Newbie question

[Mr_flash]

Hi I know this is my first post and I will introduce myself fully later but have a question that I need answered

I have just acquired 2 geckos from a friend and they are my first reptilian pets. He has given me his complete setup and they are both about 4 years old

He kept them on a substrate of sand but researching before I got them I decided it would be better to use slate.

I have used a crushed corn first and bedded the slate on top of the corn. My question is that the slate is about 1cm thick and am a bit worried that it will take a while for the heat to work its way through.

Will the geckos be ok until it reaches temp

 

[SC Geckos]

Great idea in getting rid of the sand. Loose substrate of any kind can potentially cause issues, especially for a new hobbiest.
They will be fine until the enclosure heats up. Do you have a way of measuring the surface temp? A digital thermometer (with probe) or a temp gun would be ideal. If not I would suggest getting one so you know if the temp is correct on the surface of the warm side (between 90 - 93 works best for me).

 

[Mr_flash]

Big thanks, eased my mind

There is only a dial thermometer on the back but I intend the by a digital one and also a plug in thermostat for the heat mat

 

[SC Geckos]

Big thanks, eased my mind

There is only a dial thermometer on the back but I intend the by a digital one and also a plug in thermostat for the heat mat

Those dial thermometers are junk. lol! Plus the ambient temp is somewhat important but not as important as getting the surface temp on the warm side in range. If you get that right in most cases your ambient temps will be good too.
Try looking on ebay and amazon, you can get some really good deals from time to time.

 

[ImNotYogi]

I'd almost skip on the probe thermometers since I've noticed mine are off by a few degrees when taped to the floor. And you're bound to check both sides with the infrared temp gun anyway. I'd skip the Zoo Med repti temp gun at pet stores and spring for something from a hardware store. The Zoo Med stopped working within 2 weeks and the Craftsmen I have now only cost around $15 more.

 

[SC Geckos]

I'd almost skip on the probe thermometers since I've noticed mine are off by a few degrees when taped to the floor. And you're bound to check both sides with the infrared temp gun anyway. I'd skip the Zoo Med repti temp gun at pet stores and spring for something from a hardware store. The Zoo Med stopped working within 2 weeks and the Craftsmen I have now only cost around $15 more.

Its always a good idea to have more than one of thermometer of any sort. If you only have one there is no way to tell if you are getting an accurate reading or when one goes out of calibration. For this reason I have two temp guns and somewhere between 6 -10 probe style thermometers. Along with the thermostats for my racks.
Also when using a temp gun you need to be consistant with your distance from the object or surface you are checking. Some temp guns will read different temps at different distances.

 

[Ozy]

My leo's heat mat is hooked up to a HydroFarms thermostat. I LOVE IT! SO much easier than a lamp dimmer. It tells the temp and keeps her warm hide between 91-94 degrees. I have it set to 94. I got it on Amazon for like $27

 

[Mr_flash]

Having been to a few reputable reptile shops that have been recommended on different forums and i'm getting loads of different points of view.

I broke a slate the i was fitting and was asking in one shop. I was firmly told that slate was awful for gecko's and that they like to dig in the wild and it best to use a wood chip.

I have put the woodchip in for now while i wait to get some more slate

Also i bought a thermostat and a dual digital thermometer.

I am struggling to get the temps up on the hot side and they are a bit low on the cool side.

after 24 hours and i am only getting 26C on hot and 18 on the cold.

I do live in a cold house but am wondering if there is a fault with the heat mat i was given with the gecko's as i think they had it on all the time with no thermostat.

What are the thoughts on going for a ceramic heater instead of a mat.