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Is A Thermostat really needed???
- Thread starter Jordan32
- Start date
Tula_Montage
It's Jager time!
Are you positive its constant? Without a thermostat my temperatures fluctuate terribly, often into the high 90's. In my opinion, thermostats are a small investment for the saftey of the snake. Just recently there was a thread started about someone whos friends snake had got badly burnt on its heat mat due to it not being regulated by a thermostat...
But I know a few people who sucessfully dont use thermostats, they have well insulated cages though.
Btw are you measuring the temps from the middle of the mat, underneath the substrate or is the temps you gave ambiant temperatures. Plus what are you using to measure them?
But I know a few people who sucessfully dont use thermostats, they have well insulated cages though.
Btw are you measuring the temps from the middle of the mat, underneath the substrate or is the temps you gave ambiant temperatures. Plus what are you using to measure them?
Hypancistrus
New member
I use a lamp dimmer I got from Walmart for $10. I'd like to get a thermostat eventually, but for now, I am going with the lamp dimmer. Having wires running into the cage when she's a hatchling makes me nervous- I don't want her to skip out on me!!
The dimmer works, but it doesn't adjust to changing room temp. So what I did is I spent 1-2 days with a regular, old fashioned thermometer in the tank, over the UTH, and kept adjusting it by tiny amounts until it was perfect. Now I know what the "base" temp is for summer, and when winter comes, I will probably have to monitor it and "dial it down" if necessary. But at least I know it won't burn her with the 100 degree temp it sets all by its lonesome self.
The dimmer works, but it doesn't adjust to changing room temp. So what I did is I spent 1-2 days with a regular, old fashioned thermometer in the tank, over the UTH, and kept adjusting it by tiny amounts until it was perfect. Now I know what the "base" temp is for summer, and when winter comes, I will probably have to monitor it and "dial it down" if necessary. But at least I know it won't burn her with the 100 degree temp it sets all by its lonesome self.
Thanks for all the replys, I'm probbally gonna just get the light dimmer or make a rheostat and then in a month or so after I have bought some other things I need I will upgrade to a thermostat, and sorry about posting my 20th(exageration) thread on uth and thermostats its just that I want to make sure I do it the right way and I promise I'll start using this forum more correctly because it is the best and care sheets online normally suck (no offense to anyone that has written one, because there are a few that are good)
Nanci
Alien Lover
Setting Thermostat
I looked at the thermostat at Petco (who BTW wouldn't price match their own website which was $10 less than the store price, so I ordered the thermostat online from somewhere entirely different for $23) and I hadn't realized that it didn't have an LED readout- so apparently I put the thermometer in the area I want to regulate, and then turn the thermostat dial up or down, and watch the thermometer- does that sound right to you guys that have thermostats??
I had imagined the thermostat would have a readout and I would just set it to the desired temp.
Thanks,
Nanci
I looked at the thermostat at Petco (who BTW wouldn't price match their own website which was $10 less than the store price, so I ordered the thermostat online from somewhere entirely different for $23) and I hadn't realized that it didn't have an LED readout- so apparently I put the thermometer in the area I want to regulate, and then turn the thermostat dial up or down, and watch the thermometer- does that sound right to you guys that have thermostats??
I had imagined the thermostat would have a readout and I would just set it to the desired temp.
Thanks,
Nanci
VinnyJ
Red Chin Eastern Indigo
The best way I've seen to set a thermostat that doesn't have a readout of some sort is this:
1. Get a digital thermometer with a probe cord that's at least 2 or 3 feet.
2. Put the thermometer probe right next to the thermostat probe (touching) and put some duct tape over them to keep them in place and right next to each other. This way the probes are reading the exact same temps.
3. Adjust your thermostat until you reach the desired heat level on your thermometer.
This is a pretty good way to use a cheaper thermostat and be able to read it accurately. Whether or not the thermostat keeps the heat consistant or not is another story but if you thermometer tracks the high and low temps you'll at least know what range of temps you're getting. Hope that helps.
1. Get a digital thermometer with a probe cord that's at least 2 or 3 feet.
2. Put the thermometer probe right next to the thermostat probe (touching) and put some duct tape over them to keep them in place and right next to each other. This way the probes are reading the exact same temps.
3. Adjust your thermostat until you reach the desired heat level on your thermometer.
This is a pretty good way to use a cheaper thermostat and be able to read it accurately. Whether or not the thermostat keeps the heat consistant or not is another story but if you thermometer tracks the high and low temps you'll at least know what range of temps you're getting. Hope that helps.
I wouldn't use duct tape inside the tank when theres a snake residing. What I do is zip-tie the 2 probes together and place them directly on the glass over the UTH center and put the aspen on top. If the temp probe has adhesive I'll use that to stick it down otherwise a little hot glue works well and wont stick to the snake once its cooled.
Yes the Zoo Med is a "cheaper" thermostat but works fine for corn snakes. FYI 22.99 plus shipping at reptiledirect.com. The non-"cheap" thermostats run upwards of $129 or so.
Yes the Zoo Med is a "cheaper" thermostat but works fine for corn snakes. FYI 22.99 plus shipping at reptiledirect.com. The non-"cheap" thermostats run upwards of $129 or so.
VinnyJ
Red Chin Eastern Indigo
If used correctly the duct tape works just fine. You just have to make sure all the edges are down and there is no sticky area the snake could get stuck on. I've used duct tape before and it works great. Zip ties and hot glue will work as well although I wouldn't hot glue something you want to separate later. If you ever get another tank you can use the same thermometer to set it up as well.
By your definition, a rheostat can only turn the heat down. If you turn a rheostat all the way up, the UTH will get as hot as if the rheostat wasn't even there and it was plugged right into the wall with no regulation. It won't get hotter with a rheostat than if it didn't have one.
Tula_Montage
It's Jager time!
1000 watt... why?! One heat mat is only going to be about 12-30 watts. I have a 300watt running on a 12 tub rack with more than enough "space" to add more heat mats etc.
It's probably not a 1000 watt. My guess, and I may be wrong, is that he might be referring to the Helix DBS1000, which has a 500watt allowance.
You will be perfectly fine using one you make yourself. All my rheostats were made at home with the instructions from this forum. You might even be able to get by in the winter with it. However, you have to keep in mind that it will get much harder to control in the winter, which is why a thermostat would be much more convenient. Something as big as a Helix unit isn't needed for just one UTH, but it would certainly do the job and inspires much more confidence in you than a cheaper thermostat, IMO.
You will be perfectly fine using one you make yourself. All my rheostats were made at home with the instructions from this forum. You might even be able to get by in the winter with it. However, you have to keep in mind that it will get much harder to control in the winter, which is why a thermostat would be much more convenient. Something as big as a Helix unit isn't needed for just one UTH, but it would certainly do the job and inspires much more confidence in you than a cheaper thermostat, IMO.