# CHE troubles... can anyone help?



## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

So... I'm having a lot of trouble with my CHE. 

I currently have the CHE on back right-hand corner of Liam's cage, over his igloo, since that is where he spends most of his time. The temperature probe hangs down the back left-hand corner by the wheel. The thermometer is on the top left-hand corner, diagonal from the CHE. The thermostat (the ReptiTemp 500) is currently turned all the way up, and I still can't make the thermometer read over 77F or so consistently. The green light on the thermostat dial is almost always on. Liam is in the extra-large superpets cage, so it isn't that big (I want to upgrade, but that's another story...). Does this setup sound correct/okay? 

I swear the temperature of my apartment makes waaaay more difference than the CHE. The weather here has been pretty variable lately (as Spring is wont to do) - one day, chilly and rainy, the next, sunny and warm. We've been turning the apartment heat on and off. Monday (a sunny day), heat was on by accident, temp read 83. :shock: Tuesday, (a chilly day), heat was on, temp read 75. This morning, heat had been off all night, temp read 65. :shock: :shock: I turned the heat on, even though it's really not that cold here today, because I was so worried. I don't understand why it's fluctuating so much - isn't this WHY I have a CHE and a thermostat? Liam has been okay through all of this, but I don't want this to continue. His temp was pretty constant over the winter, when the heat was basically on all the time. Obviously, I don't want to keep the heat on in my place all through spring. 

Has anyone else had these problems? I don't know what part is malfunctioning - thermometer, thermostat, temp probe, or CHE. When I go to feel the actual CHE lamp, it is very hot, so I know he's getting some heat. 

I'm very frustrated, and worried about Liam's health, so any help would be appreciated!


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## Sunflowerseeds (Mar 3, 2011)

I wish I could offer more help, but I don't have any ideas why that is. I have CHE's on both of my girls cages, and not even at the yellow line on the dial of the ReptiTemp their cages stay between 77 and 78. The weather here has been the same way, very fussy but we haven't turned the air on yet and when the heat does kick on it doesn't seem to change their cage temperatures any. I can only imagine how frustrating that is though.

Good luck!


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## Lilysmommy (Jan 7, 2009)

I also can't help, as I'm having the same issues. :roll: I have two CHEs hooked up for Lily's cage (which I just made bigger, and I'm sure is part of the issue) and it goes from 75 to 80 degrees, depending on the temperature of my room. I want it to stay around 78 (Lily likes warmer temps), it just doesn't work that way. I have a space heater in my room as well, keeping my room around 73-75 degrees, but it seems like the CHEs are only keeping the cage about 2 degrees warmer than my room until they finally kick on. I can't figure out how to make them kick on more often and keep the cage at a steady temperature though. Oh, and I also have a large piece of coroplast between the cage and the wall, trying to hold in some heat, and blankets draped over the back and top around the CHEs, but not touching them. The blankets help a bit, but not enough. :? Sorry I can't offer any advice for you! I'll be watching the thread to see if others can help us both out.


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## silvercat (Oct 24, 2008)

Your fluctuations in temperature may be due to your probe & your thermometer being in different places. I would recommend putting them in the same location, opposite the CHE. This way both should read from the coolest point in the cage. So you know if your thermometer is reading 77 at the coolest point, the rest of the cage is warmer than that. I'm thinking the varience is because of the outside heat coming in. The closer the probe is to the CHE, the quicker is will get warm vs. where the thermometer is.
Also, 77*F (25*c about) is a good temperature IMO to be at.


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

silvercat said:


> Your fluctuations in temperature may be due to your probe & your thermometer being in different places. I would recommend putting them in the same location, opposite the CHE. This way both should read from the coolest point in the cage. So you know if your thermometer is reading 77 at the coolest point, the rest of the cage is warmer than that. I'm thinking the varience is because of the outside heat coming in. The closer the probe is to the CHE, the quicker is will get warm vs. where the thermometer is.
> Also, 77*F (25*c about) is a good temperature IMO to be at.


Hmmmm, good thinking. The probe is already opposite the CHE, but I'll move the thermometer closer to the probe (or vice versa) and see how that goes. It probably wont account for all of the variance, but hopefully it will get me closer! Thanks! 

I'm just confused because so many of the reviews of the Reptitemp said that they could get temperatures over 85-90 easily! :shock: You wouldn't think a temp around 75-77 would be so hard. Although I suppose a lot of reptiles are in aquariums/terrariums, which I bet hold heat in easier. :?

And Lilysmommy, I'll try and drape some blankets in the meantime. I'm sure that will help a little.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

What size CHE are you using? You may have to switch to a bigger one.


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

nikki said:


> What size CHE are you using? You may have to switch to a bigger one.


It's an 8.5in lamp with a 100W bulb.


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## nikki (Aug 28, 2008)

A 10 inch fixture will warm a larger area than an 8.5 inch. A 150 Watt CHE wouldn't have to work as hard to keep the same area warmer.


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## MissC (Nov 15, 2010)

I think nikki's right. I have the exact same set up as you - CHE and probe are in the exact same spots and I never have an issue...but...10" clamp lamp and 150w CHE.

That could be it... :?


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

Okay, I can try that too. I actually have a 10" lamp that's currently providing light to my veggie plants, so I can switch that out for the smaller lamp. I know I picked the 100W bulb because the "heating" sticky said that was standard, but I can try 150.  I still am worried there is something wrong with the actual equipment since the temperature variations are SO huge, but I can give these suggestions a try. Thanks guys!


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## CritterHeaven (Feb 21, 2011)

Do you hAve another thermometer you can use to check the temp? It may not be working


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## pearlthehedgie (Feb 15, 2011)

We had the same problem. Had the thermostat turned way up just to get the cage up to 75 degrees, and then sometimes it would shoot way up. We were testing all the heating stuff before we got our baby hedgie and finally figured out that there were two problems-- 1) there was too much distance between the CHE and the floor of the cage, and 2) heat was escaping from the cage. Pearl has a big cage (4 feet by 2 feet) with 2 CHE's and it still wasn't keeping up the temp. I raised the floor up using coroplast so it was closer to the CHE bulbs on top of the cage. And also we enclosed the back and sides of the cage with the window plastic like you put on windows in the winter to keep the cold air out. I put the plastic on the OUTSIDE of the cage and she can't get to it--you can't even see it but it holds the heat in. The cage is still open in the front and top. Hope that is helpful.


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## cylaura (Jan 13, 2011)

pearlthehedgie said:


> We had the same problem. Had the thermostat turned way up just to get the cage up to 75 degrees, and then sometimes it would shoot way up. We were testing all the heating stuff before we got our baby hedgie and finally figured out that there were two problems-- 1) there was too much distance between the CHE and the floor of the cage, and 2) heat was escaping from the cage. Pearl has a big cage (4 feet by 2 feet) with 2 CHE's and it still wasn't keeping up the temp. I raised the floor up using coroplast so it was closer to the CHE bulbs on top of the cage. And also we enclosed the back and sides of the cage with the window plastic like you put on windows in the winter to keep the cold air out. I put the plastic on the OUTSIDE of the cage and she can't get to it--you can't even see it but it holds the heat in. The cage is still open in the front and top. Hope that is helpful.


Thanks! That is really good advice! How tall is your cage? The superpets cages aren't that tall (21") so I'm not sure if my CHE is really that "far" away. But I will definitely try putting something around the sides of the cage to hold the heat in. I've ordered a 150W bulb, switched out my 8.5" lamp for a 10" lamp, and moved the thermometer closer to the temp probe. Hopefully this plus some blankets/extra siding will help. I'll let you guys know how it goes!


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## pearlthehedgie (Feb 15, 2011)

This is Pearl's cage:

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.j ... Id=2753643

At first we put everything in the plastic tray at the bottom and she was 27 inches away from the CHEs on top of the cage. We decided to instead use the cage bottom that is above the tray, but we made a coroplast liner to go on top of it, so now the bottom of the coroplast is only about 19 inches from the CHEs. (the floor of the cage is above the blue plastic tray at the bottom) Hope that makes sense?


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