digital thermometers

[brutus]

I was wondering the pro's and cons of using a digital thermometer as opposed to a temp gun.

Has anyone used the store bought thermomters with any success?

[marisa]

I use both.

I have the temp gun for just checking on all the enclosures, and I use a digital thermometer in many of my enclosures so as I walk by I can get a glance of the temp inside and outside the enclosure. It's convienent.

Marisa

[retic]

I use Digital Proportioal Temperature Controllers on some cages(fool proof), but on the cages i dont have them yet i use heat tape on a dimmer and a temp display(temp-rite) with the probe set on the hot spot and i always check everyday with my Raytek Lazer Temp Gun, Hope this helps

[brutus]

someone on another site was recommending, a personal digital thermometer, like the ones you would use to check a childs temp.

[hhw]

A personal digital thermometer doesn't sound like a good idea to me... it's as slow as a thermometer (so it can't compare to a temp gun) but the auto shutoff, low battery capacity, etc... will lack all the convenience of a thermometer.

My advice is, with few enclosures/animals, just use thermometers. If you have lots of animals, have some thermometers and a temp gun as well. Good digital thermometers are also great for measuring maximum and minimum temperatures so you know the entire range that your enclosures may fluctuate throughout the day. For the rest of the enclosures, just use the temp gun.

[jfmoore]

Hi -

I’m assuming you want to measure, not regulate, temperatures. Right? Both devices you mention are useful depending on your needs. An infra-red temperature gun measures SURFACE temperatures instantly, wheras a normal digital thermometer measures ambient AIR temperatures.

A standard thermometer in a snake room might tell me it’s 78 degrees F at that particular location (and has registered a min of 75 and a max of 80 since I last reset it). At the same time, a temp gun may tell me that the interior of a large cage on the floor against an exterior wall has a hot spot of 90 degrees, the substrate under one of the hides is 79, one of the cage walls is registering 73, while the snake is choosing to maintain a temperature of 81 degrees.

I use my temp gun as much today as when I first got it. It’s both a neat toy and a great tool. Because it is so easy to get quick readings, I tend to spot check animals and areas frequently. I have learned a lot about the animals I keep from using it.

If you can, it’s nice to get a temp gun with the laser-sighting option, so you’re most accurate with your aim. With a regular digital thermometer, it’s nice to get the wireless kind that transmits to a base unit so you’re not required to be close to the area you are measuring.

Regarding human fever thermometers, you shouldn’t have much reptilian use for a device meant to measure such a very narrow range – like 97 to 103 degrees!


-Joan

[brutus]

Thanks for the info. I didn't see how it would work, but I thought I would ask anyway!

Mark

[Jeff_Favelle]

Exactly what jfmoore said. Digi-therms for ambient temps and temp-guns for surface temps. Its just THAT simple! :)