Cold to the touch?

[Amuna1225]

So I decided to take Sparty out to let him get some exercise. I haven't taken him out in a couple of days and he is freshly shed as of Monday, so I thought it'd be a good idea. He's hiding under his hide on the warm side and I pick him up and he is cold to the touch. I get kind of concerned so I check the thermometer on the heat mat and it says 95. I check the substrate (ceramic tiles) with my infared gun and it says 94 on the hot spot, and 87 where he was laying inside his hide. Any ideas?

 

[bud1988]

So I decided to take Sparty out to let him get some exercise. I haven't taken him out in a couple of days and he is freshly shed as of Monday, so I thought it'd be a good idea. He's hiding under his hide on the warm side and I pick him up and he is cold to the touch. I get kind of concerned so I check the thermometer on the heat mat and it says 95. I check the substrate (ceramic tiles) with my infared gun and it says 94 on the hot spot, and 87 where he was laying inside his hide. Any ideas?

What are the Air Temperatures : Night / Day?

 

[Amuna1225]

around 85 during the day and around 77 at night. digital thermometor mounted 6 inches above the bottom to monitor air temps

 

[Aimless]

"cold" to the touch, or "cool" to the touch? they should never feel "hot" unless they were basking when you picked them up. my herps generally feel cool to the touch when I pick them up.

your measured range seems reasonable; have you tested your temp gun lately?

 

[cricket4u]

So I decided to take Sparty out to let him get some exercise. I haven't taken him out in a couple of days and he is freshly shed as of Monday, so I thought it'd be a good idea. He's hiding under his hide on the warm side and I pick him up and he is cold to the touch. I get kind of concerned so I check the thermometer on the heat mat and it says 95. I check the substrate (ceramic tiles) with my infared gun and it says 94 on the hot spot, and 87 where he was laying inside his hide. Any ideas?

Us humans have a body temp at about 98.6 degrees, whereas leopard geckos PBT (preferred body temp) is 86 degrees which is lower. Keep in mind that being ectotherms their body temp is controlled by the environment. For this reason, they feel cool to the touch to us humans.

 

[Amuna1225]

I understand that, but he usually feels somewhat warm when I pick him up, not cool/cold like when I picked him up today.

 

[cricket4u]

I understand that, but he usually feels somewhat warm when I pick him up, not cool/cold like when I picked him up today.

Your hand temperature does not remain the same at all times. For example, if you came from outside and it's 50 degrees, your hands take a while to warm up. If you picked him up with cold hands (which you shouldn't) he will feel warmer during that time. Their body temp also changes according to the environmental temps and location of rest.

 

[Aimless]

I'd verify your temp gun, and not worry if it's right. those guys are generally pretty reliable, but I have heard they can get wonky when their batteries are starting to go (mine just died entirely when it went, but they're not all the same).

I always verify any new thermometer when I pull it out of the box, and then if I ever feel like I can't trust it. I use my quick-read kitchen thermometer, which I check a few times a year in my lab to make sure it holds calibration. heat up some water or something and make sure a thermometer you know is "good" reads about the same as your temp gun, preferably at more than one temperature.

even before nutrition, temperature control is SO important I never take it for granted, and test my tools to make sure they're working right.