Heat Lamp or UTH? Please help me decide!

[dxkiraxn]

Back for some help!

I have a heat lamp for my leo and it is putting out all of the right temps. My thermometer can see the highs and lows of the day, which are coming out correct for day/night temps. I've even taken temps inside the hides just to get a reading and they also are in the correct zones. I can tell he is regulating his heat, sometimes parts of him are sticking out of his warm hide.

However, sometimes when I pick him up, he seems pretty cold. I've read that leos need underbelly heat, leading me to think I should be using a UTH. But he's eating fine and has "done his business" twice since I got him and everything seems normal.

I just need an opinion on the UTH, the guy at the store asked if I used papertowel (i do) and told me to not use a UTH if I was, because it would cause problems getting a correct temp? Anyone using a UTH and papertowels or is the lamp fine as long as I'm getting the right temps? Thank you all!

[AkHerps]

Leo's do love UTH's, for my Leo I had an undertank heater and he was always on it, they do love belly heat, and need it to aid in proper digestion, they dont bask in the wild, but lay on warm rocks to warm up their belly.

I used over head lamps, but a red bulb, because they are nocturnal and dont like bright white lighting.

I've never had a problem using paper towel with a UTH. But I guess you aren't supposed too.

[Boanerges]

I used a uth with paper towels with all my leo's and I personally NEVER had a problem controlling the temps. I don't know where that guy got his information from but it was not right...

[dxkiraxn]

Thank you for your help! I'll get one soon, I was just worried about the papertowel and the UTH. The guy said if I was going to have a UTH to use sand and that the papertowel wouldn't hold the heat right or something (either get too hot or too cold I guess?) and I'm really against sand so I got a basking lamp. Thanks so much!

[Boanerges]

As long as you have your UTH hooked up to a thermostat your good to go. If you can (if you don't already have one) pick up a temp gun so you can know exactly what the surface temperature is on the hot and cool sides

[AkHerps]

Yeah sand is never a good idea for most reptiles, and Leo's naturally do not live on loose sand, they live on hard clay type substrate, and rocky out croppings. Physically, their feet are not designed for loose sand. Just giving you some info.

I guess most stores, if you use paper towel and a UTH, it voids the warranty of the UTH.

[dxkiraxn]

As long as you have your UTH hooked up to a thermostat your good to go. If you can (if you don't already have one) pick up a temp gun so you can know exactly what the surface temperature is on the hot and cool sides

I got a pretty small one and stuck it to one side, I don't know where to get a thermostat for the UTH but i'm keeping an eye on the temp with a regular thermometer and a constant temp with a probe thermometer (i've to this day never figured out what a temp gun is, unless it's the one with the lazer pointer reader?). Should I keep it on all the time, my room stays a good 70-74ish throughout the night and I've read some people cut their heat source for the night. Should I just keep it on? He has a cool hide and that side is around 70-75 at times?

[cinderbird]

i keep my leos in the same racks i keep my bps (91-93 hotspot) and i use paper towel as substrate. I use heat tape on a thermostat to get my temps up.