Paranoid about stick-on gauges

[lilyskip]

A day or two ago, someone on a different message forum replied to my pix of Hux on his stick-on humidity gauge with a message about a snake that she had that was killed when one of those gauges came off, causing her skin to come off when she crawled over it. Ever since I read that, I've been overly paranoid about the possibility of that happening to Hux (he climbs on those things all the time). Has anyone had a similar problem with stick-on gauges? Will this be a big problem when Hux gets bigger? I'm doing the neurotic-Jewish-mother freaking-out thing (even though I'm 19 and *not* a mother), and I need some advice!! :(

[Edwin]

My ball used to climb all over those gauges, just like in your pic. No problems at all, but when he was fully grown, his weight would pull the gauge off, which was mildly annoying for me.

[Linds]

Never heard of that happening, but I would suggest getting rid of it anyways because they are not accurate at all, and only measure the air temp, not surface temps. Your snake isn't basking in the air, he's on sort of surface... most likely the ground ;)

[lilyskip]

What kind of thermometers do you recommend for surface temperature reading? I tried to put these as close to the surface as I could.

[Colonel SB]

Yeah the stick on gauges are crap get a god digital one from canadian tire they are only like $20.

[Big Mike]

If you can't find a Canadian Tire in Miami or New Haven ;)...any hardware store should sell indoor/outdoor thermometers with a probe. You can even get one that also measure humidity. It is important that you measure the hottest spot right on the floor of the enclosure where the snake is.

[CDN-Cresties]

Go digital and never look back lol :)
Good Luck!!!

-Steve-

[Edwin]

Lilyskip, get a digital thermometer with a probe. Place the probe under the hot spot. You should also get a thermometer on the cool side of the tank. If you want to use those stick-on thermometers, keep them close to ground level, but they are not accurate at all.

Hope this helps.

[lilyskip]

how not accurate is "not accurate"? As in, until I can get better thermometers, should I be rounding the heat up or down? How far off have yours been?

[Edwin]

Hmm.. I bought a lot of them at a flea market. Let's see, one gauge was perpetually stuck at 60% humidity, another would not go beyond 90 deg F even when placed next to a stove.

Seriously, I would advise you go get a good thermometer as soon as you can. Don't bother spending on those really expensive super accurate thermometers. They are overkill. Radioshack and Walmart has some for about C$15-35, and they are good enough.

Hope this helps.

[MontyPython]

What good are the stick on thermometers then? I have one too, but will be switching to digi soon...

[lilyskip]

Thanks Edwin :D

[Colonel SB]

Ops didn't look at where you were lol. How not accurate is not accurate...up to 5 degrees off the ambiant temp. The reason that are not accurate is because for the most part they take the temp of the glass not air. So the glass could be a different temp then inside the tank.

[remsin76]

i got a digital thermometer on ebay for 5 bucks with a probe that i stick in the tank. it keeps tracks of the lowest and highest temperatures too. good investment i think.

[Jo060]

Check out my post *The Perfect Gauge* I recomended a good one 4 ya! :)

[DrunkShadow]

I got a question. Well I have a ball python. And today while he was eating a mouse i accidently hit it with a piece of wood. Now my ball python has a little scar, like tearing of the skin. You could see pink stuff. But its not deep, it just teard off skin. its small, but i dont know f the skin will grow back???? Well do you think he will be fine or like the message said on top that someones snake died because the skin comming off? Well im worried and need someone to tell me if this is serious, or the skin will just grow back, and he will be fine.
Laterz

[Edwin]

Clean the wound with diluted peroxide, and apply polysporin (the ones without painkillers) on the wound. Do this twice a day, and your ball should be fine. You might also want to keep your ball on paper towels to avoid contaminating the wound. don't worry, your ball's skin will grow back, but there may be a light scar.

Hope this helps.

[DrunkShadow]

Thanks Edwin, Good help there, but what is polysporin?

[lilyskip]

How did you manage to hit it with a piece of wood?!

Does Neosporin have painkillers, or is that the same thing?

[Edwin]

Polysporin is an antibiotic ointment used to treat minor cuts and scrapes. You can find it at any pharmacy or even your local Walmart/Zellers etc.

Here is a pic:
http://www.prodhelp.com/images/PolysporinLrg.gif


And here is a link to the manufacturer's website:
http://www.healing-aid.com/conaffairs/polysporin.shtml

Make sure you do not get "polysporin +pain relief". It contains painkillers (lidocaine) which may have a detrimental effect on your snake.

Hope this helps.

[DrunkShadow]

Thanks Edwin, and I just went to WalMart earlier, If i would have read this b4 I would have bought it. thanks Im using hydrogen peroxide now.
Thanks For the Help

[BoidKeeper]

I bought a digital on ebay too. It's the kind that has two screens so you can see the temp two temps at once. I thought it would be great because all you have to do is put the unit on the cool side and run the probe over to the hot side and you'd know what's what. Well I calabrated it to mercury and my reytek and its out some thing like 8 degrees!!! I throught it in a drawer and haven't touched it since.
Trevor

[Edwin]

Drunkshadow,

Glad to be of help. Hope your ball recovers soon!