# Vivarium heat crisis!!!!!!!!



## Crown Prince Of Crime (Jul 28, 2009)

Ok, I have one Leo in a 10 gallon tank (20 inches long), the apropriate temperature should be 84-86 F but at the moment its 70-71 F, my tank is to small for a heat lamp as it would heat the whole thing. Ive tried a heat mat inside the Viv taped to a wall but it dosent make any difference, ive tried it taped to the bottom underneath the Viv, it feels warm on the floor directly above it but dosent heat the rest of the Viv properly. If I dont act soon my Leo will get a resparitory infection and die. What should I do?


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## naz_pixie (Oct 6, 2008)

a few questions for you to answer which will help people help you..

well firstlywhat sort of thermometer do you have? 

and what sort of tank, for example, wooden, glass fronted, all glass mesh lid ect.. and how much ventilation and what sort ect? if you can take a photo of the tank and how it is set out that would be realy helpfull!

what sort of heatmat?! (brand, size ect)

what sort of thermostat?

also, what tempreture is you room/house? because i currently have a crested gecko in the liveing room who has no heating equipment atall and is sitting at 76f and we have even had the air conditioning on today to keep it cool lol

photos and as much infomation as possible will deffinatly help people answer questions for you

naz x


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

Since leopard geckos are nocturnal and live in deserts - where it gets quite cold at night, especially the air - you probably don't need to worry about your leo getting a respiratory infection *as long as* the heat mat is set to the correct temperature on the floor of the enclosure and you're controlling it with a thermostat.

Are you measuring the floor temperature where your gecko is?


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## naz_pixie (Oct 6, 2008)

ooh yeah.. on ssthisto's comment... the heatmats are infrared... they only heat up objects, and teh objects bleed heat off into the air hetaing teh air a little but the heatmat its self does not heat the ambieant or "air" tempreture.. so you thermomitor needs to be in contact with the substrat or another object.. i always put mine ever so slightly dug into the surface of teh substrate on the hot end of the viv (heatmat should obviuosly only be under half the viv) it is here where teh temps should read the desired tempretures not in the air


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

The floor temp is what is important for Leos 88-90f is best. The air temp will be ok at room temperature. Put the heatmat under the glass tank and use a thermostat. Place the thermostat probe and the thermometer probe on the floor above the heatmat then adjust the thermostat (take no notice of what it says on the dial) until the thermometer tells you that you have the right temperature. Hope that helps.


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## Crown Prince Of Crime (Jul 28, 2009)

Thanks people for the advice, I have a 10 gallon Komodo tank with ventilation grill on the top and a little bit on the right hand side of the Viv. I have an Exo Terra thermometer in the middle of the glass on the left side of the Viv., I have a small-ish Habistat heat mat (about a foot long) taped to the bottom of the Viv. I think this is it Reptilekeeping The online Reptile Shop, Selling Livefoods Reptile Accessories and Equipment.


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## naz_pixie (Oct 6, 2008)

Crown Prince Of Crime said:


> Thanks people for the advice, I have a 10 gallon Komodo tank with ventilation grill on the top and a little bit on the right hand side of the Viv. I have an Exo Terra thermometer in the middle of the glass on the left side of the Viv., I have a small-ish Habistat heat mat (about a foot long) taped to the bottom of the Viv. I think this is it Reptilekeeping The online Reptile Shop, Selling Livefoods Reptile Accessories and Equipment.


thermomitor not a digital?

you need a digital thermomitior.. 

do you not have a thermostat?! this is the MOST important part of ehating equipment!

and is teh ehatmat covering the whole of teh bottom of teh tank!?


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

Is the thermometer on the glass on the FLOOR of the viv on the left side, or is it on the side wall (where it is more ornament than use, since as everyone has mentioned heat mats do not effectively heat the air)?

I would block off the ventilation on the top of the warm side just to hold some of the heat in, personally.


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## Crown Prince Of Crime (Jul 28, 2009)

Ive put the thermometer on the ground and it now reaches 85-86 F. I'll try blocking of vetilation directly abouve the mat as Ssthisto said to try to raise the tempurature. 
Is a thermostat really that esential as long as you can mesure the floor tempurature


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## jools (Apr 4, 2009)

In a word - YES. Heat mats can and do overheat at times.


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## Ssthisto (Aug 31, 2006)

Crown Prince Of Crime said:


> Is a thermostat really that esential as long as you can mesure the floor tempurature


Yes.

A *thermometer *will tell you what temperature brain-damaged or burned your gecko, but it can't DO anything about it.

A *thermostat *will stop it from getting so hot that it CAN brain-damage or burn your gecko, because it will shut off power to the heater before the heater gets that hot.


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