Why does my gecko like high temps

[vinnie-gecko]

The temp on her warm side Is around 100-105. And I know many people say that's too hot. But I once turned the temp down to around 95 and she refused to eat for a week, soon as I turned the temp back up she started eating again

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Does she show any signs of ill health? What's her setup like? Do you have pics?

~Maggot

 

[vinnie-gecko]

No she is healthy. Think she is around 10 months old is 8" and weighs 49 grams. She eats around 10-15 large brown crickets a night. And she lives in a 2ft viv with repticarpet, 3 hides a water dish and a dish of calcium.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

How big is the enclosure? Gallons or measurements? And how are you heating and measuring temps?

~Maggot

 

[vinnie-gecko]

Use a heat mat and temps are measured with a digital thermometer.

 

[Embrace Calamity]

Are the temps inside or outside the hide? And how big is the enclosure?

~Maggot

 

[cassicat4]

I have an AFT who is like that. Assuming all is well with your setup and care, it may just be personal preference - much like how some people prefer warmer or cooler temps than others are comfortable with.

Just be sure you are providing an appropriate temperature gradient in the enclosure so your gecko has the choice as to where to go in order to thermoregulate.

As well, what do you have for hides? Your gecko may be choosing the hottest hide for the reason that she doesn't like the other ones - if they're too big or open, some geckos will reject them in favor of security even if it isn't conducive to them temp-wise.

 

[LLLReptile]

My geckos at home have a heated hide of about 110, a somewhat cooler warm side hide of 95, and then the cool side drops to 70 - 80 degrees depending on the ambient temps in my apartment. Depending on what they've eaten recently, how cool it is, time of day, if they're gravid or not, etc, I find my geckos throughout the cage utilizing all of the hides. Gravid females seek out warmer temps, and they all seek out warmer temps if they've recently been fed pinkies. Mine are also in a relatively large enclosure of 24" x 24" x 12" high.

I've read several studies on PBT (preferred body temperatures) of geckos, often leopard geckos in particular, and it appears to a fairly common trend that while nocturnal geckos can and will function (forage, eat, breed) at lower temps, they will actively seek out warmer temperatures if they are available to operate at higher temps than we originally thought they wanted or needed. The trend appeared to be that the geckos were sacrificing PBT for the option of lower chances of predation, as they could actively seek out high temps during the day but would wait for nightfall to begin activity. When provided with high temps and darkness, they sought out the temperature options closer to daytime highs. So, there's no harm in offering your geckos higher basking/warm side temps - they'll seek out the temperatures they prefer and do what they need to do!

-Jen