Please don't use those analog dials.

Here's what's up, y'all. Those analog dials are bad for your animals. I know, I know, that's what every pet store sells and what every kit comes with. But spoiler alert, that doesn't make them a good choice. Let's break it down.

1. They're inaccurate

This is not to say that in all cases analog thermometers or hygrometers are inaccurate. BUT if you want an accurate one? It's gonna cost you more than these dingy little things do. They are shown to be less accurate than digital ones, and because they can't give you a specific temperature or humidity % (again, they're cheap ones), you don't know what your exact temps are. And for some species, that may not be as crucial, but let's be honest, it's better if you can just tell at a glance what is going on in your tank/tub/microenvironment.

Having inaccurate temps/humidity means your animals risk of illness is higher, the risk of them going off feed is higher, just.. a lot of things can go wrong. It's really important that you know what's up inside your enclosure, and these are just a really bad tool for that.

If you want a more specific example of their ineffectiveness, Check This Out.

2. They have adhesives.

Here's a really good reason not to use these things. They have adhesives on them. 90% of these dials have some kind of adhesive (either just a sticky pad, or a sticky pad with velcro, but either way, an adhesive is involved here). Especially for humidity loving species (ball pythons, iguanas, chameleons, boas, etc etc), that humidity is actively disrupting the way the adhesive holds and reducing it's effectiveness. However, when they fall? They are still SUPER sticky.

The stickiness is a huge danger risk to your animal. If these get stuck to your animal they can cause A LOT OF DAMAGE. Both from your reptile trying to remove it themselves, and *you* trying to remove it. Don't believe me? Well just below are some graphic images of reptiles who found themselves stuck to an adhesive dial thermometer.

GRAPHIC IMAGES AHEAD DON'T SAY

I DIDN'T WARN YOU

Really.

They're coming.

Deep breath.

The best rule of thumb is no adhesives (tape, tacky glue, etc) inside your reptile enclosure. This is a big risk to them and can cost you a lot of money in treatment depending on the severity of the injury.

Now. To be clear, this is not attacking anyone. I myself have used them in the past because I didn't know better. It's ok. We all are given bad information at least once, and we all make mistakes. But the important part is we can learn and grow from it.

So, what can we use instead you ask? Well here's my go-to tools for temps and humidity. And they work *great*. So please, do yourself a favor. Find something that's more accurate, and doesn't pose a health risk to your animal. And spread the word! These things are like the first item off the shelf when someone asks at a pet store what they need. They're bad news and I wish everyone would stop selling them. Just like heat rocks. But that's another blog for another time.

Acurite digital thermometer and hygrometer

I place one of these at each end of my enclosure so I know just what is up on the hot side and the cool side

Digital probed thermometer

Great for spot checking specific air temps (I have one that tells me the temp in the middle of the enclosure, while acurites tell me warm/cool ends)

Temp gun

For spot checking surface temps, very important.

**Note: this does not replace a thermometer to measure air temps.**

And, while not for checking temperatures (please don't do this, it's not how this works). This is my reminder that all heat sources should be regulated, and the absolute best way to do that is with a thermostat. Here's a cheap one that works great and keeps my snakes a-ok.

Century Digital Probed Thermostat

Much love y'all, take care of your scaley babies.