{"id":2508,"date":"2021-02-21T15:33:58","date_gmt":"2021-02-21T15:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.frogpets.com\/?p=2508"},"modified":"2021-06-21T01:05:52","modified_gmt":"2021-06-21T01:05:52","slug":"best-thermostats-for-reptile-amphibian-enclosures","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.frogpets.com\/best-thermostats-for-reptile-amphibian-enclosures\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Thermostats for Reptile & Amphibian Enclosures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Temperature plays a huge role in the health and well-being of all animals, especially reptile and amphibians. Reptiles are ectothermic, which means they can\u2019t produce heat in their own bodies. They depend on their surroundings and the ambient temperature to keep warm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because of this, we reptile owners do our best to provide our pets with the recommended amount of heat. It\u2019s super<\/em> important to maintain their health. After all, our pets have a special place in our hearts and keeping them comfortable is what matter\u2019s the most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heating devices such as ceramic heat emitters, heating pads, heat tape, and basking lamps do well at warming reptile enclosures but it\u2019s best to pair them with a thermostat. A thermostat regulates the temperature by telling the heater to turn on or off<\/strong>. If its too cold, the heater turns on. Too hot and the heater shuts off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good thermostat makes a massive difference in the health of frogs, snakes, lizards, turtles, and other exotic animals. That\u2019s why I\u2019ve taken the time to create a comprehensive guide for buying a thermostat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the end of this page, you\u2019ll feel confident knowing which thermostat is best for you. Rest easy knowing the heating elements are safely providing the perfect amount of heat for your reptiles and amphibians.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The first step is to determine which type of thermostat you need<\/strong>. Don\u2019t worry, I\u2019ve got you covered. I\u2019ll show you which brands are most accurate and most importantly, which thermostat is right for your setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Listed below are the four thermostat brands I think you\u2019ll like. But please, don\u2019t pick one yet; it\u2019s just to show you which ones I\u2019ll be comparing in the review section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Image<\/th>Description<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
\"\"<\/td>Vivarium Electronics<\/a><\/strong> (Best Overall, Expensive)
Another top-notch device. It has basically anything you need to regulate your enclosures<\/td><\/tr>
\"\"<\/td>Herpstat<\/a><\/strong>
Top of the line with all the bells and whistles. It’s expensive, but worth it if you need extreme accuracy.<\/td><\/tr>
\"\"<\/td>Exo Terra Thermostat<\/a><\/strong> (Highly recommended)
Highly recommended. This thermostat has some amazing features for the price.<\/td><\/tr>
\"\"<\/td>JumpStart Digital Thermostat<\/a><\/strong>
A quality thermostat and the least expensive thermostat on this list. Good for single heater setups.<\/td><\/tr>
\"\"<\/td>Inkbird ITC-308<\/a><\/strong>
Great for beginners. One of the best thermostats available. Has dual sockets; heating and cooling.<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Different Types of Thermostats<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Learning the difference between the three types of reptile thermostats is the first step to deciding which is best for your setup. Once you know the kind you need, I\u2019ll reveal which products are the best for each type of thermostat. So, let\u2019s get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On\/Off Thermostats<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An \u201cOn\/Off\u201d thermostat works by turning on the heater when the temperature is too cold. Likewise, they also turn the heater off when it gets too hot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ll give you an example of how this works but first, let\u2019s go over the basics. Plug in the thermostat and input the desired temperature. The temperature is determined by the needs of your reptile. Whatever you input here will determine how hot or cold it gets within your pet\u2019s enclosure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most on\/off thermostats are digital<\/strong> but there are a few analog<\/strong> options as well. Anyway, once you\u2019ve set the temperature its time to plug your heating device into the thermostat. This can be a heat mat, ceramic heat emitter, heat tape, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last but not least, it\u2019s time to place the thermometer probe within the enclosure. The probe is the part that reads the temperature<\/strong>. When it gets too hot, it tells the thermostat to shut off the heater. When it gets too cold, it tells the thermostat to turn on the heater.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, that\u2019s a quick overview of how on\/off thermostats work. Now let\u2019s look at which types of heating elements work best with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the most part, they\u2019re designed to work well with heat mats. Things like under tank heaters or heat tape. Technically speaking, they will work with ceramic heat emitters but it can be challenging to accurately<\/em> gauge the heat. The probe is most accurate when taped to the heating source (like a heating mat).<\/p>\n\n\n\n