Crested geckos should be kept at temperatures of 72 80 f 22 26 5 celsius.
Do geckos need a heat mat.
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.
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.
Whether crested geckos need heat mats depend on the temperature at which they are kept.
Lets get straight to the.
How long do i need to turn on the heat mat for leopard gecko.
Heat mats are probably the cheapest and easiest form of reptile heating available.
As your lovely pet requires constant heat the heat mat should be turned on 24 7.
Because of this the leopard geckos need warmth to survive.
Prorep cloth element heat mat 17 11 20w.
This means that it gets all of its heat and energy from its surrounding environment.
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.
All the time the heat mat must connect to a thermostat so that the temperature can be adjusted and your baby can stay healthier.
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.
They may however be used to gently warm the cooler end during the winter if necessary.
The differences there is still an ongoing and even heated debate as to which one is better heat mat or a heat lamp.
This gives the gecko the ability to regulate their own temperature and choose which area they would like to stay in.
Heat tape and heat mats are really only effective at heating surfaces.
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.
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.
Sadly they only produce very modest temperatures so aren t suitable for your leopard gecko s basking spot.
If your vivarium is colder than this you will need to use a heat source to keep it at the correct temperature.
Then you can adjust the rheostat or thermostat accordingly.