Want to add thermostat probe, need some insight

[Nroc]

I have a snake living in this tank already. The UTH is controlled by a lamp dimmer right now, and it does a good job keeping it between 83-86 degrees so far. That being said, I wanted to take this a step further by adding a thermostat. I went ahead and ordered a Zoomed 500R (found one for $29 shipped from Amazon c/o Absolutly Pets).

I expect it here at the end of the week (beginning of next week). I want to add the probe right beside the one for my thermometer, but the silicone caulk I am using needs 3 hours to dry, and 24 hours to cure. Here are some pics of what I did with just the thermometer probe. Given it's shape, this was the closest I could get to the glass. The wire was glued down that way because of the natural bend in the wire. Had I taped it down straight, my glue job would have looked a little better.

Do you think my thermometer reads a degree low based on the air gap between the probe and the glass? How, and where should I mount the probe for the thermostat? If I use silicone, should I put my snake in temporary housing for 24-48 hours while the silicone sets? The snake is new, and I don't want to move her to a new home this soon after getting her. I can put her in the feeding tub for a day, but it's like 8"X8" so there will not really be a warm and cool zone. I know not to feed her right before or right after doing something like this (too much stress probably).

I didn't plan on getting the thermostat as the rheostat works OK for me, but have now changed my mind. Right now, my house temps vary by only 3 degrees throughout the day...67-70. But in the spring, I will have a 7 degree variance (70-77) and I don't think a rheostat is a good idea for this large of a range. I would prefer to install the thermostat now instead of later, but my hard deadline will be the middle of March (or whenever I turn on the AC). Also, in adding the thermostat, I can let the house dip below 67 while we are at work.

I know that it would have been way better to do all this before she showed up. Last minute decisions...

 

[Glenaerie]

I asked a similar question here yesterday (the thread is still just below as of now)... I'm in practically the same boat as you; have an existing setup with a rheostat, but want to switch to a thermostat and am looking for an adhesive that would be safe to use without disturbing/removing the snake. Good luck! I'm looking forward to seeing what you decide to use.

 

[Nroc]

I asked a similar question here yesterday (the thread is still just below as of now)... I'm in practically the same boat as you; have an existing setup with a rheostat, but want to switch to a thermostat and am looking for an adhesive that would be safe to use without disturbing/removing the snake. Good luck! I'm looking forward to seeing what you decide to use.

I recall reading your post. I didn't want to hijack yours, so I made my own. It seems like you aren't set on an adhesive yet...whereas I am pretty set on silicone. I am more interested in the protocol for taking a snake out of its cage for a day while the silicone dries. That being said, after reading some of the responses to your thread, hot glue is a possibility for me. We have a gun somewhere around here, and plenty of glue sticks as well. If the cure time is similar though, I would prefer to use silicone.

If I don't get any feedback, I may just wrap the probe wire of the thermostat around my thermometer's wire a few times every few inches, and then the probe itself may get wedged under the other one somehow.

Eventually, I will probably do a full blown silicone install. By then, I may have picked up a cheap 5 or 10 gallon tank, with a makeshift lid to hold the snake for a day or two. My main question deals with how long I need to wait before doing this as my snake arrived yesterday. I assume that this week is off limits to this sort of shuffling around. I am thinking about having her eat at least 2-3 times in my care before putting her in a new home for a couple of days while the silicone cures.

An alternative that i just came up with is to put a tank divider in there to keep her away from that side of the tank. My UTH is mounted to a piece of glass that I can move anywhere I want. I could shift it over a little to provide her with more warmth while the other side dries all the way. I would probably use a piece of cardboard or something else free that I have lying around to make the divider.

Another creative idea I just had was to put a paper towel roll VERTICALLY above the site where I apply the silicone. All the fumes could be directed upwards out of the terrarium using this method. I may actually try this method first...to the snake, this would appear as a column in her cage...nothing more than something that she has to slither around.

 

[oldsnow]

I would vote for the hot glue, since you just got her and I'm sure she would be hiding during the whole ordeal. You could actually do it at feeding time and be fine. The hot glue would cure in a few minutes as opposed to several days. It would also be possible to remove it fairly cleanly if you are able to pick up a cheap 10 gal tank before summer time if you wanted to redo the probe then.

 

[wade]

I think the hot glue would probably work but I would worry about ruining the thermostat. If you put 300 degree glue on the probe what is that going to do to the probe and the thermostat? I don’t know, maybe nothing, maybe disaster.

I think if it were I, I would use silicone, put the snake in a separate container for 2 or 3 days so the glue has plenty of time to cure. It may still smell a little but I don’t think it would be a problem at that point.

Nroc, in answer to your other question, I would not worry about your probe being a tiny bit off the glass that is close enough. Put your new thermostat probe right next to the thermometer probe.

I know that means moving a new snake an extra time. Put it in it’s temporary home somewhere where it won’t get disturbed and you will be fine.

 

[Nroc]

I received the thermostat today. I ended up using zip ties in a number of places to secure the thermostat probe and wire to the existing thermometer probe and wire which was already glued to the bottom of the tank.

/profit

 

[4riscorn]

My ? falls into almost the same category

We just switched from the individual round stick on thermostat and humidity and from a top of tank ceramic heater since I heard they warm the tank and not the bottom where corns tend to stay. And heard that those type of monitors only monitor the tank and not the bottom. Before doing the change over, themps ranged from 80-87 and humidity only at 20-30 until we added a vaporizer which helped control the heat and humidity (but only at the 20-30 range) but like I said we assume it was just the room/tank temp and humidity it was measuring. Well since we went with a UTH and digital sticky all in one measuring unit, the humidity is at 40 but the temp is only at 75. We put it down on the substrate (aspen) level close to the middle but more on the warm side. We have a 10 gallon viv and all the store had were 8X8 with 4 watt instead of 8 watt. Is this why the temp is so low and any suggestions on how to raise it without going back to the ceramic? We don't run the vaporizer all day anymore either since it just did the room. The viv is in my son's room and the door is kept closed. We have a regular lamp with a flourescent bulb in it 12 hours on 12 hours off and have his window blinds open (the viv is out of direct sunlight also). What did we do wrong??? We keep our house heat on 70 since we have 3 floors to try to heat with natural gas--can get $$$. We live in VA where right now is cold and full of snow!
Thanks!! Gini