How to keep the temperature up in a 40 gal tank?

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CalypsosHeart

New member
We just transferred our gecko calypso from a 10gal to a 40gal. She’s adapting well except the temperature is rlly low. We have her in the basement (it’s not really a basement since it’s not underground) and the temperature is way lower than it should. She won’t die from this temp but it does need to be up!
Any tips on how to keep it up?
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
CalypsosHeart said:
It’s either the 30-40 gal size or the 50-60 gal size of the zoomed heat mats
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1/2 the ground should be covered with heat mats. One solution is to place two UltraTherm 11 x 17 inch heat mats side-by-side.

What are the air temps during the days and nights?
 
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Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
CalypsosHeart said:
With the heat may I have it covers half of the tank
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Zoo Med heat mats tend to be rectangular.

Do you have a thermostat? Is the thermostat always on trying to keep up?

How low do the temps get? Depending, you might still need overhead heat since 40 gallon breeders are 17 -18 inches tall.

Arcadia now offers Deep Heat Projectors. Perhaps that is an option for your leo.
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
CalypsosHeart said:
And for the air temps we’ve only had the tank set up for a day and a half. So around 67 will be the lowest
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You may have seen this chart. Here's what you're aiming for.
Temperatures - A temperature gradient from warm to cool maintains your leo's health. Here's a temperature guide for all leopard geckos as measured with the probe of a digital thermometer or a temp gun (and controlled by a thermostat set at 91*F/32.8*C).

Place the thermostat's probe and a digital thermometer's probe together right on top of the substrate underneath the warm dry hide. If you use a UTH + a CHE you'll need 2 separate thermostats, because ground and air temperatures are substantially different.
  • Warm end ground temperature: 88-92 F (31.1-33.3 C) inside a leo's warm dry hide and his moist hide too!
  • Cool end ground temperature: 70ish-75 F (21.1-23.9 C) Usually the cool end ground temperature matches the room temperature where the enclosure sits.
  • no greater than 82ish F (27.8ish C) air temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the warm end
  • no greater than 75 F (23.9 C) air temperature - 4 inches (10 cm) above ground on the cool end
Leave the heat mat/UTH on 24/7. If you wish, during the night turn off overhead lighting/heating (~12 hours on and ~12 hours off) unless ambient room temperatures drop lower than 67ish*F (19.4*C).
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Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
CalypsosHeart said:
Ik what I’m aiming for I just don’t know how to keep it up
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CalypsosHeart said:
Yes I have a thermostat set to 80 but it only gets there when it’s summer. And I always have overhead heating.
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Do you mean "thermostat set to 90"?

What is the reading on top of the substrate underneath the warm dry hide right now?

Have you considered adding a second Zoo Med 50-60 gallon size (8 x 18 inches) or an Ultratherm (11 x 17 inches)? Inkbird sells a thermostat with outlets for 2 heat mats.
 
C

CalypsosHeart

New member
The thermostat is set to 80 since we didn’t want it going on forever. But it does that anyways since it never reaches 80. Again, only in the summer.
With this new big tank, the ready is around 70
I have considered it but not sure if I should go through

And we have the heat mat situated long ways so it covers almost half of the tank
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
CalypsosHeart said:
The thermostat is set to 80 since we didn’t want it going on forever. But it does that anyways since it never reaches 80. Again, only in the summer.
With this new big tank, the ready is around 70
I have considered it but not sure if I should go through

And we have the heat mat situated long ways so it covers almost half of the tank
Click to expand...

IF the thermostat is set for 80*F but only reaches 70ish in the warm dry hide, then the heat mat may be defective OR it may be colder than 67*F in that room.

What brand thermostat do you have?

Thermostats are meant to be set near the desired temperature: 88-92*F.

All leos need a warm dry hide during the day that's 88-92*F in order to remain healthy. :)

Heat mats only work where they are situated, not much further at all. Heat mats barely heat the air directly above the heat mat.
 
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C

CalypsosHeart

New member
The room gets colder than 68 degrees since she’s in the basement. But again it’s not a full badement since it’s not underground, but it’s till gets cold.
 
Elizabeth Freer

Elizabeth Freer

Well-known member
Please relocate your leo's 40 gallon breeder enclosure to a much warmer location. Even then please troubleshoot whether your current heat mat is defective.

IF temps continue as you've described, Calypso will not thrive. She will be susceptible to upper respiratory illnesses like pneumonia or digestive problems from eating (or not eating) with super low temps.
 
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