Ambient air temperature vs. substrate temperature

[Dani]

As far as I've read in caresheets I can see that the temperatures within which we keep our reptiles are said to be ambient air temperature. I take this to mean the temperature of the air (midway to the floor?). So if these temperatures aren't the temperatures at the bottom of the tank, and many of us have the thermometers 1" above the floor substrate, what should we be expecting to read on them? Am I understanding it wrong? Shouldn't the caresheets tell us the temperatures at ground level instead of the air temperatures? Should we expect to read the ambient air temperature at 1" above the substrate?
When using a UTH which only heats the substrate and not the air, the substrate can get up to the temperature that the caresheets indicate but the air stays at slightly above room temperature, right? Is it better to have both the substrate temperature and the air temperature the same/almost the same temperature? Or is it better for the substrate to be warmer than the air or viceversa?
I seem to be confused. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_confused.gif[/img] Maybe I'm just confusing myself because I understood it an hour ago. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_razz.gif[/img]
[addsig]

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[eddie]

Slow down Dani!

Ok, the temps needed for any species in particular is a gradient between the hot side, cool side and basking spot.
The readings at 1" above are reading the air temps, which being so close to the substrate will give a pretty good reading on the substrate also.
The cool side substrate should be in the range for the cool temps also along with the hot side and basking area substrate temps being in the temp range.
In other words, the substrate should be in the range also as it is a factor in thermoregulation.

[addsig]

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[Dani]

Yeah, thanks eddie, that's how I understood it yesterday. I guess I just forgot about it and became confused. [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
I have a UTH in a 20 gal and a fluorescent tube for light right now. The temps are fine for the substrate (high and low ranges) but half way up the terrarium I have another thermometer which obviously doesn't read the same temperature as the ones on the substrate (since I'm just using the UTH for heat), apparently the fluorescent tube is giving off some heat but not much. Should I get the rest of the air temperature up? Could having one of the substrate temperatures or the ambient air temperature lower than the other cause any reptile to catch a "cold"?
[addsig]

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[eddie]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE>Could having one of the substrate temperatures or the ambient air temperature lower than the other cause any reptile to catch a &quot;cold&quot;?
</BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

Both are important to good health.
When you get the air temp right then usually the substrate temps fall in line also.
But the air temp and humids are important as it is what the animals take into their lungs.

If the animal is a ground dweller type, then the lower air is what ya need to look at.
If the animal is a climber type, then all around air temp is important.


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[Dani]

Eddie, she's a BP. That's why I was stressing the substrate temperatures. Apart from the air up high being a little low 25ºC (77ºF), the rest is fine including humidity. Thanks for your help.
[addsig]

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

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[eddie]

<TABLE BORDER=0 ALIGN=CENTER WIDTH=85%><TR><TD><font class="pn-sub">Quote:</font><HR></TD></TR><TR><TD><FONT class="pn-sub"><BLOCKQUOTE> Eddie, she's a BP. </BLOCKQUOTE></FONT></TD></TR><TR><TD><HR></TD></TR></TABLE>

That didn't matter!
I was giving a blanket answer! [img]modules/Forum/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif[/img]
[addsig]

	Ball Python The Ball Python (Python regius), also known as the Royal Python, is a ground dwelling snake native to the savannahs and rain forests in western Africa, predominatly the countries of Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

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