All reptiles, amphibians and invertebrates are termed ‘cold blooded’. This isn’t strictly true, they are in fact ectothermic which means they cannot regulate their own body temperature, they rely upon their environment to maintain their correct temperature. There’s nothing cold about a Bearded Dragon’s blood when it’s kept correctly!
This is why, as herp keepers, it’s so important for us to provide our pets with an accurate temperature that matches the environment the animal has evolved to live in.
There are many devices we use to heat vivariums, terrariums, tanks etc. But, in the same way our house central heating isn’t on 24-7, these devices need to be regulated to maintain the temperature we choose.
A thermostat is an essential piece of equipment that will regulate your chosen heating device. A thermostat is basically a unit consisting of a temperature sensor and a power output that you plug your heater into. If the sensor tells the thermostat that the environment is too hot, it turns the heater off or down, and vice versa.
There are many different types of thermostat, each offer different benefits so it’s important that you choose the right one.
On/ Off Thermostats
These are the most basic thermostat. The thermostat switches a heater on full power until the set temperature is achieved. It then switches the heater off completely until the temperature drops below the set value, then the cycle starts over again. With this type of thermostat there will be a small fluctuation in temperature but they are still great for heat mats and ceramic heaters where small fluctuations are acceptable. They are unsuitable for light bulbs as the constant on/ off action will result in a short bulb life.
Examples: Habistat Mat Stat, Habistat Temp Stat, Komodo Habitat Thermostat, Lucky Reptile Thermo Control II
Dimming Thermostat
Dimmer stats are very accurate. They are designed for use on light bulbs. They work the same as a household light dimming switch. By supplying variable amounts of power to a bulb, the heat is increased and decreased as required.
Examples: Habistat Dimming Thermostat, Microclimate B1 Dimmer Stat
Pulse Proportional
Designed for use with ceramic heaters, pule proportional thermostats are extremely accurate. Once the desired temperature in the vivarium is achieved the thermostat them changes and sends the power to the heater in small bursts. This alleviates the temperature swing that occurs with basic on/ off thermostats. These thermostats are also good for using in home made egg incubation units where accuracy is crucial.
Examples: Habistat Pulse Proportional Thermostat, Microclimate DL2 Pulse Stat
Do you have a thermostat already?
We’re passionate about providing our animals with the correct environment and temperature. We’d really like you to be able to do the same, so we’ll be selling all our thermostats at a discounted rate throughout the whole of October 2009.
The get £10 off any thermostat that we sell online, simply choose the thermostat that is best for you (contact us if you need help) and enter the following voucher code into your shopping basket.
10TEMP
Click here to visit our complete range of thermostats
Please comment here at the blog to share your experiences with thermostats, and help other reptile keepers make informed decisions.
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