Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My boyfriend got me into leos and I now am a proud owner of a hatchling that is only three weeks old. My worries are heating, I am afraid that he/she is going to freeze to death. My setup is a 10 gallon with a UTH and a incandesant bulb over one side, but it still is only in the mid 80's. Is this okay?
Thanks

How are you measuring the temps? I use an indoor/outdoor digital thermometer that I can put on the surface of the substrate at the warm end. They're only $10. It's really on the surface that matters, not the air temps. You may not be able to get the best temps with the overhead lamp. I suggest getting a human heating pad with the three-way switch, or a reptile under tank heater (UTH) with a rheostat to put under one side of the tank. That'll put the temps where you want them easier and probably safer than the lamp.

Good luck
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Rob Jenkins
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I am using a thermometer that is stuck on the outside of the hot side of the tank, but I will look into your suggestion at my local petstore. I am also using an UTH and I just bought the lamp because I thought that the UTH was not making it warm enough. Thanks for your help, like I said I am new at this.

If you are using an UTH and a lamp with no reostat. I have tested the temps doing that in a 10 gallon once add they were well over 100 degrees. Those sticky thermometers are really no good. You need to get a digital thermometer with a probe. You can find them at walmart or something like it. Then with the probe measure the ground temp right over the UTH in the middle of the hot side, by putting it right on it on the ground. Good luck.

You are right, I found a digital thermometer and I stuck it directly over the UTH and the temp was 110 degrees. So my next question is what is a reostat and where can I find it.

It is basiclly a dimmer that lets you lower and raise the temps to were they need to be.Here's a link. If you get a good themometer to measure the temps the cheaper rheostat should work just fine.

http://www.bigappleherp.com/Reptile_Supplies/Catalog/Heating_Controllers_27.html

You might be able to find the cheaper elsewhere, I would check out some of the other stores listed on this site.

You can find one here and the prices are cheap and the shipping is the cheapest place I can find. Atleast for my area.

Its $11.49
http://www.petguys.com/-097612370100.html
Rheostat

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2 male leos: Winky HY & Lenny TangCT & 6 Female Leos: Sunshine Super tang,Starburst, & Daisy Super tang carrot tail, Serenity Tremper HY Jungle Albino, Skittle Hypo-Golden, and Banana Patternless.

You can use a lamp dimmer, which should be less than $10, and available at hardware stores. You can also wire a dimmer switch, which is cheapest, but you have to have some wiring knowledge. The rheostats sold for reptile use are basically the same as lamp dimmers, they just look fancier.
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Jeannie

aka Sohni (my real name, just like Sony TV, it's Indian)
Northern California
0.1 Baja de L.A. Rosy Boa (Bella)
0.1 Okeetee Corn Snake (Bess)
1.1 Rubber Boas (Isaiah & Esther)
0.0.1 Hermann's Tortoise (Moxie)
1.0 Leopard Gecko (George)
2.0 adopted DSH Cats (Amos & Silas)
1.0 rescued English Springer Spaniel (Jimmy)
and...
2.0 Kids w/ 0.0.1 California King Snake (Rex), 0.1 Leopard Gecko (Geico), 1.0 Mexican Rosy Boa (Lucas)
1.0 Husband (no pets, just us, lol)