Too big for pinkies, too small for fuzzies. More pinkies? - Page 2

**EL Ziggy** · 12-27-15, 07:55 PM

All heat sources should be regulated by a thermostat. It makss a world of difference when it comes to controlling your temps vs. just monitoring them. Some of those heat mats can get over 140F. Hydrofarm makes a reliable inexpensive unit. Vivarium Electronics and Herpstat both make nicer higher end options. I keep my warm sides at 84-88 for my colubrids. The cool side should be in the mid 70s but can drop to the high 60s during winter nights.

Amazon.com : Jump Start MTPRTC, Digital ETL-Certified Heat Mat Thermostat for Seed Germination, Reptiles and Brewing : Plant Germination Heating Mats : Patio, Lawn & Garden

Thermostats

http://www.amazon.com/Herpstat-2/dp/...A6HDABSE9JEA91

Arachnaeoccult · 12-27-15, 10:36 PM

I have a zoo med. I've noticed it get hot on the bare glass but not burning, I make sure its nicely covered in a moderately warmed up patch of newspaper.

The ACs been running, she has yet to move to the other side of the tank. She likes her coconut hut on the cool side somehow.

Are zoomeds somehow bad?

To be honest I'm not so sure about that temperature I felt before, it certainly wasn't burning but I don't know how much snakes can tolerate

Arachnaeoccult · 12-27-15, 11:07 PM

I need a thermostat explained thoroughly because I don't understand, it regulates the temperature of the heat pad, but than how? How does it control the heat pad, a separate product plugged into the wall?

SerpentineDream · 12-28-15, 03:47 AM

I use the Jump Start for my corns and it's easy. You plug your heat mat into the Jump Start, then plug the Jump Start into the wall. Put the probe at ground level where your heat mat is (on top of the bedding, not under it) where you expect your snake to go for warmth, such as a warm hide. Set the target temperature. Done. It will display the current temperature and a light that tells you when it's heating.

I set mine for 84F. I want it to be around 82F, but it can drop as low as 80 and be OK. I don't ever want it higher than 85F. Because the Jump Start is an on/off thermostat as opposed to the more expensive Herpstat proportional, it doesn't keep a precise, consistent temperature. It keeps it within about 2 degrees of where you want it. So when it detects that temps have dropped below 82F it kicks on. It takes a while to heat up so it often drops to 81F before I see it rise again. That's OK. When it gets to 84F it cuts off. Since overheating is worse than underheating that's good. The temp starts dropping again until it hits 81.9F, and the cycle begins anew.

I would prefer to keep my corns at a constant 82.5F all the time, but it takes a proportional thermostat which constantly monitors temperature and controls power flow (as opposed to simply shutting on and off like the Jump Start) to do that and right now it's not in the budget. I am fine with keeping temps within a safe and comfortable range.

ETA: Zoo Med's quality has slipped a lot over the years IMO, but it's not terrible. I have Zoo Med heat mats under my critter cages right now.

reptiledude987 · 12-28-15, 04:49 PM

I set up my t-stat a little differently than serpentinedream. However at the end of the day it accomplishes the same thing. Everything said about connecting the mat to the t-stat is right on the money. What I do differently is the placment of the temp probe. I place mine right on the heat mat itself. I find that gives me less of the temp fluctations that were mentioned. However by doing it this way it takes a little more work on the inital setup. I will set the temp of the t-stat a bit higher than the snake needs as theres a buffer betwene the heat source and where the snake is. then using my temp gun I check the temps inside the enclosure to ensure theyre in the ideal range. I like doing it this way because it prevents me from having the probe wires inside the enclosure. At the end of the day either way works just fine. Its all personal preference. The one thing I strongly recommend is to get a temp gun to be able to spot check temps on warm and cool ends as some digital and analog thermometers sometimes fail.

**EL Ziggy** · 12-28-15, 05:27 PM

As others have said, plug your heat mat into the thermostat and the thermostat into an outlet. I also place my probe between the heat mat and the enclosure like reptile dude. I have to set the thermostat a little higher to get the desired temps inside the enclosure. I used to place the probe underneath the substrate that my warm hide was sitting on but I was getting more temperature fluctuations because the snakes would consistently move them.
As far as Zoomed heaters I've noticed they get really hot especially if unregulated. I've switched to Ultratherm uth's for all my enclosures. Even in the event of a thermostat malfunction I don't think they'd get hot enough to burn your snake.

Ultratherm Heat Pads