Arg! Go away winter!

[Pokersnake]

The temps have dropped so low outside that my leo cage temps won't go above 85. My rheostat is on max.

Either I have to rearrange my bedroom so the tank is not next to the outside wall or I have to go find a heat lamp to bring up their temps for the winter. *grumbles*

Northern Illinois temps are gonna be a steady 0 to 10 degrees with windchills as low as -20... for at least the next two days. Tomorrow's high is a balmy 9 degrees. I effing hate winter.

 

[roger]

The temps have dropped so low outside that my leo cage temps won't go above 85. My rheostat is on max.

Either I have to rearrange my bedroom so the tank is not next to the outside wall or I have to go find a heat lamp to bring up their temps for the winter. *grumbles*

Northern Illinois temps are gonna be a steady 0 to 10 degrees with windchills as low as -20... for at least the next two days. Tomorrow's high is a balmy 9 degrees. I effing hate winter.

go to home depot in the electrical section.they sell those silver funnel shaped shield extension cords with a socket attached.It has a fly nut swivel so u can adjust it.then by an infrared bulb the one retaurants use to keep food hot.put it as near or as far as u need it to bring the temps to 95.it worked for me for many yrs

 

[GeckoGurl]

I have a red bulb that is there for cases of bad weather or poor heating in my home.... I use it only to help heat the tank when the temps drop and the UTH just isn't enough! Good luck and hopefully you get the little guy warm as here in Tennessee we are having crazy weather and its like 10 degrees right now and snowing!

 

[Waighto]

Ugh I hear you. I live in Western Mo. and it's hella cold out here too. My Cresties just fine but my poor Leo :C

 

[fl_orchidslave]

It's freezing in Florida too. No snow yet but, it could happen.

 

[Retribution Reptiles]

If you are using a tank I would suggest placing a large towel on the side of the tank that is on the wall and covering the screen top a bit. It will semi insulate the tank and you'll have less heat loss.

Question that I have are you taking your temps as air temps or floor temps? If the air temp is 85 more then likely your hot spot is plenty warm enough.

 

[Dog Shrink]

I have plastic styrofoam on 3 sides of my tank (outside of course) about an inch and a half thick and just using the uth I'm getting mid to high 90's despite outside temps similar to yours and house temps around 66 degrees. Here in NW pa we're getting the same weather you are but a day or 2 later. Maybe you coulds go to a home store and pick up a sheet of that insulboard they use to wrap houses in before they put up siding what is it tyveK? and put that on the 3 sides to see if it helps. On the sides I applied my insulation with a few dabs of gorilla glue so if I ever decide to take it off all I gotta do is razor blade off the glue and it's all good. Also you could sandwich some nice back drop between the insulation board and the tank so you had a pretty view insted of seeing tyveK al over the place

Ok just googled it and tyvek is the insulating wrap not foam board. This is what you want to use (or something similar)

 

[acpart]

You may be able to get things a bit warmer if you add a sheet of aluminum foil below the UTH and put a towel or quilted material at the back of the cage.

Aliza

 

[Pokersnake]

Lol. Wow guys! Your responses have more ways to warm a tank than I could have thought of myself.

I ended up moving the leos tank against an inside wall. I was thinking of a lamp, but I have $10 until payday. I also thought of putting a pillow between the tank and the wall. But I decided that since this will be a recurring trend throughout the winter that moving the thing would be my best bet. Now my computer desk is snuggly against my window wall.

My temp probe is now reading 91.8 (on the ground) and my two guys are sleeping once again. I'm seriously thinking of getting a thermostat with my extra holiday money. Because this is getting ridiculous.

I've had, in the past 72 hours, snow, sleet, rain, sleet, snow, and wind storm, in that order. I'm getting tired of this. My work parking lot was one giant sheet of ice. The wind is enough to carry you across said ice when a gust gets you. I have the feeling that I should prepare for one hell of a nasty winter.

 

[acpart]

Remember that a thermostat will not raise the temperature any higher than you're getting without it, since without a thermostat, the temp is already at 100%. A thermostat will just regulate the temperature to keep it from getting higher than you want, but it won't go higher than the UTH goes without one.

Aliza

 

[Pokersnake]

I have a hardware store lamp dimmer. It works for the most part. I have to adjust it every now and again. It seems that even when the rheostat is plugged into a lamp, the max setting is not as high as when the lamp is plugged into the wall. It's just slightly off. I know this heat pad is rated for 110 or something. Maybe it would get that high if I kept my house at 80.

 

[sausage]

im haveing the same problem here in england part from my temp is much lower i just cant get it higher than 73f :S its real bad i know!!!

i have the largist exo terra you can buy it has all those things:
~ polystyrene on the back (it comes with that).
~ 3ft heat mat thats foiled and backed with polystyrene.
~ sides are coverd with towles.
~ heat rock.
~ spot lamp.
~ and when the lights off at night i cover the top up with towles aswell to keep the heat in.

every thing basicly that i can think of!

 

[Pokersnake]

im haveing the same problem here in england part from my temp is much lower i just cant get it higher than 73f :S its real bad i know!!!

i have the largist exo terra you can buy it has all those things:
~ polystyrene on the back (it comes with that).
~ 3ft heat mat thats foiled and backed with polystyrene.
~ sides are coverd with towles.
~ heat rock.
~ spot lamp.
~ and when the lights off at night i cover the top up with towles aswell to keep the heat in.

every thing basicly that i can think of!

If your heat mat floor temps are only 73 Fahrenheit... then what is your house heated to? You might want to turn up the heat.

My problem was that my air temperature was fine at 70 to 72. It was just that the wall was so chilled by the temperature outside that my floor temps couldn't get high enough.

Sometimes if I have my computer tower on all day, my room will get to a nice balmy 80 degrees. I love those lazy weekend days.

 

[sausage]

If your heat mat floor temps are only 73 Fahrenheit... then what is your house heated to? You might want to turn up the heat.

My problem was that my air temperature was fine at 70 to 72. It was just that the wall was so chilled by the temperature outside that my floor temps couldn't get high enough.

Sometimes if I have my computer tower on all day, my room will get to a nice balmy 80 degrees. I love those lazy weekend days.

lol i know, but its well and good saying turn up the heat but the other people i live with dont like it toooo hot in the house and then theres heating bills ofcourse!
the vivs not on an outside wall atleast but it has been snowing here alot l8ly

 

[Phish999]

lol and you guys say that we Canadians live in igloos, its cold here and all my vivs ambient temps are 80 and above hot hides ambient temps 90 and up my white lined geckos are doing well too! had them for three weeks already have a perfect egg!:main_thumbsup:im using lamps for the winter im also using uth for all i found a towel over the top works well too in conjunction with lamp and uth but keep in mind that you atill need airflow through the top so cover half at the most

 

[Pokersnake]

@Emma: I guess you're right. I like my room to be warm. I don't know what heating costs where you are, but I would rather pay the extra $10 a month to be comfortable (at least my definition of comfortable). Then again, I'm lucky that I split the utilities with two roommates.

@Phish: The specific town I live in seems to have the worst wind tunnels I have ever experienced. Worse than Chicago itself. I've had people visit here from northern Michigan and they thought it was bad here.