i've had my leo for almost 14 years but for many of those years, i was at the mercy of my parents for providing money for his care. now i am self sufficient and despite him being old, i want to make sure he gets the best care. in fact, since he is old, i want to make sure his final years are filled with a great enclosure. your videos have helped a lot!
i am currently living with and using my moms money for my leo’s care which we don’t have much money for spare and she bought one for my brother and later got one for my stepsister as her “buddy she later died only like a year later bc she got a bone disease and stopped eating completely now it’s only one left that i started taking care of i upgraded the tank and got a new light and stuff but he’s in a bad enclosure and i need to get new and more stuff but we don’t have much money as i said and i feel really bad i feel like i’m not doing as much as i can which is probably true but i don’t make money too buy stuff for him also ik that housing two of them together isn’t a good idea but my mom wouldn’t let me put them in a bigger one she also got them with absolutely ZERO idea what they needed and neither my brother or my step sister took care of them anyway do you know anything that helped you take better care of yours
in the wild, leopard gecko get belly heat via the sun, during the day the sun heats the ground up during this time the geckos are hiding, when the sun goes down at night they come out and lay on the warm ground this in turn provides belly heat,
Daniel Contreras Arcadia shadedweller ProT5 and switch from heat mat to halogen bulb or deep heat projector, heat mats are useless for leopard gecko, animals burrow down in the substrate to cool down they can’t do this with a heat mat
Lizard Watch that’s not true, heat mats are perfect for Leo’s, and Leo’s shouldn’t really be burrowing since loose substrate is terrible for them especially not burrowing to cool down. I can’t talk for deep heat projectors I don’t use them on Leo’s but I feel like normal heat mats would be better. The best possible heating for Leo’s, in my experience is a heat mat under slate so long as the slate doesn’t get too hot. I do wanna try out some deep heat projectors on them, but even if it’s better, heat mats are perfectly fine.
Cheez heatmats are not an appropriate heat source for leopard geckos they need a basking light/ deep heat projector heat stays on during the day and goes off at night, they need a UVB bulb and loose substrate is perfect for them to give enrichment and encourage natural behaviour but if you want to keep you geckos is sub standard conditions then fine yeah they will survive but they won’t thrive like the would with UVB, a basking bulb and loose substrate
Thank you so much for making this video. Currently I have a leopard gecko who isn't doing well. She got super skinny, would not stop shedding, and wouldn't eat mealworms. I've never used the heat lamp I do have a heating mat under her tank... I just made her a wet hide. We are currently syringe feeding her a supplement from the pet store for geckos in hopes of getting her body weight up. I've also been giving her 30 minute daily baths/soaks. We are hoping she'll get better.
Yes because I’m not sure where to get a good one with a thermometer set. Also how to keep it warm enough for them but also replicate how it gets cooler at night and etc.
Guy Kobey same! I have a zoomed 20 gallon under tank heater (haven’t got a leopard gecko yet, waiting to have everything set up correctly) but mine doesn’t seem to get warm enough. I believe it’s because it’s a 20 gallon long instead of 20 tall. So it doesn’t cover as much space. It ranks up like half of that third of the tank.
This is an older video and while I used to believe under tank heating was the preferred option, now I am more open minded to all options (still not including heat rocks though). Please check out my updated care guide for more information: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-iqL6ZQTqM9g.html
Hi everyone! For some reason this video has picked up lately and it has brought to my attention that I disagree with my statement about overhead heat lights for leos in one situation- deep heat projectors. I believe because they function differently than traditional heat lamps, they have value. Now I personally have not used these but my friend does, and you should check out her channel for more info on them (leopard gecko talk). I do stand by my statement about overhead heat lights otherwise. Far too often I will see someone buy a heat lamp from a pet store employee’s recommendation and torch their gecko & it’s enclosure, causing it to burn. Or I see them provide no night time heat. Or I see them dry out the enclosure with the heat lamp and not provide a humid hide, and then the stuck shed is a huge issue. I still use heat from below for my leos and that’s what I stand by, but I will be making an updated video and I will link it here when it’s available. Please use this video as one source of information, not the only source of information that you find, when determining how to heat your leos.
Harlee Bailey it will not melt. The temperature needed for it to melt would kill your gecko long before it got to the melting point. Just be sure to use a thermostat with your UTH.
Jessica’s Animal Friends okay that’s what I figured just wanted to double check! And I do have a thermostat! And I just ordered a temp gun! I am new to leopard geckos I just rescued a male! So I’m just trying to soak everything up that I can! Your videos are amazingly helpful!! Is there any chance you have a video that talks about gut loading? I just don’t know what to feed my mealworms and super worms!
so glad to hear that the under tank heating was a good choice. heat lamps were not working for me and my leo; it would get too hot, and then id turn it off and itd be too cold, and it would fluctuate like crazy. so i went with below heating because it felt safer and easier and hes been perfectly healthy ever since! never had an issue with stuck shed or digestion and hes often splooting in his hide during the day :)
Lamps won’t get too hot when regulated with a dimmer or dimming thermostat. Heat mats are not a good primary heat source, overhead heating is much better for them. A halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer/dimming thermostat is the most natural and beneficial option, Arcadia’s deep heat projector is the second best option. They produce infrared A and B like the sun, heat that penetrates deep into the skin tissue and heats them far more effectively than heat mats. Whereas heat mats only produce IRC, which only heats the surface of their skin. Here’s a good video comparing heat sources ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dUJZ04sqhxk.html
Leopard geckos really should have heating from above during the day (aswell as a heat pad). They don’t want to be in the light, and they need to have a dark place to retreat to (a couple) , but in the wild, wether they are in there hide or not, there’s sun from above, heating the ground. The problem of drying out the inclosure isn’t a problem as long as you have a good loose substrate. Yes, loose substrate. Bio dude is one of a few good brands that do a good job making specific substrates for specific reptiles that have specific humidity needs wether it be high or low, and offers a burrowing option, which will almost always be utilized by leopard geckos. Another reason drying out isn’t a problem much, is because leopard geckos like it dry. There environment is an arid dessert. That’s not to confuse with a sandy dessert. Light misting once a day is plenty. Also, you absolutely can have and under tank heater and above tank heater. In fact, you SHOULD. That could only create problems if the owner does a bad job at monitoring temperature, or if they buy lights that are too powerful or something like that. I use a probe temperature thingy that allows you to check the humidity and temperature of any specific area in the enclosure.
Its insane- one person to the next can and will contradict each other in the reptile world. I worked with a breeder for nearly 20 years, who was also an experienced Herp vet for his entire career- always was told Leo's need belly heat for proper digestion- and to lower the risk of impaction. Also heat from above is absolutely necessary if you're living in an environment that is consistently under 70 degrees- a heat emitter is the only good option for night time heat, as it casts no light. I've never had a Leo that didn't bask under a basking bulb during the day at some point. A thermostat to control the pad and emitter are a must- the can get WAYYYY to hot without one. You'll know immediately what kind of heating you will need just by watching your thermostats- i need supplemental heat from above simply because the warm side doesn't get warm enough without a basking bulb during the day- with only an under-tank heater, likewise the cool side is way too cool. Same goes for overnight- I keep my house cool at night all year long because I cannot sleep if i'm warm- so 66 degrees always. This could be different if you're home is 72 plus. I'm just giving an example of why supplemental heat is sometimes necessary. The humidity levels stay consistent for me, its not an issue.
I just switched to a heat pad yesterday, so I hope it works better! Another thing though about heat lamps is they are a pain in the ass when you are trying to clean the cage, and you have to switch bulbs all the time
Thank you for this video! I’ve been doing research for a few months now to get my first leopard gecko, and had been talking about heat mats in a exotics store. Some guy had interrupted to say that heat mats were awful and to use a heat lamp with any reptile 🤨 Had caused me a bit of panic thinking I was wrong and could have hurt my gecko. Glad that guy was wrong. Thank you for helping calm my nerves 😅
I... have watched so many videos.. hours of my life gone. I wish I would have remembered this video I watched it before I adopted them and things got crazy! Lol. Thank u for simplicity and facts ! Can’t say that for a lot of other videos I have viewed !
Hi Jessica- first off, I’m a huge fan. Thanks so much for continually offering evinced-based advice to the public. I have no doubt that many reptiles are happier and healthier d/t their people learning the importance of proper husbandry. So, in regards to heating, my first Leo was a blind, rescue, juvenile RAPTOR, “Bumpy”. Bumpy’s previous owner had good intentions, but, unfortunately did not receive proper education re: husbandry. As a hatchling, he reportedly seemed quite healthy. He was housed in one of the all inclusive, Leo-vivarium kits that are readily available at big box pet stores sans cohabitant. He received overhead heat/light 24/7. Temps were not monitored with a reliable thermometer. Thermostat was not used. His health started to decline over several months at which point I acquired him. I did a lot of research on proper husbandry, discussed his current state with DVMs and breeders, watched lots of videos (including yours), and he is now a happy thriving adult :). When I got him, he had not eaten in weeks (he previously had been able to successfully hunt but had acquired severe damage to his vision within his first few months of life). He had MBD, was malnourished, and was too weak to lift his belly off the ground or climb. For rehab, I set him up in a quiet, dim room, changed heat source to thermostat-controlled under tank heat pad, and slowly worked with him on eating vitamin-dusted, gut-loaded insects, etc.. He was hand-fed, with great difficulty, 1 insect/feeding to start. Now he is able to short-distance hunt with some assistance, and has a normal, healthy appetite. He is smaller than average and has some very mild permanent bone damage, but has truly made almost a full recovery! Needless to say, I am very proud of Bumpy’s progress and our hard work together :) I have decided to pursue breeding, and have owned 3 breeder-quality Leos for about 1 year with plans to start my breeding project next season. I spend probably at least 10 hours/week researching husbandry, but am now feeling a bit confused…. I was caught off guard yesterday by a reaction one of my posts received on one of the larger, Leo FB pages. An owner, new to the hobby, posted some questions/concerns related to her albino’s decreasing appetite, decline in health and posited that the issues could be related to vision damage. She includes some very helpful pics, and I did note over-tank heat lamps as well as stuck shed on her Leo’s toe. I respectfully pointed out the stuck shed and recommended under-tank heating, limiting light exposure, and an appointment with an exotics DVM (along with tips on vitamins, gut-loading, etc..). The original poster was very thankful for the suggestions. However, I got completely bashed by the group admins! I was called out for giving her out-dated info regarding under-tank heating. I attempted to have a respectful discussion regarding current husbandry controversies with the admins and moderators. I am not always right, and I feel it is imperative that we keep open minds as hobbyists since research *is* always evolving and recommendations change, but I was quickly removed from the group after my post. Am I missing something here? I went back and researched heating again, reviewed care sheets from reputable breeders, and videos from RU-vidrs to see if under-tank heating was, in fact, out-dated. But, from what I can tell, I still seem to be on the same page as the breeders/hobbyists who I find to be most reputable. Anyway, I just wanted to checkin with you, specifically, since this video is 3 years old. Have you changed your opinion on this? I am thick-skinned and not concerned about my ego at all- just want to make sure my Leo’s are living their optimal lives and that there wasn’t some sort of recent, breaking-news I missed on heating, or that everyone was switching away from heat pads and just hadn’t updated their websites, videos, etc… Sorry to be so verbose. I just wanted to be thorough and transparent about my experience and how I’ve been interpreting current research- basically do some fact double checking, so I don’t inadvertently mislead others. Ty!!!
Under tank heating is becoming outdated. A halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer/dimming thermostat is the most natural and beneficial option, Arcadia’s deep heat projector is the second best option. They produce infrared A and B like the sun, heat that penetrates deep into the skin tissue and heats them far more effectively than heat mats. Whereas heat mats only produce IRC, which only heats the surface of their skin. The groups Advancing Herpetological Husbandry, Leopard Gecko - Advancing Husbandry, and Reptile Lighting have more information, as well as the care guide on the website reptifiles. Here’s a good video comparing heat mats, CHEs, and heat lamps ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-dUJZ04sqhxk.html
I agree with your info more than I agree with other leopard gecko channels. Like Rebecca lol she’s cool too but I agree with you more often than her on certain topics
Heat mats are not a good heat source, overhead heating is much better for them. A halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer/dimming thermostat is the most natural and beneficial option, Arcadia’s deep heat projector is the second best option. They produce infrared A and B like the sun, heat that penetrates deep into the skin tissue and heats them far more effectively than heat mats. Whereas heat mats only produce IRC, which only heats the surface of their skin. I have an albino too, she does great with a DHP. They don’t produce light :)
Glad i found this video.. I was using a ceramic heat bulb AND a mat on the same side of the tank with a thermostat. Just going to use the mat now set at 90F. with the thermostat and heat gun. I feel so bad x.x
Ceramic heat bulbs are better than heat lamps, so don't feel bad. But yeah, easier and better to use undertank heat if at all possible. Covering the screen top with foil tape really helps keep some of that heat in during Winter. Quick and easy to remove it when needed too.
I was just wondering what heatmats and which thermostat you use and where you bought is from? Right now I have a heatlamp for my leopard gecko but after seeing your video I want to change some things in my enclosure. I live in Belgium so it is not very easy to find reptile supplies.
Hey Jessica, I love your videos so much, I have learned so many new facts on Leos. I have not got my baby Leo yet but first I will be research for the next two-five months at the bare minimum and get him a month after all my stuff arrives for him. Before I watched you and Leopard Gecko, the channel's, videos I thought you needed one hide, a sand substrate, an above heat source and nothing else, now I know you need much more than that. When I watched someone else's video my cart was at $100, after watching your videos its at $220, not including the Gecko's cost. Wow, I have learned so much from you, keep up the good work, you ma'am have probably save hundreds of reptile's lives.
I am so glad to see that you are doing extensive research! that's the very best thing to do before adding a new animal friend to your life. I'm glad to help :) let me know if you have any questions!
Heat mats only produce Infrared C which is a terrible heat source, tungsten filament lamps and deep heat projectors produce Infrared A and B like the sun and are a much better source of heat and energise the animal.
brandon villalta I usually lower it on night to 85 and raise to 89 in the day and the 3pm to 5 I have it at 90 so it can seem as much as bieng in the wild
Are the heat/lighting requirements different when it comes to albino leos? I just received a tremper albino leopard gecko as a surprise gift from a family member and am trying to wrap my head around all this information so I can give her a good life. I’m slowly learning! Any tips would be appreciated
Jessica’s Animal Friends Awesome, thank you! Is it true that it’s best to use a heat lamp 24/7 or is an under-tank heating pad enough? And is any other lighting necessary/beneficial? Like uvb or a daytime light?
You can use both it really doesn't matter which one you use all that matters is that your leopard geckos safe and warm and has a right environment my family breeds leopard geckos so I know.
I just got my first leopard gecko on Sunday and have been watching all of your videos I can find. THANK YOU! Let me add, that I have gone with a vinal substrate. With that said, I also just received my UTH thermostat, but I'm running into a problem. I'm not sure if I put the thermostat probe between the glass and the vinal, or if I stick it to the side of the tank. When I tried under the vinal, it became extremely hot ( don't worry, my gecko is in a different tank) and felt like it was gonna crack the glass. The thermostat also did not shut off the uth. I took it out and lowered the temp, but what do I do?
@@honts911 Does your traraium have good ventilation? Mine is also under the tank on the outside, but I haven't had that issue. I'm sorry I can't be of more help
i think the heat mat is the best option for leopard geckos as well but am i supposed to leave it on 24/7? lately what i've been doing was using a low watt heat bulb for the day and a heat mat for the night. this way he gets the complete darkness he needs plus a warm, comforting area. im trying to get rid of the day light but dont know what the best option is to replace it being that i dont want to keep the heat mat plugged in 24/7. so far in my care, he has perfect full sheds with nothing stuck to his skin and has a very healthy appetite. im leaning toward using a ceramic heater for the day time in replacement of the day heat lamp. what your take on this? i would love ur advice :)
Are there any kind of of under tank heaters that have legs that would elevate it off of the stand the tank is on? I have my tank on a wooden dresser and dont want to catch anything on fire. I'm currently using bulbs but I dont want to if I can remedy that
Ik it’s been awhile but the zoomed under tank heater has these rubber things that you can put on the corners of the tank and elevate it to provide air flow and not burn things.
I’m adopting a gecko from a previous owner and he always keeps his heat lamp and under-tank heater on all the time. I’m a little scared to take the CHE bulb away since it’s what the gecko’s used to but I’d much rather be safe and take it away-
Emma sully I am going thru the same thing! I just took over my friends gecko (she moved and had to drive 10 states) they kept the red light on all day and night as well as under-tank heater for a few years.. I have decided to try turning off the light at night but wonder if it’s needed at all?
Honestly this is outdated information and it is better to offer heat from above because it better penetrates and energizes their muscle tissue HOWEVER plenty of people still have long term success with heat mats for leopard geckos. That said, I will be switching all of my abled geckos to deep heat projectors or halogen bulbs later this year.
@@JessicasAnimalFriends yeah I use a heat mat and I’m having no problems with it my leopard gecko is still happy but I’m afraid can’t deep heat projectors burn leopard geckos that’s what I’ve been reading online
@@gizmo6847 You have to be careful though that they are well made as cheap ones have an extremely high risk of fire especially against wood or plastic with no airflow
ItsMasonGames www.amazon.com/VIVOSUN-Waterproof-Seedling-Hydroponic-Standard/dp/B00P7U259C I’ve had this one for about a year now and it’s great so far, pretty good quality build and I bought a thermostat along with it to regulate the temperatures and prevent burning my leo and also prevent a fire. I have mine under a glass terrarium with a towel to keep heat from escaping and concentrating it on the glass.
Reptitherm are great. The seedling heat mats sold on amazon are quite good. They put out less heat in general, and that is usually more appropriate for a small reptile unless the room is really cool, like under 68 degrees F. I like the seedling mats because they offer large sizes. You can put them inside the cage - they can get damp but not under water obviously.
hi! i just got my leopard gecko today and the humidity is a bit too high in my tank (reading around 50-55%). what is the best way to get that down to a better area? i use an under tank heating mat and the substrate is a mat for tanks. thank you!
Oil-filled heater in the room in the vicinity of the cage. Makes all the difference during Winter. Or else, get a 2nd heat pad for Winter only. Also, cover the screen top with foil tape to help keep the heat in.
i do agree they need a under tank heater for the belly heat but there are also cases where a over head heat is also needed as in my house lol i have been keeping healthy leos for 16 years , i do have heat mats at 90 degrees under there hot hides however almost all 43 of mine spend little time in hot hide they enjoy being out in center of tanks laying around to sleep and are very active both at night and day times. but my house stays dark and never gets over 60 degrees leaving there tanks way to cold if i dont also use overhead heat. but i use a reg house 60 watt light bulb nothen special or high cost just dollar store light bulbs in light dome with dimmer switch dimming it about half way down to give them the extra heat they need to warm air up without being bright and hurting there eyes.and they love there lights all of them will come and lay right under the light for hours even thou they have many hides and a nice warm hot hide they choose to lay in open right under the light basking , i dont like che bulbs as they do dry things out to much but low watt house bulb dont as long as you have a good moist hide tank stays just right . but i do agree its wrong and a big waste of money to use the bright high temp reptile bulbs
What if the enclosure stays about ambient room temp anywhere from 70-75 degrees. I do have heat mat and thermostat. I use a nano 25w che that basically takes the chill away is that ok?
My pet room is 70-75 degrees all year round. As long as you are using an under tank heater on 1/3 of the enclosure, it should warm that part of the enclosure plenty while still providing the 70-75 degree F cool side. Just make sure you're providing that 90 degree belly heat
I’m confused my hide on the hot side has eco earth with the mat underneath it don’t feel warm to me? It’s about 31c to 32 but my thermostat is an on n off one so it jumps up to around 34.5 then back down and my other side is really cold around 22c the floor feels seriously cold to me :/
@@simmytheman9444 you might have too much substrate over the heat mat area and it might be hindering the proper temperature of heat to come thru. 1-2 inches of thickness of substrate should be perfect.
I have a thermostat connected to my under tank heater. I have the moist hide over the area of the undertank heater. Should I move the moist hide or leave it as is? The humidity in the tank is about 55 percent. It is sprayed once a day but no more than that. I moved the water bowl to the cool side of the tank. Do you have any suggestions to drop the humidity levels? I’m aiming for 30-40 percent.
You don’t need to spray the enclosure down once a day if you’re offering a humid hide. Sometimes in the winter the humidity is too low and spraying is required but it just depends on where you live
@@JessicasAnimalFriends is the humid hide supposed to go over the UTH? I have a 40 gallon. Should I avoid getting a baby with that size? Also, do I need to have 2 warm sides since it will be so big? Thanks for all your wonderful info!
Hey thanks for all the videos!! They have been super helpful. I heat my tank with an under tank heater plugged into a regulator, but despite that it’s set to 90 degrees it never reaches that temperature. I even bought a second heater trying to bring the temp up to the correct level and it still sits at 80 max. My gecko has started to darken in color which I know can be a symptom of lack of heat. Do you have any suggestions?? Thank you for your help
Cover the screen top with foil tape to help keep the heat in. Amazon sells silicon mats used for heat protecting surfaces. You can put that under the heat pad, and that helps direct the heat up and protects the surface underneath.
I watched a video the other day about lepard gecko and uv light they said they can benefit from the uv light cause sometimes they do walk around during the day so should I continue to use the uv light
Hi, I have a question! In the process of setting up a leopard gecko enclosure. I have a heat mat, a thermostat & probe thermometer. Been monitoring the heat for a few days before I bring “yoda” home! Here’s my question- the liner I put down for now is temporary, I don’t care for it it’s a faux moss mat so it’s like a fleece material and I’m finding it’s shedding fuzz all over, which I feel will be unsafe. so I ordered reptile carpet instead. But in the meantime I have the probe under the liner on top of the heat mat. The thermometer is reading a temp of 90, however I am curious to know if that heat is coming through the liner. Because when I put my hand over the heated area I barely feel any heat coming through. This liner I have is quite thick so maybe that will change when I get the new reptile carpet but my concern is that even though the heat pad seems to be omitting enough heat if my gecko is laying on the heat pad in his hide will he be actually feeling the adequate heat from it. Let me know what you think..I also have an analogue thermometer & hygrometer on the opposite side of the tank, they came with the tank so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to have more readings and they are on the humid side. Just want to ensure yoda has everything he needs! My other question quickly is that the tank I have came with a terrarium canopy for light, & didn’t come with bulbs. I know the light is solely for viewing purposes, but I have no idea what bulb would be appropriate. I’ve been watching video after video & researching as much as I can, but I really want to make sure I get the right bulb that’s not going to create any more heat or be too bright or harm him in anyway. Any recommendations would be appreciated the tank I have is an exoterra 12 x 12 front closure tank, and the canopy is considered “compact mini” and claims to take a 26w fluorescent or 25w incandescent bulb. Are those safe? This enclosure is temporarily going to be used until he gets larger & I can find a better spot to set up the tank with adequate electricity & day light etc. I know the small size is not ideal for long term.
The Exo Terra 26 watt bulbs are VERY bright and can’t be dimmed. Look into getting a lamp fixture with a dimmer, and use a regular household bulb. It’s cheaper that way as well. Or you can buy cabinet lighting with a dimmer. As for the hot spot, it won’t feel super warm to your hand because our blood runs at 98 degrees. We are already warm lol. If the thermostat is reading 90, and your infrared thermometer is reading 90, you’re good to go.
I have a heat mat and a thermostat but it seems to not stay hot. I know the heat pad works and the thermostat works but shuts off for long periods of time. I can’t seem to figure it out so I have to use the lights
Hello, I have had my leopard gecko for 2 years now and I was just recently told about how it’s not good to have a heat light from above. My question is if I take it off will it affect my leopard gecko since I have had her with the heat light for two years now.
Where can I find a decent but cheap UTH with a thermostat? I currently use an above tank heat lamp, but it's a very low wattage red bulb, just keeps the temp on the warm side around 85-90°, cool side around 75-80°, but my gf and I keep the humidity at around 20-30%, and our little guy has successfully shed Perfectly and quite easily twice since we got him about a month and a half ago. He had Zero issues. We do need to get a UTH and thermostat for him though so we can move away from the bulbs. Just can't seem to find a UTH that doesn't cost a decent chunk of change, and it's not quite in our budget at the moment, especially with Christmas coming up. Can you reply with a link to some you'd recommend? Thank you!
I’m not sure what your budget is but on amazon you’re likely to find cheaper under tank heaters than the pet store. It depends on the size of your enclosure but an 8 watt zoo med UTH paired with a $20-$30 thermostat on amazon (brands like jumpstart and century should work) shouldn’t be too expensive.
Heat mats are not a good heat source. A halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer/dimming thermostat is the most natural and beneficial option, Arcadia’s deep heat projector is the second best option. They produce infrared A and B like the sun, heat that penetrates deep into the skin tissue and heats them far more effectively than heat mats. Whereas heat mats only produce IRC, which only heats the surface of their skin.
I am getting my first gecko soon this vidio has helped a lot but should I put the heat mat under the tank or just under the substrate sorry probley a stupid question just a little confused
Is it easy to switch from a lamp to mat? We just got a new set up for ours but it's a lamp our others are in mats and I was wondering if it's easy to switch over? The thermostat with it is the same one as all our set ups.🙂
Hey! Great videos! You have really helped me out with my two leopard geckos! I have one question though, maybe you could help me out. Sometimes the cold side of the enclosure is getting down to like 62 F due to the weather. Is this something I should really worry about? And if it is, do you have any tips to fix it? The thing is that I dont have a way to control the ambient temperature in their room
I would recommend moving them to a part of the house that’s warmer. 62 is too cold for the cool side of an enclosure. If you can’t move them to a warmer area, you can use a ceramic heat emitter to bring up the air temp. Just be sure not to bring it up too much!
@@JessicasAnimalFriends Alright!You really are a life saver. The cold side its usually around 70 but its been crazy in Mexico lately... Anyways, thaanks. Ill look them up
Can you pretty please post the link of your favorite hot spot undertank heater, I’d like to know your favorite brand and what degree should I put the gecko on and where to buy the hot spot temp gun
hellooo, I have axolotls so my room is usually chilly, 60-70°F. would I need a heat lamp along with a uth to keep the terrarium warm enough? also what brands do you recommend? trying to research all this stuff before buying one! thanks in advance if you can help:)
thank you for replying! also, I have a 40 gallon breeder tank. some people say that’s too big but if there’s enough hides and possibly 2 warm spots on each side with the middle being cool, would that work?
what do you do if you keep your house pretty cold or under 70 degrees? or in the winter time how do you keep them warm enough? is the under tank heater enough for them all together? their cool side will be heated enough and not freezing?
i have a question!? i’m going to take ur advice and get a under tank heater, but since i’m not using light how will i get them to tell, day from night? and i’m in high school so how will i be about to make sure my gecko will be ok?
Jessicas Animal Friends ok great! Thank you, for being straight up about everything because some RU-vidrs will tell you everything Is ok and fine, I LOVE ur channel, ur videos helped me learn about so many things!! also helped me save money buy not buying them dam, kits with light lamps and sand! Thank you so much!!! ❤️❤️❤️
What is your temp. set for your warm hide. I have a hide where there's a bottom to it. Its a cave with a bottom. The top can come off. Since it has a bottom, maybe the hide is not getting enough heat. Should I put the temperature 1 degree higher. All your bookcase is set to one temperature?
One on the side should work well, but you shouldn’t be worried about your dresser as long as you’re using a thermostat and allowing like half an inch of space between the heater and the top of the dresser
Hi Jessica. What if our room is on the cold side? Will the heat mat be sufficient? Should I get a 25watt night bulb and leave it on all time? Would we need to change the mat temperature at night? Thanks and great info!!
I use a heat mat (well, heat tape) with no light bulb to provide heat 24/7. I regulate the heat tape with a thermostat so that the heater is always 90 no matter if the room gets a bit cooler or a bit warmer. Also, I don't know what temperature "cold side." is. But the pet room stays in the 70s F year round with occasional dips into the high 60s. Hope that helps!
I just recently adopted my leopard gecko, and her previous owner got her as a baby and she had had a moon light night light and a 13w uvb light her whole life as well as a heater would I throw her off to much by taking them away? Also he had reptile carpet she does good with it but he cut it where her heat pad is i am just wondering is that to much should I buy new carpet? Can she feel it through the carpet? I don’t want her to cold. Hellppp!!!!!
I just recently bought a red light for night just to see and I’m wondering if she likes it I used it for to night and both nights she was out walking around climbing on everything more active then when I didn’t use it so is this a bad thing I thought if she didn’t like it then she would hide I use no light during the day or at night was just seeing the difference wanted to see what you thought of her acting this way
Hi! I just came across this video. What is your opinion or advice on Ubv light? Do I really need to buy one before I adopt my gecko or would it be fine without it (trying to get multiple opinions)
Loose substrate isn’t bad unless you’re using very fine sand, or wood chips. You want your gecko to feel like it’s at home. I use Eco Earth and haven’t had a problem for years. Gives a more environmental look to the tank plus it feels different for the leopard geckos when walking around.
And how can you make sure the cold spots dont become to cold? I wanna have a heat mat but im to scared that the enclosure around becomes to cold. Room temprature (20 degrees celcius 68 degrees fahrenheit) is that good enough?
My leopard gecko Diablo died because he was elicited my a heating pad. I’m really scared to buy heating pads now so could I use a lamp or do I have to use the heating pad.
Our heating pad is just on or off, no control of temperature. Where should I put the thermometer for an accurate reading of areas touching the heating pad? Are there heating pads where you can change the temperature?
if i get a glass tank does the heat mat go on the inside of the tank or outside on the bottom. im using paper towels or reptile carpet for the substrate.
Hi, if one were using the "heat from above bulb use" because the pet store sold it that way.....Should the light be on 24 hrs/day - 7 days/wk ? Even in the wild, all animals get a Night-time. Can you please respond with an answer under the circumstances about that? It would be greatly appreciated. Thank You.
Thank you so much you are so informative I really quite enjoy your videos I am a new owner of a leopard gecko named Pedro and I'm learning as I go I tried to take in a lot of the information as I can and look through your videos to find any questions that I have but I didn't come across one about daylight source I'm currently have a third of the tank heating with an underpad but I noticed that my room does not have a lot of light in it and was wondering if he would need a bit of some sort of feel for daytime if this question was already asked I apologize ahead of time maybe sending me a link would be great or an answer thank you very much and again I really appreciate all the effort you put into educating people everything you say just makes sense to me. Jess
You can use an LED light to provide light above the enclosure if you need it. Keep in mind there are light sensitive morphs like albinos & the light must come off at night
Heat mats are not a good heat source. A halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer/dimming thermostat is the most natural and beneficial option, Arcadia’s deep heat projector is the second best option. They produce infrared A and B like the sun, heat that penetrates deep into the skin tissue and heats them far more effectively than heat mats. Whereas heat mats only produce IRC, which only heats the surface of their skin. Linear UVB is also very beneficial for them.
35-65%, measured by a digital hygrometer. Keep in mind that a 20 gallon long is only the bare minimum, 40 gallons or bigger is ideal. And heat mats are not a good heat source, overhead heating is much better for them. A halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer/dimming thermostat is the most natural and beneficial option, Arcadia’s deep heat projector is the second best option. They produce infrared A and B like the sun, heat that penetrates deep into the skin tissue and heats them far more effectively than heat mats. Whereas heat mats only produce IRC, which only heats the surface of their skin.
Hello. I'm hoping that you can help me. We've had our leopard gecko for a year and we've always used a dark bulb to provide heat above the tank. I saw this video of yours and how you recommend a heat pad underneath the tank instead so we bought one of those. However, the thermostat (located inside the tank at the top of the back wall) shows that the heat in the tank drops to under 70 with that and no more bulb. That's obviously not warm enough so right now we're using both temporarily, but I know you also said not to do that. It would always be around 80 with the bulb. I just don't want it to not be warm enough. What so you think? Thanks.
Okay, so what you’re talking about isn’t a thermostat. A thermostat is a device that controls the temperature of the under tank heater. You’re using, I assume, one of those stick-on thermometers. A thermometer measures temperature. But you’re measuring the air space at the top of the tank. Please use an infrared thermometer (a temperature gun) to measure the temperature of the under tank heater. And please use a thermostat to control the temperature of the under tank heater.
@@JessicasAnimalFriends Right. I don't know why I mistook that for a thermostat. Too early in the morning I suppose, haha. What I meant to say was I had the above light on as well as the heating pad and it stayed around 80. It was under 70 with just the heat pad. I'll be sure to look into what you said. Thanks so much.
@@JessicasAnimalFriends Sorry, I meant to ask one more thing. So as long as I can regulate the temperature of the under the tank heater with a thermostat I won't need any other source of heat above the tank or anything?
Matt Allen correct, if your under tank heater reaches 90 and your room temperature isn’t cooler than 75, you’re fine. If your room temp is cooler than 75 you can use a ceramic heat emitter, which doesn’t put off light
I have the heat mat on in my tank set to 91° but due to the extreme cold where I live I can’t get the air temp in the tank above like 65°. I don’t know how to increase the tank temp without using a heat bulb
i set up my heating pad (Mini) for a 10 gallon tank. i have a velcro thermometer/humidity reader. it’s reading at 72° and Humidity at 60°. it’s on the back side of the tank and i’m curious as to if the heating pad is working? the heat pad is warm to touch but just confused at to why my readings are off temp wise
You’ll have to use an infrared thermometer to measure the temperature of the heat pad. What you’re measuring is just ambient temp. Also, 60 percent humidity is a bit high. And are you using a thermostat for the heat pad? A mini might also be too small for a 10 gallon
Jessica’s Animal Friends I don’t wanna be mean but I live in Minnesota and there’s no way that under tank Heater is enough to heat the entire tank. I need multiple source of heat
Jessica the part that confuses me is I've read and heard people say Leo's need a day/night cycle of about 12 hours of light. If you don't use an overhead light then how do you produce the lighting during the day? Would it not be dark the whole time if I dont use a light?
Yes they need a day and night cycle but unless they’re in a closet or other super dark room, the cycle will be established by normal daylight coming through the windows and into the room. If you feel for whatever reason it’s too dark, you can use a low-wattage household bulb in a lamp with a dimmer so you can control the light output
In my pet room the enclosures are well lit from the windows because of the positioning of the house, but for my live planted enclosures and enclosures in darker areas I use low wattage LED cabinet lighting.
I am building an enclosure now. I want to use porcelain tile as the floor. Can the heat pads still heat up underneath the glass and heat the porcelain and tank?
A heat lamp would be far more natural and beneficial for the animal. Also, I strongly recommend using a suitable loose substrate such as a soil/sand or soil/sand/clay mix, digging enrichment is very beneficial for them. Half textured tile half soil mix is a good option as well
Do heat mats heat up the whole enclosure, or only the area the mat is on? I’ve heard geckos need one warm side and another slightly less warm side. I’m considering buying one and I want to make sure it has the best possible life.
Help! I have a question that I can’t seem to find the answer to. I am trying to set up a tank for my little gecko I except to get here in the next couple weeks. I have already bought a heat mat, and I’m highly considering a bio active set up for substrate. Josh’s frogs Biobedding desert substrate has a statement in the description that reads “Do not place a heating pad on the bottom of the tank with this substrate”. Does this mean you cannot use a heat mat or should it be placed elsewhere like on the side or rear of tank. Thank you!
Heat mats are not a good heat source, overhead heating is much better for them. A halogen flood bulb connected to a dimmer/dimming thermostat is the most natural and beneficial option, Arcadia’s deep heat projector is the second best option. They produce infrared A and B like the sun, heat that penetrates deep into the skin tissue and heats them far more effectively than heat mats. Whereas heat mats only produce IRC, which only heats the surface of their skin. Also keep in mind that new reptiles should be quarantined on paper towel for at least six weeks (ideally three months) to monitor their health.
@@nightinggale6470 thank you for that information, so I did buy UVB light, may I use the halogen bulb with the uvb as well or do you suggest just the hat lamp with d3 supplement?
@@nightinggale6470 thank you! Do you suggest a deep heat projector or a halogen bulb? Also will the dimmer be necessary for the DHP? I’d like to at that I have hear there eyes may be a bit sensitive and too much like can cause blindness. My Arcadia UVB seems a bit on the bright side itself so I’m a bit hesitant to add even more light to the tank.
@@abbyvarela4 definitely a halogen, the levels of infrared A and B they produce more closely mimic the sun (DHPs produce barely any IRA, the most beneficial wavelength). With a DHP a thermostat would be necessary.
Hi may not respond to this comment but I recently was trying to go to supernatural way so I got a 60 W Baskin Bulb and a UVB light. And my leopard gecko is staying on the cold side he’s not going to the hot side and the temperatures on the hot side even with the 60 W bulb only reaching around 84 what should I do he had a heat map before but I wanted to do the most natural way could I use a heat mat and UVB bulb would that work if I just have a UVB bulb in the heat mat instead of the basking bulb
the company advises against using them once peeled off, but you can use aluminum foil tape to reattach it. the foil tape won't melt and it's super adhesive, so it's a good choice for heaters.
Okay so the best thing is a heat mat but what if the enclosure is not getting how hot it is suppose to be for my leopard gecko then can I use a ceramic heat that produces no light only heat? Pls anwser
I'm a newbie. How do you orient the 12x8 uth in a 20 long ? I know you need it to one side to create a heat gradient but do you put the 12 inches width ways to completely cover the width but only go 8 inches towards the cool side or having it so it goes 12 inches toward cool side but only covers 8 inches of the 12 inches width wise ? Thank you.
Hi, I have a 60 watt UTH for my leopard geckos 10 gallon terrarium that I use 24/7 with a thermostat to get achieve an 88 degree temperature in her hot side. My problem is that without using a heat lamp with a thermostat on her cool side, her cool side will only be 60 degrees. What would you suggest for me to do?
Love your videos so much, thank you! Are there any fire hazards for under tank heaters? Or surfaces that can’t come in contact or should I elevate the tank?
do heating pads provide UVB for the gecko? i heard that leopard geckos need uvb and d3, but since i originally had a uvb light, that provided its necessities. i currently have calcium without d3. if i just use a heating pad as the heat source, then do i need to switch to calcium with d3 or keep without d3. i also have repashy superfoods.
Heating pads do not provide UV and is only a heating source. Without a UVB you need to dust your insects with calcium+d3 (so so so important to do so). However, with a UVB you only need plain calcium.
Ya I have an adult female gecko and I currently heat her up with a ceramic bulb but her hot side is 78 degrees and sometimes lower, my parents won’t let me get a heat mat saying it’s a death trap, and I’m just wondering if there’s any alternatives or if heat mats are truly the best option
i have an 8 watts heat matt and a 40 watts bulb and my terrarium is at 27 , what should i do he’s been a little stressed and my vet told me the heat was the probably the problem
For thermostats if you want to go the cheap route there’s century & jumpstart which are $20-30 on amazon. Herpstat is pricey but the best. I use THG heat tape and reptitherm under tank heaters
My undertank heat pad doesnt provide a enough heat to keep the tank warm enough at night. What do you suggest then to keep the tank at the right temps at night
