so lately my UTH temp. has been rising, two days ago it was at 105 degrees F, so i unplugged it and let it cool down (UTH) and when it hits 95 degrees ill plug it back in but today i looked at the temp. and it was 116 degrees F!!! How do i get the UTH to not get as hot? by the way i use a ZOO MED UTH, Also another thing, can i just turn off the UTH in the spring and summer and turn it on in the fall and winter? any advice helps
UTH temp. and Summer
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Embrace Calamity
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Get a thermostat. I like the Hydrofarm ones: Amazon.com: Hydrofarm MTPRTC Digital Thermostat For Heat Mats: Patio, Lawn & Garden I set mine at 90 during the day and 85-86 at night.
~Maggot
~Maggot
hey thanks, i might consider buying this one, by the way, what would happen if temps. reach 110 degrees F? can leos get burned? are they like chameleons wen it comes to touch? because i know that chameleons can get burned because they don't react to temps. fast enough, are leos like that as well?
Embrace Calamity
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All reptiles are like that as far as I'm aware because their systems work differently. I would be very concerned about temps that high. You really need a thermostat ASAP. I'd also be concerned that your gecko can't digest food properly because it can't get belly heat, unless you have an area warmed by an overhead heat source.
~Maggot
~Maggot
mörten
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+1. Thermostat is a must if you have an UTH! You have to get one to monitor your way too high temps!
CanadianGirl
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You can also get a lamp dimmer for like 10 bucks, plug the UTH into it and you can control how powerful the UTH is. I love this, because I live in a place with really unpredictable weather and I never know how much heat he's gonna need on a given day.
gummyvites
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You can get a dimmer instead of a thermostat?
A thermostat is better than a dimmer, as it will shut the UTH off if temps get too high. A dimmer will not. It just allows you to adjust a UTH or heat bulb and set it on low, medium, or high. If you work or go to school, etc. a thermostat is a better choice. I am never away from home for more than two hours at a time, so I do have some animals lights set up with rheostats. But...I am always home to monitor temps. If I worked full time I would definitely have a thermostat over a rheostat.
gummyvites
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Do you know anywhere to get a cheaper thermostat that still works well? The ones i see at my LPS are like 30-50 dollars, and i'll mean i'll pay that if i have to im just bargain shopping
well what kind of light dimmer, becasue i bought one but it is a table top dimmer, works with one bulb, im not sure if it works on my UTH but i tried it on my other bulbs that i ahve for my gecko and it worked perfectly, i plugged the UTH into the dimmer but the temp. keeps going down, i'll just re-turn it and get another one, but im not sure which one to get
well what kind of light dimmer, becasue i bought one but it is a table top dimmer, works with one bulb, im not sure if it works on my UTH but i tried it on my other bulbs that i ahve for my gecko and it worked perfectly, i plugged the UTH into the dimmer but the temp. keeps going down, i'll just re-turn it and get another one, but im not sure which one to get
mörten
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If you use a thermostat instead, then you can make sure that the temperature stays at the degree that you set it to, so that it increases the heat when needed to and decreases the heat when it gets too cold
pandyana
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Ok, I'm confused. I was told NOT to use overhead heat sources and only use the UTH as a heat source.
If you're referring to the talk about a Light Dimmer, they work with UTHs as well. Same basic principle, just a mat instead of a light. I'd sooner go with a thermostat though, since with a dimmer you'd have to continually play around to find the right temps.
pandyana
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No, I've seen people talking about using both at the same time. The UTH and the overhead heating.
Ahh. Well, I can understand the addition of a low-heat lamp if you live in a -very- cold area, actually. At one point in time when I had my geckos, we had a nasty cold winter..(Northern Maryland, not a lot of snow that year, but temps below freezing every day, maybe ~46* inside with the heater running as it was conking out). We only had my first leo at the time, still in his 10gal (which had dropped into the mid 60s range for ~2 days). Had a hood on the tank that would hold a normal 15 watt bulb for daytime viewing, and a second socket in it...Popped in a ~30watt 'moonlight' bulb and left it on 24/7, temps jumped back up to the mid-high 80s until it warmed back up outside.
If temps aren't a problem with just an UTH+Thermostat, the only reason for lighting is just for viewing/aesthetics. If temps are an issue, I'd sooner get a thermostat than a light, but keeping a spare around in case the UTH dies out is a good idea for a temporary fix.
If temps aren't a problem with just an UTH+Thermostat, the only reason for lighting is just for viewing/aesthetics. If temps are an issue, I'd sooner get a thermostat than a light, but keeping a spare around in case the UTH dies out is a good idea for a temporary fix.
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