Reptile & Amphibian Forums

Okay, I know my question is lame, but I'm asking it anyway. How hot is too hot for the basking spot? It seems like my turtle (southern painted) loves it as hot as I can get it. If I keep the rock at the mentioned 85, he won't bask. If I kick it up a few degrees so that the actual air temperature is 85, he'll bask. However, it causes the rock to get to 127F, and that is really hot.

Maybe part of this love for heat is due to the fact my guy is healing from some injuries where a few spots were infected with shell rot. He is making significant progress in the last several days, shedding a couple of the infected areas with no infection remaining underneath. His appetite is increasing massively, now eating more than twice as before. He's still got a way to go before he's completely better. There are still a few infected areas left. I just don't want to risk injuring the turtle further though by keeping him at the higher temperatures.

So, should I say "tough" and keep the turtle at 85, or keep it higher since he seems to be doing so well under the higher temps?

Thanks.

How are you kicking up the heat?
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Just moving the how close or far the light is to the enclosure. So, the area right under that light can get fairly hot.

i have found thsat painteds do in particular do better at warmer temps than one would expect for a temperate species. i keep them warmer than sliders. though this is an unpopular practice. The best situation is to keep one basking spot at a low temp and another one hot
if there is room for all of your animals to get to either basking spot at the same time they will choose what they need.