Temp. gun and probes

[magpie]

So... I have read that temp guns are great and one was recommended that was only about $11 so I got it... but I also read about how important digital probes are for the warm and cool side of the tank.

So when do you use the gun if you have probes?

And if anyone has a dual probe thermometer that they can recommend for US people, that'd be great.

Thanks.

 

[Hdrydr31]

So... I have read that temp guns are great and one was recommended that was only about $11 so I got it... but I also read about how important digital probes are for the warm and cool side of the tank.

So when do you use the gun if you have probes?

And if anyone has a dual probe thermometer that they can recommend for US people, that'd be great.

Thanks.

I use my IR gun all the time I take temps of my 3 as they bask to make sure they are getting warm enough and I will also check cool spots where they sleep.. TBH I only have a probe in 1 of mine and it's really only because he's next to an outside wall and big window. So I really do my IR most of the time. But the probes are good to check some of those spots that they are the most.

 

[magpie]

OK, so I guess I assumed you typically do one probe in the cool area (where?) and one right directly on the basking spot.

So you're using it to actually measure the dragon or the air just around it? Sorry if this is a really basic question.

I can see using it when they're out of the enclosure, too.

 

[Hdrydr31]

OK, so I guess I assumed you typically do one probe in the cool area (where?) and one right directly on the basking spot.

So you're using it to actually measure the dragon or the air just around it? Sorry if this is a really basic question.

I can see using it when they're out of the enclosure, too.

I only do a probe directly where they bask, to measure the spot where they bask (kinda like a back-up reading) sometimes they differ. I use my IR to temp their body to see what they are on their topside...

 

[PatsyB]

I use the temp gun all the time. I have the probes in the tank but it’s because I’m too lazy to remove them. I don’t even think the batteries work anymore LOL.

 

[magpie]

LOL!

 

[KrissyLeigh]

I start off using probes in all my tanks - on the cool and warm sides, and use my gun to get the ambient air temps inside the tanks. But once I have them set up and pretty stable I take the probes out because the extra cords are annoying, or they break, or get trampled by the animals - Any way I end up just using my gun.

I like the temp guns because I can hold down the 'read' button and get a real-time reading of the air and surface temps all over the tank. Let's me see the true temp gradient in the tanks.

 

[magpie]

I've been using the temp gun more often, too. I like that I can spot check various areas and tweak slightly. I used the probes to help assure everything was good to go when setting up his new tank. But I can't put the probe where he basks or he lays right on it, it gets pushed to the side, and since it's on a branch it's never accurate if it's off to the side.

I'll use it when he's out of the tank again to be sure all looks well but the temp gun has been really handy for me. I have been leaving the cool side probe in because it's easy to keep there but it doesn't really change much. It's been nice to use it though to be sure night temps aren't dropping too low, and they're not.