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UTH question

B

Bethanne

New member
Ive been reading all the posts thus far on the subject...and I have (I think) a new question. My son and I went to a reptile show today and got a Zilla 10 gallon tank for our future baby corn snake and a ZooMed UTH that is about 1/3 the floorspace. I know we still need to get a thermostat and digital thermometers. My question is .... it clearly states on the UTH packaging that it is for glass tanks only. Yet the zilla tank (which lots of folks seem to recommend) is plexi. Is this an issue really? I would think the vendor .. MaxPet.net...would know what they are doing. Yet maybe they just knew a sucker mom and her kid. He seemed to think we were fine with a sticker thermometer that seems more like a moodring to me and CLEARLY that is not the case. Any thoughts?
 
I don't know :shrugs: The sticker thermometer will work, if its stuck right at floor level, to give you a reading basically right where it is stuck to, but your better off getting a meat (probe type) thermometer you can move around the cage floor. I've heard of folks heating acrylic and plastic tubs with flexwatt and UTH's, always with a good thermostat to control the heat pad. I can't recommend it, simply because the UTH clearly states otherwise...

I would think the vendor .. MaxPet.net...would know what they are doing
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you would but it is certainly not always the case :*/
 
I'm guessing they fear if the uth was used unregulated that it could melt the plastic. but since on need a ""hot" temp of mid 80's you should be fine when you use a thermostat with the UTH.
 
thank you...and if the uth can melt the plastic what is it going to do to poor littel fang??! idiots. I'll get the controller before any little snakes come home. Second question...you all mentioned a meat therometer. Seriously? any digital meat therometer? Just touch it to the tank floor? I see several wired + probe things on line....but that just seems like more holes in the tank and more "stuff" laying around. Just a digital meat therometer from some kitchen store? Although I would guess that reaching in every day to probe would be more stressful than a stationary wire mount unit. I see there are infrared heat guns available for about $25...is this a decent option? Seems like 2 digital stationary probes will run about $15...there is not a big jump to the gun. Thoughts? Thanks all...you are being a BIG help. We have our eye on a lovely late summer 2010 butter motley with the perfect pirate skull pattern on it's head and we want to give it the best home.
 
Infrared heat guns I hear are good. But you could also get digital thermometer with a probe. I bought mine at Petsmart . They are common or get a indoor/outdoor type thermometer at Lowes, Home Depot or local hardware store.

I never hear anyone using a meat thermometer.
 
I have in the past used a meat thermometer.

Its nice because I can easily slip it between the UTH and the glass/plastic bottom of the tank. This way the snake cant accidentally move it off the surface causing inaccurate readings.

Temp guns are nice and its my main means of checking temps now. The biggest reason I like it is because it makes you get involved with the snake. Aside from certain limitations on handling it will allow your snake to become more accustom to you. Make sure you read the directions so you'll know your models temperature adjustment needs (more distance between gun and surface means you need to add a few degrees).
 
Bethanne said:
...Yet the zilla tank (which lots of folks seem to recommend) is plexi...
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Is your Zilla a Critter Cage w/a slide lock lid, like the one below? The reason I ask is because, mine are and they're glass. I've not seen pelxi. Maybe you're asking about a different version tank than I'm thinking...I'm confused. :shrugs:
picture.php
 
Plexi, glass or plastic, as long as the UTH is on a thermostat and at the Corn's ideal warm temp (below 90, usually keep mine at 85) then it won't harm any kind of tank material. I use them with wood and melamine vivs as well.

A good digital thermometer is a must. The stick-on strip and plastic dial-type ones can be 10-20 degrees out either way. My nephew had a dial one and when the UTH was accidentally unplugged, it didn't even move.

As for advice, I'd always say to shop around a little before taking anything as gospel. Even at my local reptile shop, advice can be debatable, depending on whether you're talking to their Corn expert or their boa expert at the time.
 
Lennycorn said:
Infrared heat guns I hear are good. But you could also get digital thermometer with a probe. I bought mine at Petsmart . They are common or get a indoor/outdoor type thermometer at Lowes, Home Depot or local hardware store.

I never hear anyone using a meat thermometer.
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i just dont understand why people will spend all kinds of money on all kinds of stuff for their animal but WONT spend $25 to $50 dollars on a freakin temp gun!!!!!!!! it blows my mind!!! this is one of THE most important tools for ANY snake keeper out there! what the heck??? you can check every single inch of ALL your enclosures with ONE temp gun...to me this is one of those "DUH!" moments. i am not picking anyone out here, i highlighted your quote because tempguns are AWESOME, not just good. trust me, once you get one, you will wonder how you ever went without one, and you will NEVER go without one again. i have spent upwards of three hundred dollars on tempguns before, and although they were very nice....i bought a PE2 from pro exotics(tempgun.com) for fifty bucks and i love it! i have had it for two years and have only had to change batteries once! i have had two of these and they are great. i will put a cup of water in the freezer and once i start seeing ice crystals form on the top of the water i will shoot the water with the gun to see how close they are to actual temp. both were perfect. these will only read surface temps and not air temps, but if you shoot your water surface in your water bowl, that will give you an aproximate ambient temp on that side of the enclosure. by the time you buy three good digital therms w probes, you could have gotten one of the $50 tempguns....just common sense to me. i am NOT saying anyone who has not gotten one yet is an idiot or anything like that, i just think they are the number ONE tool to get....i have sold entire collections of snakes, but i always keep my tempguns for the next group of animals. but seriously, if you have one corn snake, or two hundred boas....they are worth their weight in gold!
 
I never got a temp gun because the digital thermometer is constantly reading the temp, and keeping a record of the highest and lowest it got since the last time I reset it. What do you consider the advantage of a temp gun over a thermometer setup like I have?
 
jessicalb said:
I never got a temp gun because the digital thermometer is constantly reading the temp, and keeping a record of the highest and lowest it got since the last time I reset it. What do you consider the advantage of a temp gun over a thermometer setup like I have?
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i think that type is fine, but you only know what the temp is on the probe. plus i have had digital thermos with probes read a nine degree difference set in the same spot. they are simply not as accurate as a temp gun. you can also check every inch of your enclosures instantly, cool spots, hot spots, hides, and even the animals temps. there is nothing really wrong with those, i just have found alot of inaccuracy issues with the ones i used to use. plus ONE temp gun will take temps in all of your enclosures. i have digital thermos in some of my display cages, but i still use my temp gun to check all the spots in those cages. if you go to any professional breeders facilities and ask, they more than likely have temp guns laying around. again, not saying your method is not good enough, but after using a temp gun for years, i wont go without one.
 
thank you all for your comments and suggestions. I have a much better understanding of controlling the temp in our future snakes cage. I am assured that the zilla cage I have is in fact, glass, though when tapped it dosent seem so. Nevertheless I now have all the things we need to keep little fang happy. Now, as my 10 year old is making duct tape wallets and detailing neighborhood cars to earn money for his new pet....he should be prepped to adopt one by our next reptile show in June. (he tells me he is not comfortable with an internet purchace and wants to wait.) Again, thank you.
 
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