Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Well I just got my new toy, a temp gun from pro-exotics, and found out I have been trying to cook my snakes. I have a 10 gallon with a undertank heater. It is a reptizoo or something like that. But anyway, it is reading 98f with no overhead heat. I actually used a 40 watt bulb on it too which had it embarrisingly high.

I had my corn in it for a year like this. He is now in a 20 long with the same setup. The temp is also in the 90 degree range. The cool is in the 70's on both so i think it is cool.

So what can I do to bring these temps down? The corn has always eaten/shed great. My new baird is only a few weeks old and had her issues but ate and shed this week. I have heard people talking of a rhetrostat(?) but don't know what that is or how to use it with the setup I have. Any suggestions would be great. I feel like an a-hole for just figuring this out.

And by the way-those stick on thermostats are crap. I know, I heard that before but didn't know they were that off. Mine read 80f so I figured it would be maybe 5 degrees higher. I was so wrong...
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0.0.1 Amel Motley Corn (Cosmo '03)
0.1 Baird's ratsnake (Sugaree '04)
1.1 Shepherd mix (Dylan 5yrs, Porter 20weeks)

You need a light dimmer - yes, it works on heat pads too. Dimmers reduce the power going to the heater = less heat. Home Depot has a tabletop dimmer that you can plug right into.
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Mark

I find that i spend to much time tweaking a rheostat in my case.Whereas my newer thermostats are a "set it and forget it" type of thing.

Dimmers are fine,as long as the temperatures inside the home are kept consistant.
If not then you might want to look into a reptile thermostat with a probe.

Good luck
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3.9 Ball Pythons
1.1 Thayeri Kings
0.0.1 Viper Boa
1.1 Felines