LIGHTING QUESTION~!#!@$

[theclean1]

hey guyzz i got my leo a 75 wat bulb but at the bottom of his tank it only like 75-80 degrees, is that ok? And i dont have a heat mat..

 

[LeapinLizards]

Definitely needs to be a LOT warmer than that, in the 90s.

I would get a heat mat.

 

[Leopard.Geckerz]

I don't use any type of lighting. Get rid of the bulb, it's not hot enough and it won't do the right job anyway. Leo's need BELLY heat which can be obtained from an under tank heater. They're cheap, $20-30 for a 10-20 gallon size tank heater, and they last for years. I have one that's almost 10 years old.

 

[T-AL]

Hot side needs to be at 88-92 degrees. Any higher than that will fry your little guy/girl. Cool side needs to be at 78-82 degrees. I would use an UTH just because the warmth on their belly helps the digestion process.

 

[thestack510]

Leopard Geckos are nocturnal, no need for the light bulb. They'll often shy away from bright light, especially albinos. A UTH is practically essential to your Leos health. Remember, heat rises. most of the heat from light bulbs escapes upwards and doesn't help your Leo one bit.

 

[nats]

Yep, you do indeed need a UTH to get that floor temp right.
Lights are very inefficient, costly, and mostly heat the air

 

[cuomop]

lights arnt bad if your air temps are 65 like mine, i keep my flour. lights on a 12 hr 8-8pm day cycles just to get the air temps to 75-78 during the day

but you really need a uth for the 90-92 belly temp

 

[Ehatcher]

Id say a light would be fine as long as you have the warm side lined with something that conducts heat such as a thick piece of slate, or in my case, hard packed clay. The probe on my substrate thermometer reads 92.3* consistantly, and the ambient temps are around 88-90* . So therefore the lights are providing ambient temps and belly heat with my set up. I am using an infared bulb.

My geckos are healthy, they eat daily and poo 1-2 times every day. They are very active and they are becoming very tame.

I will be switching to a UTH though when I change from the clay to reptile carpet or tile because I have noticed an increase over the last 3 months in my electric bills, and I dont believe in wasting energy.

BUT my conclusion is that you can use lights, but you have to be smart about it. Visible spectrum lights that put of UVB or halogen lights shouldnt be used as one person has already said. You need to try to mimic what the sun does to the areas that the geckos thrive on. reptile carpet, paper towels, and the glass bottom of the tanks arent good heat conductors, neither is wood.

 

[dunderpate]

My Leo turns 8 in April. Since the beginning ive used an 75watt infared lamp set on a timer to provide heat for 18 hrs and half that in the summer or none at all if its July or August. If you factor in that your not living in an igloo, room temp and an extra heat source has been more then adequate with temps around 32 degrees celsius which would be around 90 fahrenheit. Plenty. And as you can see below he physically looks as a healthy Leopard gecko should. I take him out often, so i would say mentally he's sound too.

With that said and the unanimous support for some type of ground level heat source,im thinking I should pack away the infared. I dont discount any of your experience with Leopard Geckos, i would assume a handfull of you have more then 8 yrs knowledge but it makes sense in assiting the digestive system.

Leo is getting up there in years and things dont work as good as they used to. He has always had a healthy appetite, and i want him to stick around for at least another 8. Once he never used the toilet for 2 weeks. I posted my concerns, and members helped me out. I want him to be as regular as you and I so Change is a good thing, belly heat it is! Anyone suggest a good heat source? Something that wont burn his belly.

Lit with flash Heat source is top right, away from his Flintstone home.

Lit with flash

 

[Gregg M]

I don't use any type of lighting. Get rid of the bulb, it's not hot enough and it won't do the right job anyway. Leo's need BELLY heat which can be obtained from an under tank heater.

This is false... Leos do not need belly heat... They need a hot spot with ample ambient air temps through out the cage/bin just like any other reptile, it does not have to be direct belly heat... Some of my racks are back heated... This means there is no belly heat in the rack... Reptilian digestive systems work at their best when the reptile maintains a body temp between 85 and 87 degrees... Its not belly heat that aids in digestion its the maintainance of internal body temp...

Every leo in my back heated racks all eat, poop, and grow as well as the leos in my belly heated racks...

With that being said, you do not need to lose the light... You can add a heat mat for added heat or you can add another heat light...