Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Hey everyone, I live in Boston and it's going to get pretty warm up here (90ish). I dont have AC and am worried the temp in the cage is going to get to warm. should i turn off the undertank heater? Turn it down? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Tim

If you don't have a little temp gun you should probably get one they are great - very useful. Anyway on one of you're hot days, take your little gun and measure the temps inside the cage (hot end cool end, inside the hides, over the UTH) if it's too hot 90 or more then you'll need to lower the temps or if you have it on a rheostat, if you don't( why not?) then unplug it. You'll be surprised at how hot it can get outside the tank but not affect the inside too much. Keep an eye on your temps and humidity and adjust accordingly.
-----
Tosha

"Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed." Don Wood

"Of course, that's only my opinion...and I believe I am God." =) Chris Bianco

7.33.0 Ball Python (Harry and Fluffy and gang)
1.0.0 Angolan Python (Skywalker)
0.0.1 Green Tree Python
0.2.0 Feline (Pippen and Pandora)
0.0.1 Dessert Tortoise (Pope John Paul)
2.2.1 Fish (1,2,3,4)
0.0.0 Pool skimmer rescues for this season

Tosha, thanks for the help. I dont have a temp gun but will pick one up. My concern is that I am going away this weekend and dont want my little buddy to get in trouble. Maybe I'll just bring him with me.

If you see him wearning a bandana and carrying a canteen...it is probably too hot. (These are signs I have seen in the past.)

Temp guns are nifty...so are max/min thermometers...both good and used for different things. Buy one of each.

The temps guns can tell you the temperature of any spot in the enclosure within seconds. Pretty cool if you are perioically SPOT CHECKING the temperatures.

If you want to MONITOR the temperatures (completely different thing) then you would prefer a max/min thermometer.

I prefer to monitor the temperatures. There is no way to really monitor your highs and lows with a temp gun...unless you temp gun the same spots every few seconds for a twenty-four hour period. And that's a lot of temp gunning!

Big Apple has a very decent dual-probe max/min thermometer. (I also like their dual-probe thermometer/hygrometer unit. Cool stuff.)

Buy a max/min thermometer. Monitor the temperature fluctuations for 72 hours. Adjust as necessary. Leave on vacation. Feel safe.

Chris
-----
mean people suck