Heat mat and heat bulb?

[Friedbadger]

Hey I just want to say thank you so much for the help so far by everyone thank you . I really need help on how to set up my heat mat and heat bulb. I think I have it right but not sure.

So the heat bulb is pointing down on a cave hide reading 32c under that cave I also have the heat mat which is meant to turn on for a heat source if it drops in temp but mainly for night time when the lights go off I have the heat mat prob above the substrate in the hide so it weighs down the probe I have that set to 27c. Is this right at all? Help would be great thank you

Ps I have a leo gecko

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hey I just want to say thank you so much for the help so far by everyone thank you ��. I really need help on how to set up my heat mat and heat bulb. I think I have it right but not sure.

So the heat bulb is pointing down on a cave hide reading 32c under that cave I also have the heat mat which is meant to turn on for a heat source if it drops in temp but mainly for night time when the lights go off I have the heat mat prob above the substrate in the hide so it weighs down the probe I have that set to 27c. Is this right at all? Help would be great thank you ��

Ps I have a leo gecko

Hello ~

I recommend that your heat bulb point downwards to a flat piece of slate large enough for your leo when he's fully grown. Slate is an ideal stone for absorbing heat. This should be your leo's basking site during the day.

Here's a graphic regarding thermostat probe positioning or digital thermometer probe positioning:

(click to enlarge)​

Please share the following information:

1. Enclosure dimensions (cm fine)
2. Picture of enclosure
3. Brand of enclosure (like Exo Terra)
4. Type of screen top mesh
5. Do you have a thermostat + a digital thermometer?
6. Do you have slate underneath the basking bulb to absorb heat?
7. What is the lowest night temperature of the room where this enclosure sits.
8. Are you looking to add UVB?

Here are temps using ONLY a suitably sized heat mat:
TEMPERATURES - A temperature gradient from warm to cool maintains your leo's health. Here's a temperature guide for all leopard geckos as measured by the probe of a thermostat, the probe of a digital thermometer, or a temp gun. Set your thermostat at 91*F/32.8*C. Make certain all heat sources are controlled by either an ON/OFF thermostat or by a dimming thermostat.

It's CURRENTLY recommended that basking area temps be somewhat higher than 91*F/32.8*C when using a halogen bulb & "a patch of sunlight" for heat.

Tape the thermostat's probe and a digital thermometer's probe together, but offset a little. Place them right on top of the substrate underneath the warm dry hide. If you use a UTH + a CHE you'll need 2 separate thermostats, because ground and air temperatures are substantially different.

** Warm dry hide ground temperature: 88-92 F (31.1-33.3 C) inside a leo's warm dry hide.
** Warm humid/moist hide: Place the humid hide 100% on top of the heat mat. Keep temperatures similar to the warm dry hide.
** Cool dry hide ground temperature: 70ish-75 F (21.1-23.9 C) Usually the cool end ground temperature matches the room temperature where the enclosure sits.
** No greater than 82ish F (27.8ish C) surface temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the warm end
** No greater than 75 F (23.9 C) surface temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the cool end

Leave your heat mat on 24/7 IF ambient room temperatures drop lower than 67ish*F (19.4*C). If NOT, during the night turn off overhead lighting/heating (~12 hours on and ~12 hours off).

 

[Friedbadger]

1. Vivexotic Viva+ Terrestrial Vivarium - Medium Black 86x49x50cm
2. The blue marker I put on one of the pictures is where the heat mat is. I'm using a exoterra cave atm till I can get some stone and slate as that's my plan. On top of the cave it's 32 degrees
3. I put the tank make above its got a wooden roof.
4.its a wooden roof.
5. I have thermostat for the heat mat reading 27c and a thermostat on my heat bulb reading 32c. I have a thermometer on the hot end and cold end and a hydrometers my humdity is a tad higher as new substrate just been pur in I should mention also my substrate is leo life substrate. Plus Dimmer stat for light on/off for the mat
6. Hopefully next month I will be getting stones and slate to build a rocky area I just have the terra cave for now my gecko is coming up to 7 months old.
7. Lowest cold area temp is 17c so far may change in winter but so far it's 17c
8. I already have a uvb bulb in there .

Thank you so much for getting back honestly means so much to me with all this awesome info. My probes are under the exo terra cave the one under the light thermostat and thermometer. I think my temps are ok I just want to make sure I'm doing it right to give the best life for my little dude. Thank you so much
Andy

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi Andy ~

Good to see you around GU these days! I'm really sorry it's taken me way too long to get back with you.

How has your leo been doing?

How did you determine which UVB bulb to buy? I've been wondering.

 

[Friedbadger]

Hey don't worry about it good to see you

I had a uvb bulb from the start and I've gone from not using a heat mat to using my heat bulb and uvb. Going to be buying a deep heat projector this week for my heat source. He's doing not to bad not been eating a great deal but I'm being told that's due to mating season not sure if you would agree or other? But he's gotten used with me now coming to the tank at lights out and wanting me haha he's a lot more calm and chilled just his eating isn't to great.

But thank youbfpr getting back to me

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hey don't worry about it good to see you

I had a uvb bulb from the start and I've gone from not using a heat mat to using my heat bulb and uvb. Going to be buying a deep heat projector this week for my heat source. He's doing not to bad not been eating a great deal but I'm being told that's due to mating season not sure if you would agree or other? But he's gotten used with me now coming to the tank at lights out and wanting me haha he's a lot more calm and chilled just his eating isn't to great.

But thank youbfpr getting back to me

You're welcome, Andy! Thanks!

For how often/how long is your young leo basking in these UVB rays?

Thanks to Google, your ~7 mo leopard gecko's 86 x 49 x 50 cm enclosure = 33.9 x 19.3 x 19.7 inches. Are you planning an enclosure upgrade when he's bigger?

While somewhat OT, it's all about your leo's health. What brand & frequency of supplements are you using? Do some of them contain vitamin D3? When keepers use adequate strength UVB, they usually reduce supplementing with D3.

However, IF UVB rays are inadequate OR the leo is NOT using them when turned ON, it's pretty easy for Metabolic Bone Disease to develop. I'm wondering both things.

Even when UVB is absorbed from a good distance (~30.5 cm - 12 inches from bulb/tube to basking area) Frances Baines DVM strongly recommends 1-2 doses of vitamin D3 per month.

 

[Friedbadger]

He's basking with his legs sticking out of his hide sometimes his head for a good few hours towards the end of the day I would say roughly 3 to 4 hours.

If needs be I would upgrade long as he's healthy and has room to move and have a great life .

I'm using calcium d3 exo terra once a week maybe that's still to much if so could lower it. He seems totally fine considering his appetite has dropped crawling straight to me soon as I open the viv comes and lays on my hand and walks about all over my arms and in the viv seems ok just wish he would eat a little more so I know he's well. I do have a water dish in there also just to add. I got told by a few people mating season is here and they don't eat as much.

Again thank you so much for getting back to me really does mean a lot to me

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

He's basking with his legs sticking out of his hide sometimes his head for a good few hours towards the end of the day I would say roughly 3 to 4 hours.

If needs be I would upgrade long as he's healthy and has room to move and have a great life .

I'm using calcium d3 exo terra once a week maybe that's still to much if so could lower it. He seems totally fine considering his appetite has dropped crawling straight to me soon as I open the viv comes and lays on my hand and walks about all over my arms and in the viv seems ok just wish he would eat a little more so I know he's well. I do have a water dish in there also just to add. I got told by a few people mating season is here and they don't eat as much.

Again thank you so much for getting back to me really does mean a lot to me

How about sharing a full body picture of your leo?

Are you noticing ANY of these symptoms of D3 under or overdosage?

The medical term for Metabolic Bone Disease = Nutritional Secondary HyperParathyroidism. NSHP symptoms include leaning to one side when walking, walking on one or both "elbows", bowed limbs, belly dragging, and an underbite. Difficulty chewing should be closely monitored.

 

[Friedbadger]

I donno if this is the best picture this was from last night. No don't seem to be any different in overdose seems OK. Don't see any of them issues with him at all walks straight and not to one side

Thanks for getting back