Providing heat?

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Originally Posted by suzuki4life

I run heat pads on my ackie setup because if I don't, in the winter my foot deep substrate will reach temps in the 50's regardless that the ambient is in the 80's-90's.

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Not sure how your substrate temps can be so low... Where are your cages set up... Something is not adding up...

When I had my animals set up in the basement, I had to build a room in the basement so the ambient air in the room where the cages were never got lower than 80 degrees...

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Originally Posted by Gregg Madden

Not sure how your substrate temps can be so low... Where are your cages set up... Something is not adding up...

When I had my animals set up in the basement, I had to build a room in the basement so the ambient air in the room where the cages were never got lower than 80 degrees...

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My snake building is set to 76 degrees. The floor, on a cold night, will get down into the low 60s.

So if the enclosure was set directly on the floor, I could easily see how those temps could get that low.

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Originally Posted by suzuki4life

I run heat pads on my ackie setup because if I don't, in the winter my foot deep substrate will reach temps in the 50's regardless that the ambient is in the 80's-90's. Heat generated by lights or overhead sources only force heat downward about 6 inches into moist soil. Since ideal temps for most lizards is no lower than 70's....I would say that giving them such cold substrate is a bad idea....and yes they seek it out if given a chance.

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This is the same reason I use the under the tank heat mat. I understand the regulation of temperatures, but I would just think that the soil is way too cold. Either way, the temps I keep the under the tank heat mats on is 75, so it isn't really hot, just enough to keep the dirt at 75 as well.

I do keep my cages on the floor, I don't have anything big enough to put them on, but they are also inside in my bed room. I think that my problem is that I have central air. So when the heat is running, its warm, but when it goes off, it is right back to cold again. Also my house is pretty old so it is probably poorly insulated too.

Ok here's a new one to me too, from the same book. The book says when providing a basking area THE SURFACE under the basking spot should reach 145 degrees. Umm what?! even the hottest heat rocks I've ever seen never reach 120 degrees, and we all know never to use heat rocks for our reptiles, always over head heat. 145 degree basking area seems insanely hot for any reptile. I mean if you think about the natural habitat for a savannah the hottest recorded temp was only like 125 degrees and the tree branches, dirt or whatever they may be laying on would be cooler than that. So if I provide a basking area with 95-100 degrees would that be sufficant?

Thanks as always for the info.

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Originally Posted by Jhussey

Ok here's a new one to me too, from the same book. The book says when providing a basking area THE SURFACE under the basking spot should reach 145 degrees. Umm what?!

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That's correct.

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Originally Posted by Jhussey

even the hottest heat rocks I've ever seen never reach 120 degrees, and we all know never to use heat rocks for our reptiles, always over head heat.

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Yes, that's correct also. Belly heat is not the same as basking heat.

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Originally Posted by Jhussey

145 degree basking area seems insanely hot for any reptile. I mean if you think about the natural habitat for a savannah the hottest recorded temp was only like 125 degrees

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You are confusing air ("ambient") temps and surface temps.

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Originally Posted by Jhussey

and the tree branches, dirt or whatever they may be laying on would be cooler than that.

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They will actually be hotter, as they are directly in the sun. Have you ever walked on pavement in your bare feet in the middle of summer? It may only be 90 degrees out (lower than our body temp), but the pavement is scalding.

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Originally Posted by Jhussey

So if I provide a basking area with 95-100 degrees would that be sufficant?

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No, it will cause your monitor to be unable to properly metabolize its meals, and become sick and lethargic.

Monitors need at least a 130 to 140 degree hot spot... They will bask in these areas for short periods of time through out the day...

Even other reptiles use very hot basking spots...

I have caught garters, corns, milks, pines, and other colubrids basking in temps well into the 90's and sometimes in the 100 degree range... I always bring a temp gun when I go herping...

These high basking spots are very important for digestion and for metabolism functions...

Many care sheets you read on the internet are shakey at best... Many are full of out dated, regurgitated info, and lots of misconceptions...

Here's what the book says, I'm quoting it so I may get in trouble for it, "...and hot spots with surface temperatures up to 145 degrees F."*

Now am I miss reading that? Is it not saying to have the surface in the basking part of the enclosure at 145 degrees? So I guess my confusion comes in when a heat rock get to 120 degrees but the basking area platform gets to 145 degrees. Heat rocks are bad because they burn, but the wood platform under my basking spot is at 145 degree should burn them too right?
So what is the best way to provide those high heats? I was going to use a 150 watt CHE in the basking area. With out any heat source set up now the ambiant air temp is 78 degrees all around. I haven't set up the basking area yet because I'm trying to get all this info squared.

I'm just trying to get all this information straight before I got and buy a monitor. I want what's best for him/her obviously. There's just so much conflicting information out there.

*The Savannah Monitor Lizard, The truth about Varanus Exanthematicus

I keep my basking spots at 120 degrees, I use huge artificial aquarium trees and rocks that are easy enough for my Savannah monitor to climb. The only reason I don't use real wood and rocks is because it cuts down on the chance that I will get mites. I have had a mite free house for the past 6 years and plan on keeping it that way. Honestly, the last time I had mites was because of a real log that I bought from a pet store, not any of my animals.

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Originally Posted by Jhussey

Here's what the book says, I'm quoting it so I may get in trouble for it, "...and hot spots with surface temperatures up to 145 degrees F."*

Now am I miss reading that? Is it not saying to have the surface in the basking part of the enclosure at 145 degrees? So I guess my confusion comes in when a heat rock get to 120 degrees but the basking area platform gets to 145 degrees. Heat rocks are bad because they burn, but the wood platform under my basking spot is at 145 degree should burn them too right?
So what is the best way to provide those high heats? I was going to use a 150 watt CHE in the basking area. With out any heat source set up now the ambiant air temp is 78 degrees all around. I haven't set up the basking area yet because I'm trying to get all this info squared.

I'm just trying to get all this information straight before I got and buy a monitor. I want what's best for him/her obviously. There's just so much conflicting information out there.

*The Savannah Monitor Lizard, The truth about Varanus Exanthematicus

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I keep my surface temperature at 120 degrees, I honestly can't tell you why a heat rock is any different, I wish I could. What I can tell you is that I have never had a burn from my basking spot, but have had them from heat rocks.

When I rescued my Nile monitor, he/ she had such a bad burn from a heat rock that I have to keep all of his/ her temps on the low side or it really irritates the scar on its belly, and tail. My vet told me to keep his/ her basking spots at no more that 100 degrees. I guess it could also vary on how sensitive your animal is, or if it has any weak spots such as scars like my Nile monitor.