface temp and ambient on cool, how you get it with the tstat is here nor there...
Cool side should be no cooler than 76. With that in mind I housed a Burm for the first 10 years of his life with only the Hot Side heat controlled, the gradient down to a cool side of his 8 foot enclosure ended at my room temps, at my house that was 68-72. He is 19 years old and healthy as a horse even though I now keep his cool side warmer @ 81.


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[L.West]

Thanks to all who have chimed in. This has really helped out a lot.

[Zincubus]

What is the lowest temp that is safe/healthy that I can have on my cool side??

What I also think is causing this particular tank to heat up more is the fact that it is stacked on top of another T8 with an RHP and getting residual heat from that.

That certainly happens with stacked vivs . At least you can compensate and make adjustments . I once kept a corn snake for a short while in a top viv of a stack for a while and unplugged the ceramic as the temps were perfect and the heat was coming up from the viv below .

[L.West]

Here are my setups. You can see my probes sticking up thru the paper substrate. They are secured down and can't be moved. I've never had any issues with water being spilled or the snake laying on them.

[Zincubus]

As I understand things there are many , many different ways of achieving the same result . I saw some guy who had his stat probe half way up the viv side and near the cooler end . He still took the temps of the hottest area of the viv floor with a digital temp gun and altered the stat dial accordingly .