I'm a new leopard gecko owner.. I've been searching for videos on thermostats and I have to say... this is a gem! I really didn't even understand the concept of what a thermostat even does or the difference between them I guess. It never dawned on me until you mention how our houses run on a thermostat. Duh 🤦🏼♀️ My furnace runs on a thermostat obviously, but I never put that together with this. Now I get the whole on and off function vs the proportional/dimming type. I really appreciate this video!
I use the inkbird and so far its been a great working thermostat. My rabbit got out and chomped the probe chord smooth in half and it started making the loudest alarm noise to let me know something was wrong. I was officially impressed with them after that lol.
Bro this is the best video I've seen regarding thermostats, I'll check out that ink bird, and I've been looking at the spider robotics ones. Vivarium VE200 I was looking at that but I may stay away because of your review, thank you for the heads up! Can't be having repeated failures
On the subject of the jump start thermostats I’ve had mine for almost a year now and it’s been great and I think the big reason why is because I’m just using it for a single sheet of flex watt with a single enclosure cause I only have one snake and as it’s set up now it’s seems to work fantastic for an on off style thermostat I do keep a close eye on it but it’s been very consistent and reliable thus far…however I will but upgrading soon to a herpstat as soon as I can afford it just cause I’d prefer something with better safety features more consistent temp control and possibly humidity control as well
I'm going through the exact same thing Jason was talking about with the Vivarium Electronics thermostats. Fresh out of the box, brand new, the first one just randomly stopped working and I had to cut the power to get it to work again. I thought "no problem, probably just a random malfunction," and bought another one. It worked fine for a month and then started having the exact same problem as the first one. If they just failed outright I wouldn't have cared as much, but the first one actually tried to cook my snakes. It was set to 88 degrees and was reading 86 degrees, could never seem to get up to 88 on the screen so it would just STAY ON, if I hadn't had other thermometers in the bins I would never have known temperatures were getting up to 104 degrees inside the bins, and 124 degrees on the heat tape itself. I have no idea what it is, but every time I go to an expo and ask what the breeders' preferred thermostat is they always recommend VE over Spyder Robotics. My one Herpstat 2 has NEVER failed on me in the two years I've had it, I don't know what everyone is smoking. The VE-300x2 is the same exact price as the Herpstat 2, but only one of these brands actually seems to work. **angry rant off**
I started with a Herpstat for my corn snake's basking light, then when my wife got her ball python we just started out with a $20ish on/off (not the Jumpstart one, I think it's BN Link) and a $20ish dimming for the time being until we're ready to make his permanent enclosure. I'm comfortable with the cheap ones because I work from home and can check my temps periodically throughout the day, but honestly I think long-term I'm going to want all my permanent adult enclosures to be on Herpstats (if I can manage to afford them lol). I got the newer version with wifi access which is terrific, and my experience with it has been top notch. They definitely can have a bit of a learning curve to them though. It took me months to figure out I needed to turn on basking assist to prevent my light from shutting itself on and off once it reached the target temp.
love your input. I use ink bird probes on pro heat panels because I don't have a reptile room I can keep warm. I use the panels and ink birds and they let me get a perfect 90 degree warm side and an 80 degree cool side on the individual enclosures.
I am a reseller for 1 of the brands you mentioned and wanted to share some input here. Being a reseller I talk with a lot of people with pros and cons of other brands. I would agree with probably 90% of what you mentioned however I have herd a LOT of comments from people of inkbirds failing, they usually start off pretty good and randomly malfunction after a bit of use. Watch your temps really closely with those because they fail in the on position. Secondly I wanted to address your mention of probe placement, aluminum tape can and often times does cause interference with the probe & thermostat. It holds the best however can cause misread temps or errors, electrical tape is preferred as it doesn't cause interference, down side though, it doesn't hold as well. Always check probes to ensure they are secured in place and damage free
I have used my 4 InkBirds for quite awhile with no hiccups at all. I am not sure that if it fails it fails in the "On" position but nonetheless I monitor constantly plus you can notified if it goes beyond set parameters and If all else fails you can remotely turn it off.
@@ZackGreensReptiles I have used my InkBird C929s for over 2 yrs now. I use 4 and no issues at all. I live in San Diego, so our winter's are light. You might want to check with your clients what model they used.
I've been out of the Boa game for 10 years but kept all my equipment just incase... I've recently just gotten into Ball pythons and waiting on my first one to ship. I have the ORIGINAL herpstat from spider robotics... I loved the thing! But I've lost the probe which is real frustrating. I just check their site and they've discontinued it!!!! so here I am. I have to be budget friendly with whatever I get because of the wife 😆 ... I'm lucky she even said yes that I can get back into this.... I'll have to check out the ink bird.... why model do you recommend?
Wish there was a mention of which thermostats have dimming output for heat lamps. Using a rheostat is different/more basic control requiring you to constantly check the temps. So far I have found Herpstat 1, 2, 4 etc, and Exo Terra thermostats (with screen but watch out for the model with a light sensor in temp probe as it makes using night drop impossible if u have a heat lamp attached) have dimming output. I got a Exo Terra 600W PT2463 and the temp probe cable is so thick and only 6ft long. The heat lamp dimming is also not smooth. So now Im going to get the Herpstat 2 which has sunrise/sunset ramping, very smooth light dimming & a nice thin 12ft temp probe.
I absolutely love my herpstat thermostats. I'm getting the herpstat 6 for my snake rack soon. I have a few of the herpstat 2 red line and they are so awesome!
I just got this thermostat and started using it a few days ago. Thanks for this video I really need some reassurance with this thermostat. I also love i can see it on my phone.
Inkbird, Johnson, Ranco - they use probes and sampling that has a reaction time suitable enough for reptile racks and heat tape. For ON/OFF thermostats I mean. The Hydrofarm has a rather slow-reacting probe, much better for soil temperature control rather than for heat tape.
Why would you not suggest putting the temp probe directly in the tub? I see the functionality for the smaller racks (removal) for ease of access, but for the larger ARS, that are not easily removed? Just asking out of curiosity.
Thanks for another good video. There is a product which I have been using for about a year and a half which I got to know about from one of Al Coritz’s (Viperkeeper) videos. It is called SensorPush, and measures temperature and humidity on a continuous basis, with great accuracy. If one buys the Gateway, one can check info anywhere, provided a wi-fi signal is available. I find it invaluable when I’m away from home. SensorPush have a very good online help line as well.
Awesome vid. You’re info is so spot on! One comment and two questions. Herpstat instructions say NOT to use aluminum foil tape. Their words “this will cause false readings and poor regulation”. I know, caught me by surprise also. My racks are melamine, and I routered a trough beneath the heat tape for probe placement. I’m not sure that’s the best way, just experimented. I think I covered the trough with foil tape so I may remove it. Question: does it matter if probe is perpendicular to heat tape elements or parallel to them? Question:I’ve seen racks with individual strips of heat tape for each level, and racks with one long piece of heat tape that serpentines through each level. Do you have a preference or a comment as to performance of either method?
I have no idea what you would hold the thermostat probe with if you don't use foil tape. I'd be curious if they recommend something different. It shouldn't make a difference where you put the probe as long as it's on the heat tape. And regarding the rocks with multiple sheets or one solid sheet, I personally prefer the multiple sheets so if I don't use the whole rack I can unplug it only use what I need vs powering the whole strip if I have one snake in a five slot rack
I was surprised to hear how you feel about jumpstart thermostats, I’ve used mine for a little over a year and a half with my heat cables and my temperatures have never been more than one or two degrees off. I do only use one 10 foot heat cable per thermostat though so maybe they’re easily overwhelmed by powering multiple or larger heat sources
I've had some that work perfectly and others that were absolute trash. I think overall the consistency of that product is what lacks. Or, you made a good point that it could be due to the amount of power that I'm pumping through them but I just don't trust them to be accurate enough
That’s pretty much all I use. I put a generally last 3 to 4 years, but they’re so inexpensive that I really don’t care if I buy two or three of them. It still is cheaper than some of the alternatives.
Hello Jason after watching your video about the thermostats I bought the ink bird itc. What would you recommend on putting the cooling difference value on. It’s for my ball pythons so I’m using heat but I didn’t know if that matters about what I ask you
I was actually really curious about the different types of thermostats. Thanks for your advice, opinion and just bringing more research to important topics another great video. Thank you! 😊 ps. One day I hope to be able to handle snakes as smoothly as you do. The snake looks so content
Have had my Jumpstart for my leopard gecko currently 4 going on 5 years, and is just now getting weird, with the numbers flickering back and forth, stopped when I pressed the set button, but I'm paranoid. Still working, but I'm researching to see if I can find something better or if I should stick to Jumpstart. Just one leo with a heatmat and che. Edit: Oh yeah, the probe can definitely be a battle. It has a thing for not touching the liner (non-adhesive), so I have to adjust accordingly. Other than that, I've been pretty happy with it. Maybe I have a different model than you did, but the way mine worked is that I set it at the max temp I wanted. That was the temp it would shut down. Then it would cool down and turn back on at about 3 degrees F lower, and so on. But it only has one plug, so there is that. I use a home depot dimmer switch for my che now and that feels better for both of us. Gonna get my baby a deep heat projector one day.
Wow, you are the first person I have come across that also uses Inkbird Thermostats. I have used Helix thermostats before they even made their DBS 1000's that's how long I have had them. I moved in 2017 and started using InkBird C929 on a whim. Slowly but surely I replaced all of my Helix DBS 1000's with the Inkbirds. These units are fantastic. The key for me is that they are WiFi controlled. I can view, modify and check status on my snake room any time throughout the day or night from the App on my phone. I also have Wifi camera's too but that's another story. These units have performed flawlessly for several years now. I have tried to turn on other keepers to them but nobody trusts a $45 dollar thermostat they have never heard of. They are rated for 1200 watts which is plenty load capable. But the ability to just check temps before I go to bed, while on the road etc.. is awesome. They are very accurate I have used temp guns and I originally ran my Helix DBS 1000 side by side with to confirm accuracy. They were originally used for brewing beer, super cool and you can track temps for up a month too. They have a new one out for aquarium users with duel probes. I may but one to check it out. Good advice to those willing to listen. AJ
Thanks you! And yes a helix was one of my first real thermostats. But the inkbird wifi are so awesome since they track the temps and I can control everything from my phone.
So are you saying that the probe that reads the temp is supposed to be on the heat tape? I have mine in-between the heat pad and tank, like directly in the center of the heat pad and I have heat tape on the outside of my heat pad.
My heat mat didn’t work and so I got another heat mat yesterday for my sand boa and it won’t work either. I have the thermostat probe on the inside on the enclosure suction upped to the bottom of the tank where my snake hangs out on the side where the heat mat is. The mat won’t get hot enough. I need it around 90-95 degrees and I have the thermostat set up for 95 but it only gets to about 85 so I have to set the thermostat a bit more hotter and even yet the heat mats temps still are everywhere. On the thermostat it says the temp is like 97 but then I check exactly where the probe is and my temperature gun only reads about 85 degrees. I thought the heat mat was the one that wasn’t working so I got another one but it doesn’t work either. Do you think it’s the thermostat or what should I do?
You want to put to probe on the outside of the enclosure on the heat mat. You control them temp of the mat to get the inside temp you want. My guess is its either too cold overall for the heat pad to get the temp where you need it and you may need an additional heat source or it a low quality heat pad or its your thermostat. That was the problem I had with the jump start thermostats. They would never supply enough power to run the temp correctly.
Keep in mind that those humid heat mats are designed so that they don't get more than about 95 to 100 degrees. Many of them can run without a thermostat but it is always good practice to put a thermostat on there.
I absolutely agree with you Jason. The spider robotics and the inkbird thermostats along with a temp gun is your best choices for the money and quality.
I've been using inkbird for about 4 years and with heat tape, they are great, never had any kind of failure or issue. Not a good choice with a ceramic bulb though, you really need pulse proportional or you get crazy heat spikes because of how long it takes for the ceramic to cool back down.
@@morrisnakes I mean, as long as the house doesn’t fluctuate too badly I don’t see much of an issue for where I currently live in. Def want to upgrade to a herpstat tho
@@takuyamatsuda7214 Certainly helps to have a stable room temp. Mine is decently stable but it still does vary a little bit seasonally because the house ac/heating only works so well at keeping all the rooms evenly cooled/heated.
Ceramic bulbs pretty much require a proportional controller, or else a dimmer plugged into an on/off thermostat. The latter method is more of a manual control with overtemp protection, but it is better than on/off control by itself.
Great video as I am looking for a thermostat as a back up. I do have a question though, does it fail in the off position? So if by chance it does malfunction it will kill the power vs letting the heat run full power.
If the failure is caused by your heater, such as a short circuit, then it is possible for the output to fail ON. However, for heat tape in racks or heat pads on tanks, the chances of a short are way small. If the unit’s circuit card malfunctions, it can go either way, but most designs are as fail-safe as possible. User error is the most common cause of failure or bad results. Such as using too powerful of a heater with a thermostat that has slow probe response (like the Hydrofarms)
Great video. In the U.K. we have a company called Microclimate who make an absolutely fantastic range of stats. I don’t think you can get them in the States, which is a shame
Is the Inc Bird Smart ITC 306T a good model I don't need a cooling option but I have two heaters a Heat Projector and a Heat Mat for my African Fat Tail Geckos and I really like the Wifi option and the really good price on them and I've heard good things about Inkinird
This has been so helpful. I’m looking to get a pink tongue skink and I’ve been searching for good thermostats to control the heat bulb and inkbird on the list for ones that may be good. Edit: I just noticed you said a rheostat is for lights so my bad lol
Hah thank you!! Been good. Still super busy but trying to get one video away for you guys. Breeding season is going very well! Hope you are doing well!! Thank you for asking
I thought about it but I don't really want to make this Channel about trying to make money and I would hate to recommend a product unless it's something I purchased myself from the same vendor. So besides the thermostats, thats about it.
@@JasonsExoticReptiles It's not about the money. It's about providing us the convenience of having quick access to the equipment you do use and whatever else you talk about. People will take heed of your comments and make their own decisions. Making money means you are providing value to others- no need to be shy about it. My 2 cents.
Thanks, I got a Inkbird through amazon yesterday. Before finding this video I might add. This one is not WiFi. They had two different probe styles I got Model Itc306t if anyone has info on these? Thanks
It depends on the type of heat source that you are using, but if you are using a heat pad or heat tape, the temperature of the thermostat should control the temperature of the heat tape. Your enclosure will be cooler than the actual heat tape typically
That would be a generator. I fortunately live in a place where we would rarely loose power for that long but everyone's situation is different. It also depends on where you live and if this happened in the winter or summer
Anybody know any thermostats that are under 30 dollars and works well with DHP’s and uses the proportional mode that just stays the same temp the whole time or if so a on/off thermostat
I have one VE. I'm about to use it as a backup. The rest of my stats are herpstats. But I have had a herpstat probe fail on me. However at least it failed by not heating enough instead of too much. I'd rather the snake have to be cold for a bit than get cooked. I'm about to throw out all of my "jumpstart" type stats. They actually did ok for temps back when I used them. But I've heard too many failure stories, and they'll fail to "on" and burn your animals. For my small rack system which has 4 individual racks for 4 snakes. I eventually just want a herpstat 4 to regulate it all. And then I'll just have a ton of reliable backups. Great video though, I think a quality thermostat is probably THE most important piece of equipment you have to have.
Thank you! And I agree. Maybe I'm just had bad luck with some of them but I found it across the thermostats some are more consistent in terms of quality like the inkbird or the herpstat verse others like the jump start. And you have the be ones that have consistently failed and just lost my trust overall
@@JasonsExoticReptiles No stress. Do what you've got to do. Just keep up the videos man. They really do help a lot with improving the care for my reptile. Keep it up! :)
Man, this is one of the most helpful videos out there concerning reptile care. Well done man!
Thank you! Stay tuned for new videos dropping every Friday!
I wish you had pics of all the thermostats you mention. I’m frantically googling while watching lol
I almost put them but ran out of time and just wanted to get the video up
I'm a new leopard gecko owner.. I've been searching for videos on thermostats and I have to say... this is a gem! I really didn't even understand the concept of what a thermostat even does or the difference between them I guess. It never dawned on me until you mention how our houses run on a thermostat. Duh 🤦🏼♀️ My furnace runs on a thermostat obviously, but I never put that together with this. Now I get the whole on and off function vs the proportional/dimming type. I really appreciate this video!
Great video!
Herpstat 2 with pro products heat panel in an Animal Plastic cage is what I use for my Sunglow Boa. Love them all!!!
Thank you so much!!!! Great timing just what I was looking for. Another very well put together video 😊👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Thank you!
I use the inkbird and so far its been a great working thermostat. My rabbit got out and chomped the probe chord smooth in half and it started making the loudest alarm noise to let me know something was wrong. I was officially impressed with them after that lol.
For the money they really are fantastic
this is great news because for me in Australia the jump start ones are unavailable and I've been to scared to try the ink bird one
Bro this is the best video I've seen regarding thermostats, I'll check out that ink bird, and I've been looking at the spider robotics ones. Vivarium VE200 I was looking at that but I may stay away because of your review, thank you for the heads up! Can't be having repeated failures
On the subject of the jump start thermostats I’ve had mine for almost a year now and it’s been great and I think the big reason why is because I’m just using it for a single sheet of flex watt with a single enclosure cause I only have one snake and as it’s set up now it’s seems to work fantastic for an on off style thermostat I do keep a close eye on it but it’s been very consistent and reliable thus far…however I will but upgrading soon to a herpstat as soon as I can afford it just cause I’d prefer something with better safety features more consistent temp control and possibly humidity control as well
I'm going through the exact same thing Jason was talking about with the Vivarium Electronics thermostats. Fresh out of the box, brand new, the first one just randomly stopped working and I had to cut the power to get it to work again. I thought "no problem, probably just a random malfunction," and bought another one. It worked fine for a month and then started having the exact same problem as the first one.
If they just failed outright I wouldn't have cared as much, but the first one actually tried to cook my snakes. It was set to 88 degrees and was reading 86 degrees, could never seem to get up to 88 on the screen so it would just STAY ON, if I hadn't had other thermometers in the bins I would never have known temperatures were getting up to 104 degrees inside the bins, and 124 degrees on the heat tape itself.
I have no idea what it is, but every time I go to an expo and ask what the breeders' preferred thermostat is they always recommend VE over Spyder Robotics. My one Herpstat 2 has NEVER failed on me in the two years I've had it, I don't know what everyone is smoking. The VE-300x2 is the same exact price as the Herpstat 2, but only one of these brands actually seems to work.
**angry rant off**
I been getting back into ball pythons for a few months now n ur Chanel has been a great help man I an ocd type of mf n was good info to knnoe
I started with a Herpstat for my corn snake's basking light, then when my wife got her ball python we just started out with a $20ish on/off (not the Jumpstart one, I think it's BN Link) and a $20ish dimming for the time being until we're ready to make his permanent enclosure. I'm comfortable with the cheap ones because I work from home and can check my temps periodically throughout the day, but honestly I think long-term I'm going to want all my permanent adult enclosures to be on Herpstats (if I can manage to afford them lol). I got the newer version with wifi access which is terrific, and my experience with it has been top notch.
They definitely can have a bit of a learning curve to them though. It took me months to figure out I needed to turn on basking assist to prevent my light from shutting itself on and off once it reached the target temp.
Jump start isn’t bad if you have one snake but more than that you get issues. I have a jumpstart on my only ball python and it works fine.
love your input. I use ink bird probes on pro heat panels because I don't have a reptile room I can keep warm. I use the panels and ink birds and they let me get a perfect 90 degree warm side and an 80 degree cool side on the individual enclosures.
@@Yukonemily I use the ITC-308 and it works great. I just looked for the "blue one" and what I found had a day/night mode which would be even cooler.
I am a reseller for 1 of the brands you mentioned and wanted to share some input here. Being a reseller I talk with a lot of people with pros and cons of other brands. I would agree with probably 90% of what you mentioned however I have herd a LOT of comments from people of inkbirds failing, they usually start off pretty good and randomly malfunction after a bit of use. Watch your temps really closely with those because they fail in the on position. Secondly I wanted to address your mention of probe placement, aluminum tape can and often times does cause interference with the probe & thermostat. It holds the best however can cause misread temps or errors, electrical tape is preferred as it doesn't cause interference, down side though, it doesn't hold as well. Always check probes to ensure they are secured in place and damage free
I have used my 4 InkBirds for quite awhile with no hiccups at all. I am not sure that if it fails it fails in the "On" position but nonetheless I monitor constantly plus you can notified if it goes beyond set parameters and If all else fails you can remotely turn it off.
@@aureliosiracusa8764 That is great, I hope you don't ever have issues. All I'm saying is what I've herd from customers of mine.
@@ZackGreensReptiles I have used my InkBird C929s for over 2 yrs now. I use 4 and no issues at all. I live in San Diego, so our winter's are light. You might want to check with your clients what model they used.
I've been out of the Boa game for 10 years but kept all my equipment just incase...
I've recently just gotten into Ball pythons and waiting on my first one to ship.
I have the ORIGINAL herpstat from spider robotics... I loved the thing! But I've lost the probe which is real frustrating. I just check their site and they've discontinued it!!!!
so here I am. I have to be budget friendly with whatever I get because of the wife 😆 ... I'm lucky she even said yes that I can get back into this.... I'll have to check out the ink bird.... why model do you recommend?
Herpstats are still awesome but I like the ink bird with wifi. I think the 308
Wish there was a mention of which thermostats have dimming output for heat lamps. Using a rheostat is different/more basic control requiring you to constantly check the temps. So far I have found Herpstat 1, 2, 4 etc, and Exo Terra thermostats (with screen but watch out for the model with a light sensor in temp probe as it makes using night drop impossible if u have a heat lamp attached) have dimming output. I got a Exo Terra 600W PT2463 and the temp probe cable is so thick and only 6ft long. The heat lamp dimming is also not smooth. So now Im going to get the Herpstat 2 which has sunrise/sunset ramping, very smooth light dimming & a nice thin 12ft temp probe.
I absolutely love my herpstat thermostats. I'm getting the herpstat 6 for my snake rack soon. I have a few of the herpstat 2 red line and they are so awesome!
Herpstat are fantastic. I would probably have all herpstat if I felt like dropping a couple thousand dollars on thermostats
I just got this thermostat and started using it a few days ago. Thanks for this video I really need some reassurance with this thermostat. I also love i can see it on my phone.
Inkbird, Johnson, Ranco - they use probes and sampling that has a reaction time suitable enough for reptile racks and heat tape. For ON/OFF thermostats I mean. The Hydrofarm has a rather slow-reacting probe, much better for soil temperature control rather than for heat tape.
Thanks Jason for another great video 👍 love that pearl island boa!
Thank you!
Why would you not suggest putting the temp probe directly in the tub? I see the functionality for the smaller racks (removal) for ease of access, but for the larger ARS, that are not easily removed? Just asking out of curiosity.
Temp probe in the tub can work but there is a huge risk of the snake moving the probe
Very cool and informative video my friend, thank you so much.
This helps so much! Thank you
Thanks for another good video. There is a product which I have been using for about a year and a half which I got to know about from one of Al Coritz’s (Viperkeeper) videos. It is called SensorPush, and measures temperature and humidity on a continuous basis, with great accuracy. If one buys the Gateway, one can check info anywhere, provided a wi-fi signal is available. I find it invaluable when I’m away from home. SensorPush have a very good online help line as well.
That's similar to the inkbird thermostat but it doesn't do humidity. I believe herpstat has one that does that as well but it can be quite expensive.
Awesome vid. You’re info is so spot on! One comment and two questions. Herpstat instructions say NOT to use aluminum foil tape. Their words “this will cause false readings and poor regulation”. I know, caught me by surprise also. My racks are melamine, and I routered a trough beneath the heat tape for probe placement. I’m not sure that’s the best way, just experimented. I think I covered the trough with foil tape so I may remove it. Question: does it matter if probe is perpendicular to heat tape elements or parallel to them? Question:I’ve seen racks with individual strips of heat tape for each level, and racks with one long piece of heat tape that serpentines through each level. Do you have a preference or a comment as to performance of either method?
I have no idea what you would hold the thermostat probe with if you don't use foil tape. I'd be curious if they recommend something different. It shouldn't make a difference where you put the probe as long as it's on the heat tape. And regarding the rocks with multiple sheets or one solid sheet, I personally prefer the multiple sheets so if I don't use the whole rack I can unplug it only use what I need vs powering the whole strip if I have one snake in a five slot rack
I was surprised to hear how you feel about jumpstart thermostats, I’ve used mine for a little over a year and a half with my heat cables and my temperatures have never been more than one or two degrees off. I do only use one 10 foot heat cable per thermostat though so maybe they’re easily overwhelmed by powering multiple or larger heat sources
I've had some that work perfectly and others that were absolute trash. I think overall the consistency of that product is what lacks. Or, you made a good point that it could be due to the amount of power that I'm pumping through them but I just don't trust them to be accurate enough
Awesome info. Just got my temp gun. Been waiting to get a thermostat because I cannot decide which is best. Needed this video 👍
Awesome man. Glad it helped!
Good thing i watched this vid, was going to buy the JumpStart one, will grab the Inkbird instead along their Hygrostat, thanks!
Are you still using the inkbird thermostats? How have they been holding up?
That’s pretty much all I use. I put a generally last 3 to 4 years, but they’re so inexpensive that I really don’t care if I buy two or three of them. It still is cheaper than some of the alternatives.
Thank you so much for the help definitely subscribed!!!
Hello Jason after watching your video about the thermostats I bought the ink bird itc. What would you recommend on putting the cooling difference value on. It’s for my ball pythons so I’m using heat but I didn’t know if that matters about what I ask you
Thank you
I put my heating and cooling all on a 1 degree difference with Fahrenheit
@@JasonsExoticReptiles thank you perfect
I was actually really curious about the different types of thermostats. Thanks for your advice, opinion and just bringing more research to important topics another great video. Thank you! 😊 ps. One day I hope to be able to handle snakes as smoothly as you do. The snake looks so content
Thank you! I'm happy you found this video helpful!
Have had my Jumpstart for my leopard gecko currently 4 going on 5 years, and is just now getting weird, with the numbers flickering back and forth, stopped when I pressed the set button, but I'm paranoid. Still working, but I'm researching to see if I can find something better or if I should stick to Jumpstart. Just one leo with a heatmat and che.
Edit: Oh yeah, the probe can definitely be a battle. It has a thing for not touching the liner (non-adhesive), so I have to adjust accordingly. Other than that, I've been pretty happy with it. Maybe I have a different model than you did, but the way mine worked is that I set it at the max temp I wanted. That was the temp it would shut down. Then it would cool down and turn back on at about 3 degrees F lower, and so on. But it only has one plug, so there is that. I use a home depot dimmer switch for my che now and that feels better for both of us. Gonna get my baby a deep heat projector one day.
Wow, you are the first person I have come across that also uses Inkbird Thermostats. I have used Helix thermostats before they even made their DBS 1000's that's how long I have had them. I moved in 2017 and started using InkBird C929 on a whim. Slowly but surely I replaced all of my Helix DBS 1000's with the Inkbirds. These units are fantastic. The key for me is that they are WiFi controlled. I can view, modify and check status on my snake room any time throughout the day or night from the App on my phone. I also have Wifi camera's too but that's another story. These units have performed flawlessly for several years now. I have tried to turn on other keepers to them but nobody trusts a $45 dollar thermostat they have never heard of. They are rated for 1200 watts which is plenty load capable. But the ability to just check temps before I go to bed, while on the road etc.. is awesome. They are very accurate I have used temp guns and I originally ran my Helix DBS 1000 side by side with to confirm accuracy. They were originally used for brewing beer, super cool and you can track temps for up a month too. They have a new one out for aquarium users with duel probes. I may but one to check it out. Good advice to those willing to listen.
AJ
Thanks you! And yes a helix was one of my first real thermostats. But the inkbird wifi are so awesome since they track the temps and I can control everything from my phone.
I think it's time for a tour of them bins behind you, would be interesting to see what's inside of them.
Yes definitely need to get on that
@@JasonsExoticReptiles Just put the word quarantine in the title, and you're going to get a major increase in new viewers.
As well I have invested on some inkbirds, thank you for the information
I love them so far.
So are you saying that the probe that reads the temp is supposed to be on the heat tape? I have mine in-between the heat pad and tank, like directly in the center of the heat pad and I have heat tape on the outside of my heat pad.
Your place is correct.
My heat mat didn’t work and so I got another heat mat yesterday for my sand boa and it won’t work either. I have the thermostat probe on the inside on the enclosure suction upped to the bottom of the tank where my snake hangs out on the side where the heat mat is. The mat won’t get hot enough. I need it around 90-95 degrees and I have the thermostat set up for 95 but it only gets to about 85 so I have to set the thermostat a bit more hotter and even yet the heat mats temps still are everywhere. On the thermostat it says the temp is like 97 but then I check exactly where the probe is and my temperature gun only reads about 85 degrees. I thought the heat mat was the one that wasn’t working so I got another one but it doesn’t work either. Do you think it’s the thermostat or what should I do?
You want to put to probe on the outside of the enclosure on the heat mat. You control them temp of the mat to get the inside temp you want. My guess is its either too cold overall for the heat pad to get the temp where you need it and you may need an additional heat source or it a low quality heat pad or its your thermostat. That was the problem I had with the jump start thermostats. They would never supply enough power to run the temp correctly.
Jason's Exotic Reptiles The heat mat is a zoo med and the thermostat is one of those cheap amazon ones so yea it’s probably the thermostat
Keep in mind that those humid heat mats are designed so that they don't get more than about 95 to 100 degrees. Many of them can run without a thermostat but it is always good practice to put a thermostat on there.
Jason's Exotic Reptiles ok thanks I will try to not use the thermostat and be checking the temps if gets too hot I’ll use the thermostat again
I agree on the temp gun, but right now they are hard to find.
I just get the ones from homedepot in the electrical section. Way better and cheaper than the reptile ones
I absolutely agree with you Jason. The spider robotics and the inkbird thermostats along with a temp gun is your best choices for the money and quality.
Links and photos would have certainly been helpful
thank you for your videos big fan. Just ordered the inkbird wifi thermostat for 4 baby ball pythons
I really like them!
I've been using inkbird for about 4 years and with heat tape, they are great, never had any kind of failure or issue. Not a good choice with a ceramic bulb though, you really need pulse proportional or you get crazy heat spikes because of how long it takes for the ceramic to cool back down.
I just hook up a dimmer to a thermostat
@@takuyamatsuda7214 Interesting. Seems like it would work better than without, but still would have some issues with overheating/underheating.
@@morrisnakes I mean, as long as the house doesn’t fluctuate too badly I don’t see much of an issue for where I currently live in. Def want to upgrade to a herpstat tho
@@takuyamatsuda7214 Certainly helps to have a stable room temp. Mine is decently stable but it still does vary a little bit seasonally because the house ac/heating only works so well at keeping all the rooms evenly cooled/heated.
Ceramic bulbs pretty much require a proportional controller, or else a dimmer plugged into an on/off thermostat. The latter method is more of a manual control with overtemp protection, but it is better than on/off control by itself.
Great video as I am looking for a thermostat as a back up.
I do have a question though, does it fail in the off position? So if by chance it does malfunction it will kill the power vs letting the heat run full power.
I'm not really sure. They way my setups are allows for snakes to always get away from the heat so even if failed on they can get away to a cool area
If the failure is caused by your heater, such as a short circuit, then it is possible for the output to fail ON. However, for heat tape in racks or heat pads on tanks, the chances of a short are way small.
If the unit’s circuit card malfunctions, it can go either way, but most designs are as fail-safe as possible.
User error is the most common cause of failure or bad results. Such as using too powerful of a heater with a thermostat that has slow probe response (like the Hydrofarms)
Great video. In the U.K. we have a company called Microclimate who make an absolutely fantastic range of stats. I don’t think you can get them in the States, which is a shame
Yes I've never hear of them
We have habistat too, brilliant range here. I use a combination of both microclimate and habistat and everything’s been good for years.
Handsome! Great camera presence 👌
Thank you!
I am considering the ink bird WiFi though but a jump start works ok for only one snake. Again I stress only one snake.
I honestly don't know why all thermostats don't have Wi-Fi at this point. Such a useful function. The alerts are really amazing.
I’ve got 2 ink birds and I have problems out of both
I really hope my VE doesn't fail it was $.
Will definitely look for a new brand for my corn snake.
I wouldn't get worried. I know many people who swear by them. They have just let me down too many time for me to take the chance
Is the Inc Bird Smart ITC 306T a good model I don't need a cooling option but I have two heaters a Heat Projector and a Heat Mat for my African Fat Tail Geckos and I really like the Wifi option and the really good price on them and I've heard good things about Inkinird
This has been so helpful. I’m looking to get a pink tongue skink and I’ve been searching for good thermostats to control the heat bulb and inkbird on the list for ones that may be good.
Edit: I just noticed you said a rheostat is for lights so my bad lol
1 year later, how do you like your ink bird? Is there any chance of it failing and overheating?
I have had them for years and just purchased new ones. No complaints on my end.
Both of mine are wildly inaccurate after a few days, the regular and the Wi-Fi. Shopping for a Herpstat now.
In case no one asked you today; how have you been? 🐞
Hah thank you!! Been good. Still super busy but trying to get one video away for you guys. Breeding season is going very well! Hope you are doing well!! Thank you for asking
we use spyders here never had a single unit go out.
Great thermostat
Please tell me the best thermostats for baby corn snake
You can get affiliate links and add them to the video description for us to see what you're talking about, maybe purchase it, and you also get paid.
I thought about it but I don't really want to make this Channel about trying to make money and I would hate to recommend a product unless it's something I purchased myself from the same vendor. So besides the thermostats, thats about it.
@@JasonsExoticReptiles It's not about the money. It's about providing us the convenience of having quick access to the equipment you do use and whatever else you talk about. People will take heed of your comments and make their own decisions. Making money means you are providing value to others- no need to be shy about it. My 2 cents.
Herpstat works well and is reliable for flexwatt and heat panels here. :)
Thanks, I got a Inkbird through amazon yesterday. Before finding this video I might add. This one is not WiFi. They had two different probe styles I got Model Itc306t if anyone has info on these? Thanks
I have the 306itc with wifi. Same as without wifi. Great thermostats in my opinion
Bro whats ur thoughts on heat mat thermostat brand its meant for plants another UA-camr has one I got one havent used it yet what u think
Never heard of them
Great video bro but a heater tho😲 lol ! I had to bust your chops! Stay safe!!
Yes, that was pretty dumb. It actually worked fantastic for a few months until it fried one day
Is the thermostat temp the actually enclosure temperature? Or just the head pad Temp or whatever.
It depends on the type of heat source that you are using, but if you are using a heat pad or heat tape, the temperature of the thermostat should control the temperature of the heat tape. Your enclosure will be cooler than the actual heat tape typically
Jason's Exotic Reptiles- Ok thanks for the help.
I run on inkbird...they’re perfect to me.
Same
They are so good for the money
Great video and information thanks
Thanks for watching!
What is the back up plan in case of a 5-7 day "or longer" power loss of the structure they are kept at i.e. storm/ power grid issue etc etc?
That would be a generator. I fortunately live in a place where we would rarely loose power for that long but everyone's situation is different. It also depends on where you live and if this happened in the winter or summer
Hey what's your thoughts on a heating cable?
It has a time in place but limited use for most things
Inkbird needs to sponsor you after this
Haha right!
We use herpstat also and love them
They are fantastic thermostat
Anybody know any thermostats that are under 30 dollars and works well with DHP’s and uses the proportional mode that just stays the same temp the whole time or if so a on/off thermostat
Great info. Thank you
Thanks for watching!
I have one VE. I'm about to use it as a backup. The rest of my stats are herpstats.
But I have had a herpstat probe fail on me. However at least it failed by not heating enough instead of too much. I'd rather the snake have to be cold for a bit than get cooked.
I'm about to throw out all of my "jumpstart" type stats. They actually did ok for temps back when I used them. But I've heard too many failure stories, and they'll fail to "on" and burn your animals.
For my small rack system which has 4 individual racks for 4 snakes. I eventually just want a herpstat 4 to regulate it all. And then I'll just have a ton of reliable backups.
Great video though, I think a quality thermostat is probably THE most important piece of equipment you have to have.
Thank you! And I agree. Maybe I'm just had bad luck with some of them but I found it across the thermostats some are more consistent in terms of quality like the inkbird or the herpstat verse others like the jump start. And you have the be ones that have consistently failed and just lost my trust overall
What's the best hydrometer
Honestly never used one so I couldn't tell you.
As of now the VE thermostat info is not quite correct.
They lost me long ago to the point where I’ll never try them to find out.
Herpstat is the only way to go!
They are fantastic thermostats
everything you need for you ball python wnclpsure
Show some pictures, mate. :'(
I would have but put this together quick and didn't want copy right issues if I took from Google. If you Google the names they will pop up
@@JasonsExoticReptiles No stress. Do what you've got to do.
Just keep up the videos man. They really do help a lot with improving the care for my reptile.
Keep it up! :)
First?
Fantastic video, got a baby boa that’s doing great
Thank you for watching!