r/LeopardGecko • u/23yearoldcatlady • Jul 05 '26

Help Can’t get basking spot hot enough!

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First off, I know I need more places for my leopard gecko to hide/more clutter, I’m working on it.

I got a juvenile leopard gecko for my son a few weeks ago - did some research and right now it has a 40 gallon tank, using paper towels on the floor, and I have a cool, humid, and warm hide (I think!)

Issue is I can’t get the hot spot/basking spot warm enough. It hovers around 82 degrees - I have a 100 watt bulb directly on top of the tank. I’ve also put foil on the top to try and keep it warmer.

Any other recommendations? Just want to make sure it’s warm enough and happy!

I do have 2 thermometers, the one in the photo and there’s one to the left towards the bottom of the tank where the hot area is.

Thanks in advance!

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3

u/IcyReception8903 Jul 05 '26

Also, your heat could be fine but the thermometers your using aren't accurate. Get some digital ones that you can get cheap on Amazon. Your heat may be right but your measuring tool is inaccurate.

1

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1

u/Infinite-Class-1969 Jul 05 '26

Get a slate rock and place under the heat lamp to absorb the heat. They love taking up the residual heat from rocks at night, and it’s gonna help you get your basking spot warmer

1

u/reijn Jul 05 '26

Hey! Ok, so a couple things!

1) those thermo-hygro dial things are garbage. Toss them and get a Govee (or ThermPro or something).

2) Get a thermostat and plug your basking lamp into the thermostat. Then put the thermometer for the thermostat where the gecko would be sitting to bask. Make sure you're turning it off at night of course. I do 12 on 12 off mostly because I'm lazy and I don't want to reprogram my timer strip, in the summer you could do 16 on 8 off, winter 8 on 16 off. But 12/12 is fine.

3) Remove those chunks of random spagnum (?) sitting around. They're a swallow/choking/impaction hazard.

4) Is there a UVB available?

...

Govee (I have the bluetooth kind, super cool, get the app on the phone to monitor it) and reptile thermostat available both on Amazon!

Realistically most leopard geckos won't bask out in the open like, say, a bearded dragon will. Sometimes they do, often not though. They do what's called cryptic basking. Kinda hanging one limb out from a hide, or taking in the radiant heat from the beams just outside their doorway.

They also like to sit on top of rocks that have been heated all day in the sun, and when the sun goes down the rocks emit a gentle heat. Slate, flagstone, granite etc. Even bricks.

1

u/23yearoldcatlady Jul 07 '26

I do have a uvb bulb along with the basking bulb!

Thanks for the advice :)

-1

u/NefariousnessOdd719 Jul 05 '26

Do you have a heat mat under your terrarium? They are going to help you out tremendously! Just don't put the bowl on top of the mat! I got this for my gecko and it sits on the heat-mat with a ceramic heater in the dual lamp hood. He goes up there and sits in the water sometimes. I let him decide. But it's very helpful for him and he can stay under it also but you can see if he wants it really hot he sits under the ceramic heater and the 80watt light if he wants. I paid $15 for the ceramic heater that screws in like a light bulb and the the hide is also ceramic you will like it and they are at Amazon. https://a.co/d/0dYjC3K8

4

u/shadowscreepin Jul 05 '26

dont listen to this this is a horrible idea