Reptile & Amphibian Forums

hey, Tommorow Im investing in a good themotre...what should i look for?

Also how do i accuratley test basking, warm end and cool end?

Thanks again I really appreciate all the advice.

HAVE A GOOD ONE!

In a thermometer what should I look for and How do I accuratlty get the temps of warm end, cool end and basking temps?

thanks a lot.

The big question is what are you looking for? Are you looking for something you can stick in and then get a temp and move? Are you looking for something you can leave in each area and just get readings? Are you looking to get surface temps or air temps? Also price wise there are big jumps on a lot of them. So it depends. I would use a couple Thermometers so you get the hot and cool side. www.beanfarm.com is a great place to order from and they have a nice range of prices for you. Check that out.

I would imagine I should check surface, air and basking temps. I would probally invest in somthing i could move and then take out....

I want to invest about $20

Get an infrared temp gun for basking surface temps. Pro Exotics has the PE-1, very easy to use and the best $25 I've ever spent.

Use the temp gun to accurately measure the surface temp on your basking site. Surface basking temps are super important and often overlooked!

Use indoor digital thermometers/hygrometers for ambient air temps and relative humidity. Place one near the basking hotspot on the warm(not in direct light) and one on the cool end.

can I use the infra gun for both?

You can, but you'll be getting a less accurate ambient temp with a temp gun. They are designed to record a very accurate surface temp. But if $$$ is tight, get temp gun before the thermometers, in my opinion it is a much more important tool for basking lizards.

Digital thermo's can be found alot of places, ranging from $5-20

Get both tools, learn how to use and apply them. In time you will achieve total temperature nirvana.

Try Raido Shack when your ready for the duel probe and hygromator (sp)...20 bucks and they work well..walmart has them too same price, but I had 2 that did not last a week.

Temp guns are only good for surface temperatures. They can't do air temperatures very effectively. They are best for checking basking temperatures, hide temperatures and other 'spots' about the cage.

Digitial thermometers with probes (can get these for less than $10 at Walmart, home hardware stores, pretty much anywhere you find typical household thermometers) can be used to measure both surface and air temperature. Just put the probe directly on the surface you want to measure and you can get a surface temperature. Air temp will be measured either by the probe if its dangling in mid air or the main unit is inside the cage itself.

I really don't think a hydrometer is necessary for a bearded dragon cage at all. Humidity isn't as significantly important...going by typical household humidity and providing fresh greens or light misting on the dragon a few times a day (for babies) or a 'bath' once a week, ensures dragons have enough hydration.

If money's tight, buy a single digital thermometer with probe. You can place the probe on the basking spot to measure, then the unit in the cool end. Keep in mind it takes about 15min for each to register proper temperature before you can move to another spot to check. I don't keep these in my cages on a constant basis, they just get knocked over by the dragon anyway. I use the temp gun to spot check when house temperatures change...as my home tends to stay at a near constant 75 F year around..(plus or minus a few decrees) its easy to maintain a constant air temperature in my dragon's tank.

If the house temperature in your home fluctuates much greater than mine, then you will need to monitor temperature changes to ensure it doesn't end up too hot or too cold.
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PHLdyPayne