All you need to know about the Uromastyx

Best way to get ambient is with a probe thermometer, like you said, in the shade. If all one has is a temp gun, take reading in shade in cool end, it'll be close. I shoot the shelf liner in the far cool end.

 

Your absolutly right the item would have to be in the shade or out of direct lighting. Correct me if I am wrong, but the cool end is in the shade in therory. It is under fluorecent light but a fluorescent light is on the top of the enclosure. The small amount of heat that the fluor puts out is going to stay in the top of the enclosure. Yet the truth is in the probe. Just remember that the temp changes as you go up in the enclosure. Most of our Uro's stay on the bottom 6 inches unless they are glass dancing. Just be sure to take the readings low in the enclosure. I have the option of ambient on my gun or a probe so it makes it easier. But I have found that the surface temps out of direct lighting are within 1 to 2 degress of the ambient temp. Just take a few reading thru out the day with both in different places. I think you will find that you can take acurate surface readings at different places and get an ambient temp. Unless we are talking about a wire mesh cage which is not something I have delt with. This may or may not work with a glass enclosure. I used a probe to check the temps when I had a glass enclosure. Darn, now I wish I would of had the gun then. Anyone out there want to give it a try and see if they find the same thing I have found???

 

I think it's probably the same regardless of the cage. The heat source, however, I believe does make a difference.

 

The temp gun shoots through a mesh top with no problems. I expected it to be a problem but it isn't, even on fairly fine mesh.