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Just got a corn

U

unknownviper113

New member
I just picked up a corn snake and have the uth on the outside of the tank and a zoomed digital thermometer on the inside right above it under a paper towel. Now the problem i am seeing is that even with the controller turned down all the way i am still seeing temps of 93+ with the probe. Should i turn the uth off till i can get a better temperature controller for it? I would have to order one online as none of the local pet stores have anything good.
 
I think I remember someone on here saying that those were crap, and I know I was told by my local reptile shop to avoid them like the plague. His words not mine, you need to get a digital thermostat on it like the hydrofarm or a similar product to actively regulate the temperature. What that zoomed product does is just allow you to manually do it and it requires CONSTANT attention just like a dimmer switch which is all it is. I know some people use them, but from my experience I want something that shuts off my UTH when it gets to the temp I want it at. Just my two cents, I'm no expert hopefully someone else will chime in who knows more than me.
 
I don't know about ZooMed's rheostat specifically, but rheostats aren't *crap* by default. They aren't suggested, because most of them were never designed to be under a constant load so they burn out quickly. I would have to second the others with the recommendation of getting a proper thermostat (hydrofarm on amazon is the best cheap route, there's a popular one by Zilla that works well too that you can usually pick up at most pet stores)
 
Zoomed rheostats are made for the constant load. Lamp dimmers were not. Only thing about rheostats is that you have to monitor the temps according to room temps and adjust it manually unlike a thermostat that will adjust the heat to maintain the set temp automatically.
 
Some seem to have decent luck using reostats but I suspect those people have temps that don't vary by much.
We've never had luck using them because our temps can vary by as much as 20 degrees and that's in the house.
I'd get rid of that reostat and purchase a good thermostat and I'll bet you and especially the snake will be much happier.
 
rrowdy said:
Some seem to have decent luck using reostats but I suspect those people have temps that don't vary by much.
We've never had luck using them because our temps can vary by as much as 20 degrees and that's in the house.
I'd get rid of that reostat and purchase a good thermostat and I'll bet you and especially the snake will be much happier.
Click to expand...

I second this - lots of folks like the Hydrofarm ones as an inexpensive starter, and you can get more robust proportional thermostats (raise and lower flow of electricity instead of turning the whole pad on and off) for around $100. You need a consistent warm spot around 82-85 F for proper digestion of food.
 
I just got the hydro farm and got it all set up. I set the tep to 84 for the uth to turn on and and i noticed that it goes up to 86 or 87 is this ok? I noticed that my corn likes to lay right on top of where i put the uth.
 
You really should have a thermometer to measure the temp just above the UTH and below the Substrate where the sensor is.
I have Six of the Hydrofarm units and find the Temperature differential to be one or Two degrees which is fine.
87 is a little on the warm side but will cause no harm to the snake. I keep all mine to 85-86 over the UTH.

Good luck!
 
That is where i have my sensor for the unit. The hydrofarm turns off at 84 but i see the temps go up to 87 then they start dropping back down. Then it turns back on at 81.
 
That's the way most non-proportional thermostats work... it takes a little experimentation to get things dialed in well... If mine was exhibiting your numbers, I'd probably set it for 83... which should result in an on at 80 and off at 86 give or take. If it's a major concern then you could look into a more expensive proportional thermostat which will control the temps through electrical regulation as opposed to on/off states.
 
Your Sensor is not directly on the UTH right? What material is the bottom of the viv?
I run my flexwatt or UTH heaters under the viv and the Sensor on the inside.
Nythain is correct that off/on thermostats operate at a higher differential. When the UTH is powered off, The energy will continue to dissipate from the UTH and cause the temperature to climb a bit past the off setpoint.
Oh, paper towels are ok if that's what you prefer to use.
 
Not sure what you're using for a viv but if the UTH is tight against
the bottom a little air circulation might help. you only need about 1/8-
3/16" or so.
It might help the temperature from over shooting the off setpoint quite as much.

Good luck!
 
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