Maximum basking surface temp

[Dubya]

lol. Let me find one for free AND a rebate!

Don't even waste your time. Trish will tell you that NOBODY can find things cheaper than me (aka "The Finder")

 

[BatGirl1]

Should I get you guys horses and swords so you can properly fight over me? Heh heh

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[attachment=6595][attachment=6596][attachment=6597]

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Done!!! Yaaaay!

 

[Roadkill]

As for things in direct light, they can absorb much more energy than we think and overheat way more than the ambient temperature would suggest. In Brasil my temperature data loggers that were left out in the sun would crap out and fail mid-day as they overshot their upper level (>60 degrees Celsius) even though ambient was no where near that. Similarly, if a tegu stayed out in direct sun all day, they too would die (put a data logger in a dead tegu and left it in the sun to determine this).

As for temp guns, there's a reason some are really expensive while others are dirt cheap. It relates to their accuracy, what temperature range they have, whether you can adjust their emissivity measure, and what the distance:surface area read ratio is. The cheapo ones probably have an accuracy of +-1 degree, average temperature ranges (not too low below freezing, not too high), and a really limited D: S ratio (usually 8:1 but I've seen as low as 1:1) which affects how far away you can be to get a decent reading.

 

[BatGirl1]

Roadkill, so..... am i good do you think? My wrist test has led me to believe he's not going to burn himself. And now that I have humidity running, cool side is saying 74 with humidity at 41% currently, but will prob rise more. And warm side overall at 81 but basking roughly 100 give or take.

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[attachment=6598][attachment=6599][attachment=6600] he's sooooo sleepy.

 

[Dubya]

The HF laser sighted thermometer can take temps pretty far away and has a wide range. Plus or minus one degree shouldn't matter.

 

[laurarfl]

Yes, mine has to be pretty close.

 

[Roadkill]

Uh, hate to break it to you, Dubya, but that HF you have a link to has a D: S ratio of 1:1 - while all IR thermometers can take temps pretty far away, it helps to understand what you're actually reading.....a 1:1 ratio means that at 1 foot away, you're getting the average temperature of the surface of a 1 foot diameter circle, or in other words, you're not measuring your tegu's body temperature at any distance further than about 3 inches.

 

[BatGirl1]

I'm very confused now.

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Ugh.so it's reading 74 in there now. :/ is that bad for night temps? I'll have to get a red night bulb. Def. Grrrr.

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Ok...so I think my only "real " issue after re-reading all the info is ...is the night time temp too low. I understand at night temps naturally go down. The reptiles burrow and sleep at night. So realistically 74 or around that 'might ' be fine(?) Right? I don't know...trying to learn. *shudders at having to admit she doesn't know everything*.

 

[Roadkill]

Personally, I'd want the night time temperature a few degrees higher. I don't have any concrete evidence to say for sure, but analysis of my physiological data seems to point at that temp (74F) as being the tipping point between "active" and "hibernating". Not saying that it (or lower temps) would induce hibernation, just that in free roaming tegus, it was roughly around that temperature at night that you see a pronounced shift in physiology.

 

[BatGirl1]

Yeah...dubya said raise temps with night bulb instead of che. Ugh. I DEFINITELY don't want him to hibernate any longer. I can tell his tail is not buldgy like it was so I know his reserves are probably depleting. *sigh* I thought this would be easier to get 'right ' with all of my research plus info from everyone on TeguTalk ... I just want niles to be happy/healthy/well taken care of. I won't give up! I'll get this!!!

 

[Dubya]

Uh, hate to break it to you, Dubya, but that HF you have a link to has a D: S ratio of 1:1 - while all IR thermometers can take temps pretty far away, it helps to understand what you're actually reading.....a 1:1 ratio means that at 1 foot away, you're getting the average temperature of the surface of a 1 foot diameter circle, or in other words, you're not measuring your tegu's body temperature at any distance further than about 3 inches.

Roadkill, I hate to break it to you, but I can get within 3 inches of my tegu, which is what I usually do.

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Look, just measure the temps at 3 inches and move away in increments testing each time till the temp changes. That will be your effective range of the thermometer.

 

[Roadkill]

Then I'd have to say you and I have very different ideas of what "pretty far away" means, or what determines the effective range of a IR thermometer.

 

[BatGirl1]

Ok I'm def getting a night bulb instead of che. It sucks. :/ useless unless niles learns how to stand on his tippy toes and sleep directly under it like that...

 

[Dubya]

I don't need to check my tegus temp from the bathroom. A foot away would be plenty.

 

[Roadkill]

Not saying you do, but if you've got an IR thermometer with a D: S ratio of 1:1, and are measuring your tegu's body temperature from a foot away, then you're sadly mistaken if you think it is measuring just your tegu's body temperature.

BatGirl, what wattage of ceramic heat emitter have you been trying to use? And from what distance? An alternative you might consider would be a heated hide - instead of trying to heat the entire enclosure you could try to heat just their burrow with something like heat tape or a heat cord.

 

[BatGirl1]

The che is 150w. It is up on the ceiling and my enclosure is 3ft tall with approx 12in of substrate. His basking 'bench ' gets nice and warm underneath but at night the lights go off...so yeah, maybe if I put another hide under where i have the ceramic socket mounted, then put the night bulb in it instead of the che, that hide will be his 'warm place ' for the night time(?) I'll try that! ALSO ...dubya, you weren't kidding about the peat! I had to REMOVE it bucket by bucket, soak it with 4 gallons of water and knead it through my hands, then put it back in. Omg I hope it retains that moisture! I was doing that since like 6:30am and pretty much just cleaned up and sat to rest my aching back and shoulders! Yikes!!!

 

[Dubya]

D, I use these night lamps. They project heat downward very well. I use two 75w for night heat. I have them on an inline lamp dimmer so I can reduce the intensity as temps get warmer in the spring. They are available up to 250w.
http://www.petmountain.com/product/reptile-incandescent-bulbs/11442-504715/zoo-med-nocturnal-infrared-heat-lamp.html
Btw, Roadkill, the Harbor Freight laser targeted thermometer is 8:1.

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The che is 150w. It is up on the ceiling and my enclosure is 3ft tall with approx 12in of substrate. His basking 'bench ' gets nice and warm underneath but at night the lights go off...so yeah, maybe if I put another hide under where i have the ceramic socket mounted, then put the night bulb in it instead of the che, that hide will be his 'warm place ' for the night time(?) I'll try that! ALSO ...dubya, you weren't kidding about the peat! I had to REMOVE it bucket by bucket, soak it with 4 gallons of water and knead it through my hands, then put it back in. Omg I hope it retains that moisture! I was doing that since like 6:30am and pretty much just cleaned up and sat to rest my aching back and shoulders! Yikes!!!

You will have to stir it up sometimes so mold doesn't form in it. If you let it dry out completely, you will have a hell of a time wetting it again. I use a clean, new garden sprayer as a mister besides the crappy repti-fogger.

 

[BatGirl1]

I was thinking of using another members idea too of putting earthworms in the peat...wouldn't this help regulate everything? Moisture and turning the soil, etc. Plus yummy snacks for niles to 'find ' for enrichment

 

[aambumann]

Here is the temp gun I use from Amazon.com, http://www.amazon.com/Infrared-Thermometer-Contact-Temperature-Measurement/dp/B002OD0NCG it has been dependable. You can also check out Newwegg.com, http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=temperature+gun+infrared

 

[Dubya]

I was thinking of using another members idea too of putting earthworms in the peat...wouldn't this help regulate everything? Moisture and turning the soil, etc. Plus yummy snacks for niles to 'find ' for enrichment

[attachment=6619]
Not just for Niles! (nom nom nom)