Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I think I know what caused the new white spots on my rescued uromastyx. I checked the temps yesterday and found that the basking spot actually was very unevenly heated (I don't know how I missed it...I check the temps every day or two). There was one spot in the center that got a lot hotter than the rest of the basking area (probably because the halogen bulb I was using had a clear spot in the center of the lense). The center had gotten up to around 160, while the outer parts of the basking spot were more around 115!

This spells out something...thermal burns perhaps? I would think that maybe when she went up there, she felt hot, so she moved slightly, and though she felt less hot, part of her body was still in the extra hot spot. I've since changed the bulb, and I'm getting a pretty even heating of around 120. I'd usually shoot for more around 140, but I'm a little gun-shy now. It's another halogen bulb, but without the clear center part.

What do you guys use to heat your basking spot evenly? What kind of bulbs? Multiple ones? What temps do you shoot for? What works best? I thought that the high temps were helping Fat Sam do well, but I think perhaps the center just got way too hot for her, while the outer section got too cold, and that may have caused thermal burning. She has a vet checkup coming up in a couple weeks anyways, so I'll ask the vet if that's really what it is. There aren't any blisters or anything. Just suddenly there were some darker spots on her, and they turned white.

I feel so bad First of all, it's a stupid mistake I thought I would never make, and second of all, this lizard is a rescue that has been through so much (including sustaining horrible burns when a heat lamp fell on her) when she was under her past owner's care. It makes me really sad to think that I may have caused her extra pain She doesn't deserve that. I have to be way more careful with heating my reptiles.

don't beat yourself up too much. i thought someone on here gave their uros the option of going up to 160 degrees but i could be wrong.
anyway, someone was saying not too long ago that having an injury can make their skin "weaker" (they put it in a much more scientific way) perhaps that person will speak up again. maybe the previously injured part of her couldn't handle the temp that high.
for my malis i do try to keep it around 120-130 but sometimes in the summer the temps went higher
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vonnie
***The scientific theory I like best is that the rings of Saturn are composed entirely of lost airline luggage.
— Mark Russell***

That's a good point (about the skin being weaker), but I think a main reason may be because the bulb I was using wasn't heating the basking spot as evenly as I had thought, so when she wanted to bask in the 120-130 range, part of her was still in the 160's or so.

People on here (specifically Robyn at proexotics) do offer uros a basking spot as high as 160, but to do that, there needs to be a good basking gradient, and the heat needs to be evenly distributed.

Luckily the marks I can see that are left on her are only near her previous scars, and they are very small (my mom doesn't notice them...only I do).

thanks.

You are correct about your bulb. Any bulbs with the cirle or any other shape directly in the center will produce very intense heat in that part of the light. Stay away from any of these bulbs. It is a common mistake, so don't blame yourself. You have corrected it any she should be fine. Good luck.

Pam
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2.3 varanus acanthurus brachyurus (Dorado, Oro, Dora, Freckles & Amarillo)
1.1 varanus acanthurus acanthurus (Tabasco & Sprite)
1.1 u. macfadyeni (Amani & Abeba) RIP Ayana
1.2 u. ornata (Husani, Zari, & Bintu)
1.1 u. ocellata (Zuhri & Ashai)
0.1.1 u. a. aegyptius (Zahra Urbi & Halima)
0.1 u. a. acanthinurus (Mandisa)
1.1 hyla chrysoscelis (Pudge & Squirt)