Leopard Gecko Lighting and Heating

Question
QUESTION: Hi I just have a quick question. My air temperature on the warm side is 76 but the ground temperature is 95 and the cool side is a little lower than 70. I have a ten gallon tank and my warm hide is also his moist hide and he stays in there all day and comes out at night. He never uses his cool side hide and I was wondering if it might be too cool on that side? Thank you for all your help!!!

ANSWER: Hello Ryan,

Ok, the 10 gallon tank is fine.  The warm side, are you using an undertank heater & a low wattage basking light?
You are using a temp gun then, since you can measure the air temperatures?
The cooler end is a little too cool.  It should be more around 78 to 82 on average.  
They sometimes don't always use the cooler end all of the time.  Do you have any climbing fixtures for him such as a half log or a semi cave that he could climb or sit under on the cooler end?  

Tracie

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------


Hide   QUESTION: yes on the warm side there is a uth and a 50 watt bulb day light. right above the uth is his warm/moist hide with terranium moss in there. on the right side of the tank is a half log but he never goes over there. sometimes during the day he will come out and still lay on the warm side under the fake plant that is attached to the glass next to the hide. at night time the uth is on the left side and the black night light is on the right side. I have been using a digital thermometer for the air and ground temps.

ANSWER: Hello Ryan,

Great, the temperatures sound pretty good then especially since you are using a digital probe thermometer.
Everything sounds great for him.  
You could use a low wattage ceramic heat emitter on the cool side to bring the temperatures up just a little bit for him so he might use that end a little more.  
Good the undertank heater should be kept on 24/7 to ensure proper heating for him.

Is he eating really well right now?

Tracie

 


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: yes he is eating tons!!! I can put 10 small meal worms in per day and he will eat them all. Even if I put in 12 crickets he will eat them all at one time. He is only a baby so I guess that is why he eats so much. I am leaving the night one on 24/7 on the opposite side of the uth. The day one is on from 9-9. Thank You for all of your help!!!

Answer
Hello Ryan,

That is great he is eating so much now.  Wow he is going to eat you out of house & home.  :-))
He is growing so he will eat like that for awhile  until he becomes an adult then he will slow down.
The 9am to 9pm lighting schedule is perfect for him then.  Great, the undertank heater will need to stay on 24/7 for him.

I think you definitely have it down, he should be a happy boy!  Let me know if you need anything else.

Tracie