# Thermometer/hygrometer



## JenAlba (Apr 30, 2016)

So, over the years I have purchased many, many thermo/hygrometers. Cheap, not so cheap and verging on expensive. I have never found two that read the same (or even close) and I've never found one that I trusted. The one I'm using right now, no matter the humidity, will not read above 75%. I've tried digital and dial. I beg you all, for the love of dog, can someone recommend one that actually works? Thanks in advance 🙃.


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## LiasisUK (Sep 30, 2019)

Infrared Temp Gun is the most accurate choice of thermometer. 

Hygrometers are pointless, measuring humidity levels is not necessary for 99% of species and is more stressful than just monitoring the animals and environment visually. Humidity is not constant in really any natural environment. 
That being said, I use temperature and humidity data loggers in the incubators, you can buy them on Amazon, however I have no idea how accurate the hygrometer function is, I just use it as an approximation and check incubation substrate regularly.


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## Malc (Oct 27, 2009)

At the consumer level you'll never get a device that has the precision that crave, and you really need something that has that precision in order to compare others to see what their accuracy is. You can't compare a dial thermometer to a digital one as their design and method of operation are different, one by nature will have more error than the other. But when you do venture into precision does it matter if the hot spot is 31.9c or 32.0c which is within the range of an average IR thermometer.

Even if you get a medically approved IR thermometer like the ones used to read forehead temperatures such as those made by Fluke will have a tolerance, which is typically 0.3c which again, for reading a hot spot of a reptile enclosure is overkill.

I use my own design of thermostats to heat my snakes. These use digital sensors to monitor the temperature which at the bit rate I'm running at gives 0.1c accuracy. This allows me to provide accuracy of 1C (+/- 0.5c) of the set point. But this is overkill as in the real world daily temperatures fluctuate through a greater range.

I would agree with LiasisUK - a decent IR thermometer is the most accurate and most convenient for reading surface temperatures. For measuring air temperatures some of the digital units costing £10 or less from Amazon will suffice, even with their +/- 1c as it's still practical for our use


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## Swindinian (May 4, 2020)

This post is really about relative humidity!

We use atmospheric meters at work, such as Testo and QTraks. 
Likely to costs hundreds, and still observe some variability.

I would agree with Liasis.

Just use your subjective senses. 

If it’s a high humidity species, then check visual indicators, and smell the air.


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## Malum Argenteum (5 mo ago)

I agree with everything posted here so far.

That said, I do keep a small digital hygrometer (this is the model I currently have the most of) in some enclosures that I don't have set up with much of a moisture gradient -- Royal, rainbow boas. The meter is more for a sanity check than anything; I refer to them just to get a bearing on the very general moisture content of the viv -- if I glance at it and it is reading much lower than usual I know to open the viv and check things out. Targeting specific RH numbers isn't beneficial in almost all situations, and is actively detrimental in some. 

Do be aware that no meter will tolerate direct water content, either being misted directly or being present in a condensing environment.


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## JenAlba (Apr 30, 2016)

Thanks guys, appreciate the replies. It is indeed a humidity issue! I have done everything I can think of to increase the humidity but to no avail. 
Viv is glass (think its an old exo terra), about 3'x3'x1.5'. I've replaced the mesh top with hollow polycarbonate, with mesh inserts for the UVB, fans, cables etc. It's a fully planted bioactive affair, with cable heating in a little standing water in the false bottom. I also use an LED floodlight for the plants which provides a lot of heat when it's on during the day. Anyways, I've no issues with my temps. She has a wee tub/pond that has an airstone in it for bubbles and a little spray. I hand spray, I mist. 
She is an Acanthosaura lepidogaster I took in because the previous owner couldn't get her to eat. There is no care info online that I can find, so I researched her native territory and am doing my best to recreate it for her. She was wild caught, which bothers me excessively! She now eats and she has shed her skin a few times without problems. 
Should I just relax already?! I'd be so much happier if I could just find a humidity guage that shows that I am providing the very high levels she'd get in her homeland!


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## ian14 (Jan 2, 2008)

Well a member on here has bred them.so might need worth getting in contact for some care advice:









1.1 Acanthosaura lepidogaster


1.1 Ukcbb (bred by myself) Acanthosaura lepidogaster absolutely solid pair amazing to work with serious little characters Starting to show breeding behaviour recently Open to trades and px Looking for £250 Ono




www.reptileforums.co.uk


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## JenAlba (Apr 30, 2016)

ian14 said:


> Well a member on here has bred them.so might need worth getting in contact for some care advice:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Cool, thanks! Clearly using the search function on here is beyond my capabilities, I did try yesterday and got no results! I've dropped them a message 🙂.


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