Last Friday we received our new, 3 month-old Leo in the mail. There are a few things concerning me. For a lot of the supplies needed, we placed an online order with a reptile supply house. We applied a medium heat pad to the underside of our 12" x 24" 20-gallon along with cheap adhesive thermos to each back corner. We also bought a 5" light fixture with a 50 watt night viewing bulb (dull purple hue). I was upset with the order we received because one of the hides was broken, the thermometers would not read anywhere close to accurate, and I believe the heat pad was faulty (but not sure about this).
The heat pad was only reading 80F on the adhesive thermos, so I took a cheap thermo we had lying around the hour and laid it flat on the reptile carpet on the hot side of the tank. Again, I was getting a reading of @ 80F. I then went to PS and bought a digital thermo with a probe and a different (ZooMed) pad; same size. The digital read 83F with the probe lying on the carpet. All of these readings were consistent whether or not I used the rheostat on high or with the pad plugged in directly to the wall.
So, having figured the heat pad was faulty, I removed it and placed the new one from PS on. Now, I am getting a reading of 85 - 87; still not hot enough, but better, with the lamp on the warmest reading I have seen in 89.5F. So I am perplexed as to why I cannot get to 90F even with the lamp. The room her terrarium is in is a second-story bedroom, not a cool basement. So, I am perplexed as to what is going wrong.
Also, I don't think she's eaten one mealie since she's arrived (she certainly hasn't taken a dump). We have gut-loaded her worms and dust them w/Repashy's. I thought she had eaten a few until I realized they had left the food bowl and were hiding under the reptile carpet.
With all this said, we don't have any prior experience with reptiles, but she looks healthy. Sleeps a lot during the day and has been waking up around 5:30 each night and becomes pretty active exploring her new home. A few times I have gotten up in the middle of the night to check on her. She will be up and at 'em.
She really likes her moist hide that is getting a good amount of condensation build-up on the walls and lid. I am just guessing the lack of an appetite is due to the change in environment.
Any advice would be appreciated.
The heat pad was only reading 80F on the adhesive thermos, so I took a cheap thermo we had lying around the hour and laid it flat on the reptile carpet on the hot side of the tank. Again, I was getting a reading of @ 80F. I then went to PS and bought a digital thermo with a probe and a different (ZooMed) pad; same size. The digital read 83F with the probe lying on the carpet. All of these readings were consistent whether or not I used the rheostat on high or with the pad plugged in directly to the wall.
So, having figured the heat pad was faulty, I removed it and placed the new one from PS on. Now, I am getting a reading of 85 - 87; still not hot enough, but better, with the lamp on the warmest reading I have seen in 89.5F. So I am perplexed as to why I cannot get to 90F even with the lamp. The room her terrarium is in is a second-story bedroom, not a cool basement. So, I am perplexed as to what is going wrong.
Also, I don't think she's eaten one mealie since she's arrived (she certainly hasn't taken a dump). We have gut-loaded her worms and dust them w/Repashy's. I thought she had eaten a few until I realized they had left the food bowl and were hiding under the reptile carpet.
With all this said, we don't have any prior experience with reptiles, but she looks healthy. Sleeps a lot during the day and has been waking up around 5:30 each night and becomes pretty active exploring her new home. A few times I have gotten up in the middle of the night to check on her. She will be up and at 'em.
She really likes her moist hide that is getting a good amount of condensation build-up on the walls and lid. I am just guessing the lack of an appetite is due to the change in environment.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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