OPtimal temperatures for Leo setup

[jschaf1]

Hey everyone. Its been a while since I last posted. Been busy moving back to Canada. Anyway I am all done with the move and I have already bought my new LEO!!!! I am so hapy with my purchase. I have had her for 3 days now and so far no problems. (Pics will follow later).

Anyway now that I am living in Canada I am a bit more concerned about temperatures in the cage especially as we start heading into the fall and winter months. Right now the warm side varies from 75F-85F (during the night the warm side dips down to 75F, then warms up during the day to 85F). The cool side is about 70F-75F most of the time.

I have a UTH on the warm side kept on all the time but that is all.

I dont have a heat lamp or a heat rock.


My questions are:
A) are the current temps acceptable

B) should I look into a heat lamp or heat rock to help provide more warmth. Or perhaps look into a larger UTH?

C) what is the lowest comfortable and healthy temp for a leo?

I have a 20L long tank (with standard UTH for that tank size).

I know there are problems with heat rocks. But I have been thinking of buying one and then wraping it up in cut up reptile carpet. Hopefuly the layers of reptile carpet will prevent the gecko from burning itself yet enough heat will stil radiate from the rock to keep a high temp on the warm side. What do you think?

I am especially worried about the temps at night because that is usually when it will get the coldest in my room which is why I am not sure a heat lamp will work (I would need to keep it off to sleep).

THanks for any suggestions you can offer!

 

[rince]

Hello jschaf1,

I would consider the temperatures on the warm side of your habitat a little on the low side. You may want to bring those temperatures up to at least 90 F. I try to keep my warm side at around 92F during the day and a 10F night drop.
What is your overall room temperature? Are you sure your UTH is working correctly?
If the UTH is working, what substrate are you using? Is it maybe isolating the tank from the UTH? How much of the habitat floor is covered by the UTH? Did you check if the thermometer is working correctly? Where do you measure your temps?

A heat lamp is always an option to raise ambient air temperature, but it will not however replace belly heat, which your leo will need. In my setup I use blue night lights to keep the ambient air temperature up. Those make hardly any visible light.

I am concerned about the heat rock. I am not convinced that it is a good idea to wrap up the heat rock in carpet. I would be concerned, that this would trap to much heat under the carpet and you may fry your heat rock with that and this could be a fire hazzard.

So I would really think you should have a look at the UTH and make sure the UTH works fine. It should cover between 1/3 and 1/2 of the habitat floor (on the outside of course).
Make sure your substrate is a good heat conductor and that the substrate is not to thick.

A heating lamp as an ADDITION to all of the above is always possible. Also think about a way to regulate the temperature with a thermostat or rheostat once all equipment is working correctly.

Kindest regards
Dennis

Kindest regards
Dennis