You should be able to find digital thermometers with probes for under 10$ at most petstores. These would work much better than your dial gauges.
Even going around the house and picking up recycling should net you close to being able to buy one. They are really a very important tool and I wouldn't recommend going any length of time without knowing the proper temps in your tank.
You don't need to be scared, if your dragon is acting healthy and eating and pooing normally, she most likely is. But it is still paramount to get an accurate way to measure temps as soon as possible.
Update us when you are able to get a new thermometer with what your temps would be if you could please.
Wow, I had no idea. I actually have the same dial thermometer you are using in your experiment! D: I'll be sure to go out today and get the probe one. I hope my bearded dragon's temperatures will at least be okay until then! D:>
There is one. Actually the one I used in the test is one. Although not dual probe, but dual reading. (tri-reading if you count the fact it measures humidity too..)
The device measures the temperature at the probe, and the temperature at the base unit. So you could place the probe on the basking surface, and the unit on the cool side, and have both readings.
That's the one I have ordered but would like one I where I could leave the probes in the viv but only have one unit to be able to read both temps. But I will use the Accurite on one side and a ZooMed or similar on the other. BTW - I'm just using these for ambient room temps and will use a IR temp gun for the basking surface.
Looks like I didn't do enough research! Taylor makes a few dual zone probed thermometers. If anyone is interested here's a link. They seem to run about $35 to $40 USD.
They have a couple of models. Some have alarms, etc. All the reviews I'm reading seem to indicate they are accurate within +or- 1 to 2 degrees which should be close enough for ambient air temps. They seem to be used in the nursery industry for hothouses, the medical field for temp control for drug storage, the food service industry, and mussle/oyster farms. The lower priced unit has a range up to 120 degrees F.
I'm getting a new thermometer and was wondering if someone could take a quick look at this one to let me know if its good enough for a viv before I buy it?
They have a couple of models. Some have alarms, etc. All the reviews I'm reading seem to indicate they are accurate within +or- 1 to 2 degrees which should be close enough for ambient air temps. They seem to be used in the nursery industry for hothouses, the medical field for temp control for drug storage, the food service industry, and mussle/oyster farms. The lower priced unit has a range up to 120 degrees F.