Please Help Soon! Temp Problems!

[Izzisparks13]

Okay... so I had another post in the Health forum about how my baby leo is having some eating problems. I heard that my temperature might be too low. I think it's around 70 on the cool side and maybe 80 on the hot side. I just have a small zoo - med under-the-tank-heater. I also have a heat lamp available, a 60 watt one. Should I replace the under tank heater with the lamp? Or should I add the lamp to the under tank heater? Or will that be too hot. I really need help, I'm worried that if I don't fix it soon my little leo will starve!!!

 

[pkrtech]

you need a temp near 90 on the fllor of the hot side so they can digest the food properly.

 

[thekooliest]

Hey I was talking to him and I am pretty sure he fixed it .
Izzy, I never knew you was in lancaster.
Im in york!

 

[acpart]

Get a thermometer with a probe if you don't already have one. Make sure you're measuring the temperature directly above the UTH. If you're doing all that and still have problems, try one of the following solutions:

a. tape some aluminum foil over the UTH (in other words, you would have the UTH sandwiched between the bottom of the tank and the aluminum foil). THis causes more of the heat to be directed upward to the tank floor

b. get a larger (10-20 gallon) UTH --in that case you may need a thermostat to make sure the tank floor doesn't get too hot

I don't particularly recommend trying the heat lamp because you'll need to turn it off at night which is when they especially need the extra heat because they're eating.

ALiza

 

[Izzisparks13]

Thanks everybody. I think I did fix the temperature. thekooliest if you noticed my name is Isabel usually that is a girls name. I am a girl. Just making sure you knew lol.

 

[thekooliest]

Ya i knew I just typed the wrong thing.
xD

 

[scottprice]

Izzy, do you have your UTH hooked up to anything like a rheostat or thermostat? I'd recommend getting yourself at least an inexpensive thermostat that way it'll automatically adjust for temperature variations in the tank and would allow you to keep the hot spot in the tank at around 90... and just throw away the heat lamp, you'll have no real use for it in the tank. Leo's are nocturnal, and especially if your leo is an albino their eyes are extremely sensitive to light.

 

[scottprice]

btw I'm from lancaster as well : )