Correct temperature for Leopard Gecko

[ForlonFate]

Hi guys, i am new to keeping Leopard geckos so I am taking my time getting my tank setup correctly before i even think about buying my first Gecko.
I have purchased a heat mat for my tank which covers half of my floor suface (Glass Bottom) and I have a question about temperature.

When i place my new thermometer directly onto the substrate at the warm end it reads 90 degrees which i understand is pretty spot on for my Gecko, However when i stick the Thermometer onto the back wall of the tank just above the substrate it falls to about 80 degrees, is this air tempertaure at the the warm end of the tank too low? if so, should i purchase a small heat lamp to boost it up slightly.

The temperature at the other (cooler) side of tank is roughly 75 degrees (that is also just above the substrate)

Any help would be appreciated

 

[Yoshi'smom]

Firstly: Welcome to GeckosUnlimited!!
IMO, the air temperature is not as important as the ground temperature. Leos need belly heat to digest their food. It's important that the ground temperature is a stable 92-95F. However, this doesn't mean that the rest of the tank should be cool. You should be able to have a nice gradient from one side of the tank to the other.
Here's a good read for you before you get your little one. It's a caresheet from our very own Elizabeth! The best caresheet around for leos IMO.
http://www.geckosunlimited.com/community/gecko-care-sheets/55211-leopard-gecko-care-recommendations-nutshell-16-dec-2011-update.html
Hope this helps out some.

 

[ForlonFate]

Thankyou for your reply, the care sheet offered a lot of good information.
So do you think i could house a leopard gecko happily with the heat i currently have in my setup? the readings i took earlier were with the central heating on, i was worried that the air temperature in the tank was too cool, especially if i turned heating off in house

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Thankyou for your reply, the care sheet offered a lot of good information.
So do you think i could house a leopard gecko happily with the heat i currently have in my setup? the readings i took earlier were with the central heating on, i was worried that the air temperature in the tank was too cool, especially if i turned heating off in house

A hearty welcome to Geckos Unlimited! I am really happy to hear that you are doing your homework prior to purchasing your leo. Kelly has steered you in the right direction if I may say so :yahoo:.

What size is your tank? Actually a heating pad which occupies 1/3 of the base of the tank is recommended. Have you plugged your UTH into a heat controller? Next you need an accurate thermometer (a digital or a temp gun) to monitor the temperature. The air temperature is just as important as the ground temperature. The leo's body needs to reach those temperatures, not just his belly. It is a good idea to buy a red bulb or a ceramic heat emitter for overhead heat to boost the temperature some!

I will add that my living room/downstairs where my leo is gets no lower than 67 F. I have the heating on a timer, on 12 hours and off 12 hours.

 

[ForlonFate]

Hi Elizabeth, thankyou for your help,
My tank is an old Aqua one AR 850 glass fish tank - 33 inches long by 16 inches wide.
Due to it being a fish tank it is quite high - 19 inches (Im thinking this is where the heat is going) My heat mat covers half the floor and the substrate is a mix of fine sand and slate tile ( I have researched the use of sand, and as i plan on purchasing a young adult Leo and i intend to keep the feeding dish on the slate, i think i will be ok)

I turned the heating off last night and the tank kept an average temperature of 75 - 80.
The air temperature above the substrate at hot end is still 80 degrees during day, would a heat lamp make it too hot?

 

[Elizabeth Freer]

Hi Elizabeth, thankyou for your help,
My tank is an old Aqua one AR 850 glass fish tank - 33 inches long by 16 inches wide.
Due to it being a fish tank it is quite high - 19 inches (Im thinking this is where the heat is going) My heat mat covers half the floor and the substrate is a mix of fine sand and slate tile ( I have researched the use of sand, and as i plan on purchasing a young adult Leo and i intend to keep the feeding dish on the slate, i think i will be ok)

I turned the heating off last night and the tank kept an average temperature of 75 - 80.
The air temperature above the substrate at hot end is still 80 degrees during day, would a heat lamp make it too hot?

I see. Yes, the tank's height definitely affects the cage temperature negatively. Red bulbs and ceramic heat emitters come in all wattages. To tweak the temperature further, I suggest you plug the overhead light into a rheostat/dimmer.