temp probe

[intoxicated88]

hey guys for a thermostat probe is it alright to put it any where i don't want my snake to thinks its a little feed, and my 9month old spotted keeps poking her nose through the little holes in her tub is that bad i dont really wont her to scratch her scales doing so. yes i am a noob :|

thanks a million guys you've all helped me alot on this forum

 

[Rob]

Yeah you can put it anywhere, but you need to remember that is where the thermostat gets the reading from, so once it reaches temp at the probe it will cut out (or in the case of dimming/PP it will maintain that temp). So if you have the probe in the middle of a tank then you need to monitor the basking site temps and then adjust the thermostat accordingly. In simple terms - if you place the probe away from the heat source then it will get hotter at the heat source than what you have the thermostat set to, does that make sense ?

However, if the heat source is a heat mat then it is recommended that the probe be placed on it (inside the tank and the mat on the outside).

As for her poking her nose through the holes, check there are no jagged edges on the holes and if there are just remove them (with a soldering iron or similar), but generally it should be fine.

 

[intoxicated88]

yes i get you the probe is on her basking spot i just didnt want her to think it was food should i be taping it down or just letting it sit there. thanks

 

[Rob]

I am guessing here that it is a click-clack and you're using a heat mat. If this is the case can you possibly place the probe underneath the tub (on top of the heat mat) ? I personally prefer not to use tape around my animals (as there is the danger of them sticking to it) but from photos I've seen of other setups it would appear some people do use tape.

 

[Trimeresurus]

yes i get you the probe is on her basking spot i just didnt want her to think it was food should i be taping it down or just letting it sit there. thanks

Use cable ties.

 

[GhamMagsBaird89]

I personally prefer not to use tape around my animals (as there is the danger of them sticking to it) but from photos I've seen of other setups it would appear some people do use tape.

i wouldnt recommend tape either as my 9mnth old coastal got himself stuck on 100mile hour tape that was holding his vines up in his enclosure. it was scary watching him nearly skin himself trying to get it off (thats how i noticed he had it stuck on him) so straight down to the vet little guys scared shitless now and doesnt wanna come out of his enclousre. he was great though trying to get the tape off as much as he would have been in pain he didnt bite and only peed once

 

[Renenet]

I wouldn't recommend tape. They can really hurt themselves on it. If anyone ever has a snake get stuck on tape, olive oil or any kind of vegetable oil is supposed to work well.

I have my probe just lying on the floor and secure the cable from the outside. Make sure there's not too much loose cable. My snake once tangled herself in the probe cable because there was too much slack. I saw her dilemma before she tightened it around herself, so no harm done, but if she'd been alone longer it might have been worse.

 

[bigjoediver]

I use a suction cup, you can get ones used for Xmas lights that have a plastic clip on the end or ones with metal hooks on the end just remove the hook and push probe through the hole and secure with a cable tie. Usually can get from the cheap $2 shops. You often have to restock them but they are pretty harmless.

 

[WomaBoy]

I have holes in the top corners of my plastic sliding doors, and the cable just lays losely up the side, but as 10 mins ago i untangled my snake i have decided to drill a tiny hole in the side of my melamine enclosure( my probe is as thin as the cable ), and just stick it thru the hole, will this work ??

 

[Rob]

Use cable ties.

and fix it to where ?

 

[Colin]

The method I prefer (I use rows of tubs on heat mats) is to tape the probe in an EMPTY tub (but set up the same as the ones with snakes) at the hot end as a control. Never any problems with the probe being moved or tape getting on a hatching. Id also recomend placing a good thermometer at the hot and cold ends in this control tub to keep an eye on the temps.

 

[Trimeresurus]

and fix it to where ?

Wherever OP wants, make 2 holes in the bottom of the tub at the basking spot and feed the cable tie through and around the probe.