# Hygrometer/Thermometer



## revolution (Aug 3, 2009)

Does anyone have a favorite Temp/Hygro gauge that takes temperature, and humidity INSIDE the vivarium? I cant find any that have any positive reviews, and very few that show humidity levels inside of the vivarium.

Brad


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## ChrisK (Oct 28, 2008)

Yeah the exo terra DIGITAL ones with the probes work really good for me


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

ChrisK said:


> Yeah the exo terra DIGITAL ones with the probes work really good for me


I had two crap out on me this week alone. I won't buy another one. They're less than 6 months old 

I'm looking for a nice analog one that can go in the viv as well. I see the Europeans use them a lot.


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## joshsfrogs (May 6, 2004)

> I had two crap out on me this week alone. I won't buy another one. They're less than 6 months old


How did you have them setup and what crapped out on them? We have had a lot of customers put the entire unit in the viv only to have it stop working or register weird temps due to water/condensation in the unit itself.


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

joshsfrogs said:


> How did you have them setup and what crapped out on them? We have had a lot of customers put the entire unit in the viv only to have it stop working or register weird temps due to water/condensation in the unit itself.


They're the digital ones with the probe. The probe is in the viv. Display outside. I have two that are stuck at 99% humidity and the vivs are not 99% humidity. I don't keep my humidity that high. I like it around 85% - 90%. I tried taking the battery out and replacing it and it still reads 99%, even in the room. I wish I kept the receipt.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

ChrisK said:


> Yeah the exo terra DIGITAL ones with the probes work really good for me


I can second that, but mine isn't more than a month old.


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## joshsfrogs (May 6, 2004)

> The probe is in the viv. Display outside. I have two that are stuck at 99% humidity and the vivs are not 99% humidity.


How do you keep condensation off the probe?


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

It's about 3/4 the way up in the viv and doesn't get misted directly.


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

I was planning on getting the exo terra temp and hygro meters. are they really that bad or whats a better product?


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Dizzle21 said:


> I was planning on getting the exo terra temp and hygro meters. are they really that bad or whats a better product?


yes

Hand

Eyeball


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

Im a newbie to vivs. idk if i could tell the humidity level by feeling inside.


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## jeffdart (May 21, 2008)

If your glass is fogged up through out the day, the humidity is probably where you need it.


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Philsuma said:


> yes
> 
> Hand
> 
> Eyeball


You can look in a viv and tell if it's 70% humidity or 90% humidity?


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

jeffdart said:


> If your glass is fogged up through out the day, the humidity is probably where you need it.


Or it could be condensation on the glass due to warmer temp. in the viv that's virtually sealed and the room temp. Much like a cold beer in a warm room. Is the inside of your beer humid or is it just cold and the room warm?

I like a lot of air flow in my tanks so a gauge is needed.


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

frogfreak said:


> You can look in a viv and tell if it's 70% humidity or 90% humidity?


You don't need too....

It's not like the frog is going to explode if the humidity goes up or down by 5 degrees.....or even 20 degrees.

Properly covered glass top that can be moved and adjusted slightly in different ways

Condensation ( without the hot air / beer issue)

sopping wet substrate

pools of water in brom axils

light water on flat leaves

level of water under the false bottom

These are hand-eye things. The variablity of humidity is actually a good thing. Estivation (in our case, SLIGHT drying out ) can help produce breeding in Leucomelas and other species, for one example.

I just hate seeing all the newbs spend money on gauges ect, only to have them fail or give false readings.


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

I've always been paranoid not to let the humidity fall below 80%. Maybe that's because I have so much screen at the top open. I like to be able to see the frogs. Are levels below that ok for short periods? I noticed when the air conditioning was put on it dropped the humidity to. Sucking moisture out of the air. What would you keep the humidity at in a drier period?


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## laylow (Apr 6, 2009)

Philsuma said:


> yes
> 
> Hand
> 
> Eyeball




Ha ha, Amen! I had mine last a whole month. I have to admit, I like having one to watch temps go up and down just to be safe but they just dont last in our vivs


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## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Glenn,

80% is fine for most species. The highend stuff of 90-100%, fully enclosed, no air movement whatsoever....

That's the bad stuff. Bacteria, respiratory issues and illnesses. I believe lack of air movement and constant high humidity significantly contributed to the death of many WC pumilio- mine and several other breeders and importers.

That's why I am so interested in the enclosed microfan thread that was just posted.

I agree, that humidity is something that scares the bejeezus out of newbies. I admit, that I lost sleep over it when I was first getting into the hobby.

Perhaps a more helpful idea would be to calibrate the room that the frog is in. For instance, I have digital units for temp and humidity placed high and low in my basement. I get a good idea on the room humidity and work "backwards" from there....adjusting the glass tops that are over my screens here and there to produce the desired effect -a larger front gap to produce less condensation on the front glass for better viewing, or full on glass with no spaces for more humidity to promote breeding or keep eggs from dessicating.


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Philsuma said:


> Glenn,
> 
> 80% is fine for most species. The highend stuff of 90-100%, fully enclosed, no air movement whatsoever....
> 
> ...


*I plan on getting some glass cut to close the gap a bit. The frogs are in a room that is controlled so to speak, but it's on the second floor. It makes controlling that much more difficult. Our weather is all over the board here. Well over 100 with humidity yesterday and I'm not even breaking a sweat today. It'll take time just like everything else. I had them on every viv before but would feel comfy just having one. *

Thanks


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## Dizzle21 (Aug 11, 2009)

well i feel alittle better that i dont have to spend $25 on meters. or ill just get sum analogs.


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## Occidentalis (Jul 11, 2009)

Occidentalis said:


> I can second that, but mine isn't more than a month old.



I take my words back...My humidity is now stuck on 99%.
Unit is in the slot on top of the hood, probe is suspended in midair in the terrarium away from the mist. 

Going to try to stick the probe in a bag of rice to dry it out.


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## frogfreak (Mar 4, 2009)

Occidentalis said:


> I take my words back...My humidity is now stuck on 99%.
> Unit is in the slot on top of the hood, probe is suspended in midair in the terrarium away from the mist.
> 
> Going to try to stick the probe in a bag of rice to dry it out.



One of mine started working again. I didn't do anything


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