Heat: The amnbient temp should be close to 90 during the day. PLUS the 100 basking spot. I run basking spots even higher than that, because the guy who produced my trio swears by offering an area that's 135-145, and my cages are big enough to offer multi-temp basking platforms that give them options everywhere from 105 up. I have seen them actively choose areas that were in the 150s, although I have also seen them use the 105 spots for days on end without wanting more. Seems to depend on the lizard, the day, and also what time it is. They normally seem to like to start the day by basking at at least 120 for a few minutes, which is usually the only time of day I see them gaping, then they poop, run around, and eat like pigs, then as the day progresses they generally start to show less interest in the hottest spots.



Throughout all of this, whenever I wait ten minutes or so until they stop basking and then zap them on the back with a temp gun to see what they've cooled to, I seem to consistantly get a skin surface temperature of 102, regardless of what temp they were basking at and whether they've been running around/hanging out in the 92-plus-degree branches or on the 84-plus-degree ground. What that means they're maintaining internally, I don't know. I suspect that given a choice they probably decide to keep different organs different temperatures, and the hot spots help them do that by flash-basking their muscles without, for example, overheating their intestinal flora.



I started my trio in a 48X18X21 and now have them in a 50X28X28 and I assure you that no matter how I change the setup and no matter how many more typical, mild basking options I give them, it continues to be common for them to climb wherever they have to seek out far hotter temperatures than most people suggest. Make of that what you will.



They eat best in the morning after a quick heatup. Oh, I've seen them take longer to warm up (sometimes my temps have an off day or two, if the weather changes or one of the bulbs dies or whatever) and still eat later, but I've also seen them sort of lose interest if they miss that first window of opportunity. Like there's a little voice saying "Hey, if it's taking this long to get warm, maybe you should be hibernating?"



Also: Have you tried superworms? They aren't the greatest staple in the world, but they're a big meaty insect that most will devour. Their main problem is fattiness, but it sounds like yours could use the extra right now anyway.
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0.1 2006 Western Hognose (Bebe)

0.1 age unknown Cane Toad (Hengo)

0.1 2005 White-Banded Sheen Skink (Minerva)

1.0 2006 Northern Diamondback Terrapin (Queequeg)

1.0 2006 Madagascan Speckled "Hognose" (Sigmund)

1.0 2008 Bullsnake (Winkle)

1.2 2008 Eastern Collared Lizards (Pancho, Lupe, and Chica)

2.0 2009 Eastern Collared Lizards (Cesar and Nino)

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