# What heat source is best for a leopard gecko?



## Reptile-Joel (Jun 28, 2010)

My dad has just built me a new wooden vivarium but I don't know what's best for my leopard geckos, a heat mat or a red heat bulb?

Thanks,
Joel


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## morg106 (Feb 27, 2010)

A heat mat is best, placed under the glass/substrate and covering around a third of the floor area. Leopard geckos require under floor heating to heat their bellies and aid digestion


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## CactuarJon (Mar 4, 2009)

heat mat : victory:


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

Definitely a heat mat IMO. Covering about 1/3 to 1/2 the floor area. I leave mine on 24/7. Put it inside a wooden viv, underneath the substate. Remember to use a thermostat whichever you decide to use.


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## CactuarJon (Mar 4, 2009)

jools said:


> Definitely a heat mat IMO. Covering about 1/3 to 1/2 the floor area. I leave mine on 24/7. Put it inside a wooden viv, underneath the substate. Remember to use a thermostat whichever you decide to use.


and to add as just a tip, when i used a heat mat in my corns wooden tank when i had him, i taped a layer of newspaper over the heatmat to prevent direct contact in case your leo finds a way to the heatmat under the substrate


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

jools said:


> Definitely a heat mat IMO. Covering about 1/3 to 1/2 the floor area. I leave mine on 24/7. Put it inside a wooden viv, underneath the substate. Remember to use a thermostat whichever you decide to use.


ditto : victory:


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## daveplymouth (May 26, 2009)

Heat mat is best, but a bulb will work also aslong as it heats the floor to the correct temp. so if you use a bulb make sure you measure the temps from the floor and not the bulb. and make sure the bulb high enough so the leo cant burn itself.


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## Gman1980 (Aug 27, 2010)

Use both mate. Doesnt do any harm as long as u monitor the temps correctly. I have a heat mat on the side of the tank (on the advice of the very reputable shop I bought my Leo from) to ensure the glass on the base doesnt crack. My heat mat is in the corner of the hot side with a red 40W bulb. This gives a day temp of 80 in the hot end which is pretty much perfect!

Leos need heat from underneath to aid digestion, but providing the substrate retains heat (which it should) then the red lamp will do this job. Im using beech chips, which maintain a nice warm temp without risk of getting too hot. : victory:


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

Gman1980 said:


> Use both mate. Doesnt do any harm as long as u monitor the temps correctly. I have a heat mat on the side of the tank (on the advice of the very reputable shop I bought my Leo from) to ensure the glass on the base doesnt crack. My heat mat is in the corner of the hot side with a red 40W bulb. This gives a day temp of 80 in the hot end which is pretty much perfect!
> 
> Leos need heat from underneath to aid digestion, but providing the substrate retains heat (which it should) then the red lamp will do this job. Im using beech chips, which maintain a nice warm temp without risk of getting too hot. : victory:


if a heatmat is statted and used correctly then it's perfectly fine to run underneath a glass tank without it cracking the glass ~ also when you say a day temp of 80*f is that the floor temp or air temp? as imo leos need a hot end *floor* temp in the range of 88*f-90*f (31*c-32*c)


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## Gman1980 (Aug 27, 2010)

Wasnt aware of that! My floor temp is marginally higher than my air temp. The highest thermo in the tank is 85f, the mid is 82 and the floor is 85/86. Wasnt aware the floor had to be that warm? 90 seems a little high IMO:devil:


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

Gman1980 said:


> Wasnt aware of that! My floor temp is marginally higher than my air temp. The highest thermo in the tank is 85f, the mid is 82 and the floor is 85/86. Wasnt aware the floor had to be that warm? 90 seems a little high IMO:devil:


sorry but 90*f isn't high at all and many keepers and breeders use those temps for the hot end floor temps ... infact some even have the hot end floor temps slightly higher.
If a leo isn't provided with the correct temperature range then it can depress it's appetite and digestion.


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## Gman1980 (Aug 27, 2010)

cool man! Maybe my shop gave me the wrong advice. They just said that using heat mats under vivs can be dangerous, as the substrate can prevent penetration, make the stat perform unreliably and crank up the heat, resulting in the base splitting:gasp:


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## SleepyD (Feb 13, 2008)

Gman1980 said:


> cool man! Maybe my shop gave me the wrong advice. They just said that using heat mats under vivs can be dangerous, as the substrate can prevent penetration, make the stat perform unreliably and crank up the heat, resulting in the base splitting:gasp:


yes substrate if too thick can affect a heatmat by effectively blocking the heat which is why it's recommended to keep substrate to under 1 cm deep ~ also personally I wouldn't use nor recommend wood chips with leos due to the impaction hazard it can pose as well as the problems of hygeine/cleaning and livefood hiding in it.
There's several caresheets on the forum and some members websites (including mine) which may be worth checking out


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

I completely agree with SleepyD here. The floor temps need to be at least 88-90F (30-31C). I some times go a little higher with mine 90-92F which is fine as long as there is a good temperature gradient. Wood chips are probably the worst substrate you could use IMO. They pose a real impaction risk, they are unhygienic, livefood will bury themselves in it, expensive to replace, it is a completely unnatural surface for the Leo to be on and it will block heat from a heatmat. Lino, tiles, slate, paper or even play sand would be preferable.


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