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Where/how to measure temperatures?

Zimmer

Zimmer

New member
I have been reading, reading, reading corn snakes for a couple weeks now. Planning to bring home my first one in a couple days! :crazy02: Just want to make sure I have everything set up "just so" for him before he gets here.... And I have been researching so much that I am lost on this:

I keep reading multiple opinions on where to place the probe for the thermometer vs. the probe for the thermostat. Can anyone clarify? (I am probably going to use aspen shavings 2"-4" deep to allow for burrowing)

Thermometer probe on top of substrate in a hide, or buried, or taped inside the tank to the glass bottom?

Thermostat probe taped to UTH? Between UTH and tank bottom? Inside the tank on the glass bottom? Same place as thermometer probe?

All the different ways that people do things has me second guessing myself :uhoh:
 
I've got my thermostat probe inside the tank, on top of the substrate on his hot side. Some people say not to as they can dislodge it once they're bigger but if it's secured in properly should be fine (don't use tape to secure it)

My thermometer probe is in the same, on top of the aspen on the hot side. I will move it over to the cool side at times, just to check what the temps over there is, but it's best keeping it on the hot side.

Also, just a side note, I only thicken the substrate on his cool side, I just don't really want him burrowing too much on the hot side, incase he gets burned (this is a personal worry though, you don't need to do this!)

Hope this helps you a bit, and good luck with your corn!!!!! [emoji4]




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I have the probes inside the vivarium. A thermo-hygrometer on the cool side, and the thermostat with thermometre on the hot side. Both probes are over the substrate (aspen), but I also do like sian.kelly and have a thin substrate layer on the hot side, while I have 1-2" substrate on the cool one.
In the hide or not is not important, but you have to see that the probe is touching the ground or it will get hotter than it should. I try to keep it at the middle of the heat mat. I guess some put it inside the hide and put the cave side over the cable so that it holds the probe and doesn't move. You can also stick it with silicone or a suction cup.

If you have a glass vivarium the heat mat should be outside (this is a problem with wooden vivs). Make sure that there is a small gap between viv bottom and the shelf/table where you put it, otherwise the heat mat will build up heat and can eventually break the glass. Exo Terras have the gap, but if you use an aquarium you'll have to put some small pieces under to create it.

Hope this helps.
 
OK. So both probes on top of the substrate. Deeper bedding on the cool end. Got it! Thanks!
 
Food for thought:

If you're sampling the temperature on top of the Aspen Substrate, and the corn snake decides to burrow under it (because they will and they do), and he comes to rest directly on the glass bottom of the tank where the Heat Pad is................

It not only "Can Happen" at some point it "Will Happen."

So if your temp is 84, or 85 or 86 on top of the aspen, I wonder just how warm the actual glass bottom of the tank is?

See, corn snakes are cold blooded and they seek out warmth. They don't know that extra 8 degrees or extra 20 degrees (whatever it may be) is dehydrating them and cooking them. They have been known to actually curl up around a "Hot Rock" and actually blister themselves. That's why snake owners say "Don't Use Hot Rocks."

And yet some of these Heat Pads get just as hot as a Hot Rock. And the Burrowing Corn snake will sooner or later come into contact with it.

That is why Most of us prefer to sample our temperatures directly on the Glass bottom under the substrate.

But hey....... it's your snake.
 
That's why we did say we have a very small substrate layer. I have mine so that I can almost see through, so it's basically measuring the glass. Of course it would be different if it were a 2" layer. Then, of course, under the substrate...
 
Ok. This is what I mean..... lots of different thoughts on this. I will have a thermostat set up, so the UTH can't get too hot...... Maybe the thermostat probe should go on the glass bottom, and thermometer probe wherever the snake tends to spend the most time?
 
I just hot glued my thermostat sensor to the mat and it's easily adjusted. I didn't want any wires, etc inside my viv. This works good for me as well as adjusting the depth of the aspen substrate over the warm side. Everyone has their own way of doing things!
 

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I have a thermometer probe on each side of the tank, under the substrate on the glass. The probe for my thermostat is right next to that on the warm side, in the middle of the UTH. I find there is usually a temp variance of a 1-2 degrees between the thermometer and thermostat readings. I also keep a temp gun if I need to double check anything.
 
This all is informative, however then if we are placing the probe for the thermostat directly on the glass where the heat pad is, should we still shoot for 85 degrees? Or should I raise the temperature on my thermostat to 87 or 88 so that the top of the substrate will be warmer?
 
However you do it, the warm side should be 81-85 or 87 ... around there ... on top. A temp gun works great. You need to adjust either the thermostat and/or the depth of the substrate if using something like Aspen. One way or the other, you need a warm side that doesn't boil water. The snake will find it's own 'sweet spot'. Just give him 2 hides at least, one over the warm side so after eating he can slither away with a smile on his face!
 
I will just decrease the depth of the substrate and shoot for 81 to 85. Thanks for all of the suggestions folks. They have been useful.
 
I'm late but I just wanna say NEVER use tape of any kind in a snake enclosure. My ball python ended up getting stuck in it and it wasn't pretty.

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