UTH switch

[joshyy_rey]

i just got my leo he is 1-2 months year old. hes not eating and hiding alot and people are saying that is normal. but i was wondering. im using heat lamps currently. and the ground propes are showing temps around the range im looking for, 90-95 degrees but i just bought a UTH and want to know is it needed before i open it. will i notice a difference. maybe his appetite showing up. and more movement? any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Dog Shrink]

Leos depend on belly heat for proper digestion. I would say use the UTH. What kind of lights are you using? They could be stressing your leo out.

 

[joshyy_rey]

Leos depend on belly heat for proper digestion. I would say use the UTH. What kind of lights are you using? They could be stressing your leo out.

I use a night blub all day

 

[Dog Shrink]

I would still say go with the UTH. The night bulb raises the ambient temperature of the tank and maybe makes a warm spot somewhere on the substrait but if he doesn't come out to find it then it does you no good. Are you using a probe thermometer or a stick on?

 

[joshyy_rey]

im using a probe. will i need a regulator or some sort to use the UTH?

 

[Jordan]

yeh you should get a thermostat.
the bulb isnt needed once you get a good UTH in my opinion.

 

[Skydiver Keith]

i just got my leo he is 1-2 months year old. hes not eating and hiding alot and people are saying that is normal. but i was wondering. im using heat lamps currently. and the ground propes are showing temps around the range im looking for, 90-95 degrees but i just bought a UTH and want to know is it needed before i open it. will i notice a difference. maybe his appetite showing up. and more movement? any advice would be appreciated.

Why spend money on a UTH that isn't needed. If your substrate temps are good and there is a temperature gradient, then the lamps are okay.

Does your leo have a cold side, or is it 90-95 everywhere?

 

[joshyy_rey]

Why spend money on a UTH that isn't needed. If your substrate temps are good and there is a temperature gradient, then the lamps are okay.

Does your leo have a cold side, or is it 90-95 everywhere?

Its a hot side and a cold side

 

[Khrysty]

Generally you don't need a thermostat unless the heat pad gets wayy too hot. Most will stay in the 95-105 range.

 

[Skydiver Keith]

Its a hot side and a cold side

Then you don't need the UTH.

 

[Dog Shrink]

How do you heat the substrait under a hide on the hot side with just a heat bulb to the proper temperature needed for proper digestion and belly heat???

 

[Skydiver Keith]

How do you heat the substrait under a hide on the hot side with just a heat bulb to the proper temperature needed for proper digestion and belly heat???

Lol, the same way the sun does.

Put the hide next to the hot spot. So, if the hot spot just outside the hide is 95, the substrate could be around 90. Keep in mind that the substrate must be of a type that readily conducts heat (like slate tile).

Lamps are safer (less chance of overheat or house fires) but a lot harder to properly set up. I wouldn't recommend lamps for a new setup (I don't use them), but if he already has the setup and its working properly, no need to replace it just for the hell of it.

 

[Dog Shrink]

What if he is using coco fiber or paper towels... neither of those will conduct and disperse the heat like you need it to. And risk of fire from a UTH really??? It doesn't go above 100 degrees... can you start a fire just by keeping your feaverish hand in the same place for several hours? Not likely... the only way you have risk of fire with a UTH is from electrical problems... bad connectors, bad plug, bad outlet. The mat itself I HIGHLY doubt could start any kind of fire.

I still vote that the UTH is a lot easier to maintain proper belly heat over lamps. IMO lamps should just be used as supplimental heat source if your UTH isn't getting it to 93 and staying there consistantly.

 

[Skydiver Keith]

What if he is using coco fiber or paper towels...

Then it won't work, hence my statement about it only working on substrates that conduct heat well and being more difficult to set up properly (which he obviously has since its working well, lol):main_huh:

neither of those will conduct and disperse the heat like you need it to.

Correct, but a moot point since he has already verified correct temps.:main_huh:

And risk of fire from a UTH really???

There is a risk of fire from any electrical device, without exception.:main_huh:

It doesn't go above 100 degrees...

It doesn't go above 100 degrees when working properly, but that's not what anyone is concerned with. Of course its not designed to catch on fire while working properly, lol. Its electrical arcing you should be worried about caused be things like manufacturer defects, loose connections caused by peeling and reapplying, etc.:main_huh:

can you start a fire just by keeping your feaverish hand in the same place for several hours?

I suppose it depends on where I put it, but enough about my personal life...

Not likely... the only way you have risk of fire with a UTH is from electrical problems... bad connectors, bad plug, bad outlet.

Very good my young paddywan!

The mat itself I HIGHLY doubt could start any kind of fire.

I agree, although it is certainly more likely a device to fail than a lamp with a lamp with a 3000*c filament. (can't really get much hotter)

I still vote that the UTH is a lot easier to maintain proper belly heat over lamps. IMO lamps should just be used as supplemental heat source if your UTH isn't getting it to 93 and staying there consistently.

I agree 100%. I'll even take it a step further to say that I use convection for supplemental heat instead of a lamp, so my setup is 100% lamp free.

However, the original poster was asking if he needed to keep the UTH, when he already had a working setup with lamps. The simple answer is no, regardless of which is better.

 

[Daedric1]

How do you heat the substrait under a hide on the hot side with just a heat bulb to the proper temperature needed for proper digestion and belly heat???

As far as I know, leopard geckos don't live on volcanoes, so likely most of the heat they get comes from the sun heating rocks that they lay on. They have digested well enough through this method to be a survivor species for thousands to millions of years now without UTHs.

I use both UTHs and night heat bulbs because the air temperature of my house can get pretty cold during Minnesota winters, and using a bulb is a lot cheaper than running the furnace. A UTH won't heat the air, but does a good job of keeping the slate tile hot n' ready.