Thermostat vs. Thermometer

[Vyn1228]

Alright.. This has probably already been brought up a million times, so my advanced apologies for doing so again... but...

I have a young female bp and her cage is a real nightmare to keep stable it seems. I have two small Zoo-Med thermometers that have a small white probe which I have stretched and placed near the bottom of her cage. The cage is glass terrarium with a mesh locking lid. There seems to be a huge disagreement between my Zilla thermostat (which is controlling her two heat lamps and the UTH pad) and my basking side thermometer... While I have the thermostat set to 90 (it's probe is placed beside the thermometer's) the thermometer seems convinced that it's only 85 - 87... The old gauge thermometer that I also have in her terrarium (placed near the probes) Has held 90 for the longest... Is my thermometer just broken? The cool side doesn't seem to present this issue at all.

Her cage is near a window, and the room does get a bit cold on occasion... So this bickering between my electronics is making me nervous...... not to mention crazy!

[dreese88]

First of all you probably need to go a head and get an acu-rite thermometer from wal-mart...like $12. It has 2 temp readings and a humidity reading. You didn't say what your humidity was, but that you have a cage with a locking mesh top. This mesh will also throw off your temps. There are several methods of treating the top so that temps and humidity are stabilized. One more thing is covering the outside of the cage with some foam insulation or cork board, which will insulate the tank and make your BP feel more secured

[Vyn1228]

I can do that. The humidity in her cage does tend to stray here and there but it generally remains between 40 and 50% though this is by manual misting during the day.) Originally I was unable to maintain it but a vet near where I live suggested placing a bit of plastic over part of the mesh to maintain that. It's a temporary solution.

Coupled with the fact that the temp probes (from what I gathered in other posts) should be in her bedding rather than just near the bottom of the tank. I will make a trip to walmart today and pick that up. Is there something I can treat this wire mesh with to help stop this crazy heat sway?

I hope to build a wooden enclosure that I can line with the foam to insulate and protect the sides and back of her cage. It's a 20 US Gallon Terrarium and she's currently on Zoo Med Repti-Bark (http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2752663). She is heated by two Red 75Watt heat lamps (both on the warm side) and a UTH, Which is also on the warm side. The three heating sources are monitored by the aforementioned Zilla thermostat.

Sorry for the long posts and lack of info!

[anendeloflorien]

I can do that. The humidity in her cage does tend to stray here and there but it generally remains between 40 and 50% though this is by manual misting during the day.) Originally I was unable to maintain it but a vet near where I live suggested placing a bit of plastic over part of the mesh to maintain that. It's a temporary solution.

Coupled with the fact that the temp probes (from what I gathered in other posts) should be in her bedding rather than just near the bottom of the tank. I will make a trip to walmart today and pick that up. Is there something I can treat this wire mesh with to help stop this crazy heat sway?

I hope to build a wooden enclosure that I can line with the foam to insulate and protect the sides and back of her cage. It's a 20 US Gallon Terrarium and she's currently on Zoo Med Repti-Bark (http://www.petsmart.com/product/inde...ductId=2752663). She is heated by two Red 75Watt heat lamps (both on the warm side) and a UTH, Which is also on the warm side. The three heating sources are monitored by the aforementioned Zilla thermostat.

Sorry for the long posts and lack of info!

I would look into building a plastic cage before a wood one. Wood can be extremely hard to heat properly and absorbs moisture much more easily than plastics even if it is coated. Have you thought about just using a tub? Temperatures and humidity is SO much easier to control in a tub and your snake will feel much more secure in a properly sized tub than in an open tank. I know everyone wants their snake on display but if you're looking for a display snake get a colubrid (corn/king/bull etc....) they're much more forgiving of temperature differences and most have almost no humidity requirements. Plus they're much more active and will be out and about 90% of the time AND they come in some really cool colors! Just an idea.

[Vyn1228]

No no no. I don't mean a cage out of wood, exactly. Her current terrarium is fine. I was thinking about making something to house her terrarium in, if you get what I'm saying. Something that I can recess the terrarium in so that the insulation is hidden and the front still looks clean. Since I can also put legs on it, this could also solve my need for a stand I know my description is vague, but bear with me.

[starmom]

...
Coupled with the fact that the temp probes (from what I gathered in other posts) should be in her bedding rather than just near the bottom of the tank...

It is always best to put the temp probe on the surface of the cgae rather than on or in the bedding since the snake could burrow under the substrate and lay on temps that would be too hot

[dreese88]

Honestly, I just have a piece of heavy vinyl over my cage and it keeps my cage's humidity and temps pretty good. I do live in South Carolina where ambient humidity stays pretty high and the rooms I have kept my snake in(at my house at school and my parents house) have stable temps. My tank isnt recessed into anything. Just bought a cheap table at wal-mart(the kind that has the top & 4 legs with holes drilled and all you do is screw in the legs) It ran me about $20 and spray painted the foam black so it doesn't look too heinous. Temps and humidity have stayed pretty much the same without any misting.

[Vyn1228]

Trenton is generally stable... But it does have it's mood swings. I have taken in a few great suggestions and thank all of you for the help The enclosure I mentioned is a bit overkill, but it gives me and the future wife something we can work on together. We both have a deep love for Sayurii and of course all our other animals.. so we do tend to go a bit far in their care xD

Look out, I'm sure I'll end up asking more questions that drive people nuts

[Lateralus_Love]

I've also read about some people setting their thermostats higher than the wanted temp, because the thermostat isn't 100% accurate. Maybe that's why even though your tstat says 90, the actual temp is only 85.