Heat lamp advocators push for complexity with the conditions inside the tank that highly replicates what happens in the wild even though some of those conditions may be pushed to the extremes.
Do geckos need a heat mat.
This gives the gecko the ability to regulate their own temperature and choose which area they would like to stay in.
Heat mats are probably the cheapest and easiest form of reptile heating available.
They may however be used to gently warm the cooler end during the winter if necessary.
Sadly they only produce very modest temperatures so aren t suitable for your leopard gecko s basking spot.
How long do i need to turn on the heat mat for leopard gecko.
Crested geckos should be kept at temperatures of 72 80 f 22 26 5 celsius.
The heat mat should cover about one third of the total ground space giving the enclosure a warm side and a cooler side.
The differences there is still an ongoing and even heated debate as to which one is better heat mat or a heat lamp.
Using a heat mat is simple and will ensure a constant hot zone that s great for your leopard gecko to go and warm up on.
Leopard gecko heat mats are designed to go on the outside of the tank but when working with a wooden enclosure you will need to place the heat mat inside which you can achieve by placing the heat pad at the bottom of the tank you can choose which side you want to be your warm side.
If your vivarium is colder than this you will need to use a heat source to keep it at the correct temperature.
Heat tape and heat mats are really only effective at heating surfaces.
Lets get straight to the.
If you do need to use the heat mat then you will need at least one thermometer right on the glass inside the tank on top of the heat mat to get a reading of what the mat s actual temperature is.
In this article we are going to be looking at if pet leopard geckos can survive in captivity without heat be it heat mats or basking lamps.
As your lovely pet requires constant heat the heat mat should be turned on 24 7.
This makes them excellent choices for ball pythons leopard geckos corn snakes etc but not so much for crested geckos gargoyle geckos and other species that require vertical space.
If for whatever reason you really want to use a heat lamp there are a few things you need to keep in mind to keep your leopard gecko s temperature in check.
Whether crested geckos need heat mats depend on the temperature at which they are kept.
All the time the heat mat must connect to a thermostat so that the temperature can be adjusted and your baby can stay healthier.
Because of this the leopard geckos need warmth to survive.
Then you can adjust the rheostat or thermostat accordingly.