Reptile & Amphibian Forums

how should i check for the temp of a spot? face it toward the light or straight down?

also what is the minimum and maximum modes for? any tips on how to just use it correctly would be greatly appreciated. ty

the temp gun shoots surface temps. press the button, and you can scan the cage, watching the temperature change, and you can quickly temperature map the cage, watching the temps change as you move around the cage.

keep the temp gun within a couple of inches of your target surface, so that you get the tightest possible look. the farther away you are, the larger area you will be temping out.

you can take the temp of the surface of the bulb, it can be very interesting, but you are looking for the temps of the areas that your Uro (or snake, lizard, gecko...) is going to be using. hot spots, cool spots, basking spots, hide spots, etc.

as for the other features, check out the FAQ at our site, there is more detailed info there
-----
robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

Thanks Robin. That info helped me to understand it better also!
-----
150-200 tropical fish

3 African Clawed Frogs (1 olive and 2 albino)

Luca will be here soon if spring ever shows up!
-male Ornate Uromastyx via Audrey Vanderlinden

- Mike
Morris Cty, NJ

- in memory of Magnus (male Uromastyx Macfadyeni)
he will always be my little boy

Some questions for Robin on this subject...

When using the dig thermometer with the temp probs (your Springfield #90817)to measure the basking site temp vrs the Tempgun (PE1) what one do you trust as being the actual basking site temp as being good for the Uro since I get different readings with both. The Tempgun always shows a higher temp when aimed down at the same spot the prob is placed in (2" above the surface). I assume this is because it is reading the surface temp of what the basking site material is. Just not sure what instrument to rely more on for the basking site target temps. I have been going by the temp probe and using the gun more for ambient temps.

Thanks!
-----
150-200 tropical fish

3 African Clawed Frogs (1 olive and 2 albino)

Luca will be here soon if spring ever shows up!
-male Ornate Uromastyx via Audrey Vanderlinden

- Mike
Morris Cty, NJ

- in memory of Magnus (male Uromastyx Macfadyeni)
he will always be my little boy

your min/max digital thermo is great for measuring ambient temps, and air temps, but not surface temps : )

your temp gun reads higher at the basking spot because it reads actual surface temps. your digital thermo probe reads AIR temps, and even an inch or two above a directly heated surface will measure significantly lower than the surface itself.

for a basking situation, you want surface temps, the temps that the lizard will be using, not so much the air they are breathing : )

temp guns can shoot ambient temps quickly as well, just shoot any object in the cage that is not directly affected by a heating or cooling source. perhaps the wall of the cage on the "cool end" (unheated end). that wall, or water bowl, or fake plant, whatever, should be within a degree or two of the ambient air temps, because they come to equilibrium.

understanding how a temp gun works allows you to shoot immediate temps of just about anything. where i find the min/max thermos most valuable is with overnight low temps, which are typically at 3 or 4 in the morning, when there is no one there to measure temps : )
-----
robyn@proexotics.com

Pro Exotics Reptiles

thanks so much for all the info! they are both great tools to have and even better now that i understand them!
-----
150-200 tropical fish

3 African Clawed Frogs (1 olive and 2 albino)

Luca will be here soon if spring ever shows up!
-male Ornate Uromastyx via Audrey Vanderlinden

- Mike
Morris Cty, NJ

- in memory of Magnus (male Uromastyx Macfadyeni)
he will always be my little boy

to be SUPER HELPFUL, I have to admit I would not be without one ,

I have been using it every day and night, the past week or so on uroplatus henkeli/leaftail eggs they must stay at cool temps, high 60's low 70's.

My temp gun assures me the temps are in the proper ranges !

-----
-----

PHEve / Eve