What’s right temp? Probe or infrared gun?

I have two zoo med reptile prove thermometers (one with probe in cool end and one with prove resting on his basking ramp directly where the basking bulb hits.
I’m getting completely different readings on them from the infrared gun. Which do I believe??
I know with the probe it has to be there for 40mins ish before getting accurate temp, and I know with the temp gun to hold to 2” away from spot I’m testing - but one is wrong and I don’t know which.
The probe in basking spot at around an hour after lights on at around 30c , and temp gun at 33c- then by afternoon it reads at 36c ish but temp gun reads 39c ish at around 3c higher
I’m inclined to believe the gun as Marlow has never liked to very warm and he tends to avoid the basking spot if it’s above 39c on the gun.
What do you think? I’m thinking the probes are better off not in the viv if it turns out they are off

I use both. I find that the gun provides a lot of variation as I move it around the tank but the probes give me a decent idea of the general temps in an area. The temp gun lets me check for hot spots more easily too. At the moment my basking site probe is reading 93 and the gun is showing 87-90 around the probe. Other spots in the basking area are reading as high as 107 via the gun though. Seems like a decent enough range. Ultimately it comes down to what Marlow prefers. If he avoids the basking area, lower the temps a little and see if he prefers that. If he basks a lot, bump the temps a little and see how he reacts etc just as you've been doing.

I gave up on the probes in the end as I think they were faulty. I was getting higher temps on the gun than the probes ( it seems for most they have it the other way around - the probes reading higher than gun? )

The gun reads the basking spot at about 35.5c in the morning and at 38c most at other parts of they day - except lately where it’s at 40c with the heat here right now ( crazy weather where it’s hot as but raining and thunder at times)

When it’s above 38c he avoids it. He seems to prefer 35.5- 36c

MarlowAndMe":1sn5gll7 said:

I gave up on the probes in the end as I think they were faulty. I was getting higher temps on the gun than the probes ( it seems for most they have it the other way around - the probes reading higher than gun? )

The gun reads the basking spot at about 35.5c in the morning and at 38c most at other parts of they day - except lately where it’s at 40c with the heat here right now ( crazy weather where it’s hot as but raining and thunder at times)

When it’s above 38c he avoids it. He seems to prefer 35.5- 36c

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Perfect. 38C is 104.2F which, for adult beardies, is the upper upper end of basking temps - so that is good and makes a lot of sense. 35.5C-36C is 99.45F-100.4F, which 95-100ish is ideal for adult beardies.

So, in other words, your findings/temps seem right on - it sounds like Marlow's "temperature senses" are working well. Whichever tool is giving you those readings seems to be accurate.

Ok cool thanks

CooperDragon":1locpktw said:

I use both. I find that the gun provides a lot of variation as I move it around the tank but the probes give me a decent idea of the general temps in an area. The temp gun lets me check for hot spots more easily too. At the moment my basking site probe is reading 93 and the gun is showing 87-90 around the probe. Other spots in the basking area are reading as high as 107 via the gun though. Seems like a decent enough range. Ultimately it comes down to what Marlow prefers. If he avoids the basking area, lower the temps a little and see if he prefers that. If he basks a lot, bump the temps a little and see how he reacts etc just as you've been doing.

Click to expand...

So do I , I find it very useful to have several probe style digital thermometers in each tank permanently …. means I can see my tank's temperatures at a glance , whereas I have physically get my laser (non-contact) thermometer out and make the effort to position it properly to get RELIABLE surface temperature readings (which will tell me NOTHING about the air temperature in the tanks).
I have been considering buying proper thermography camera for a while , but not sure if it's going to be worth the investment.