conflicting information on the ambient air temps

[Latlaw]

Ok, I've got my UTH set up and the ground temp on the hot side is 90-92 but now there is no overhead light. My house's A/C is set at 73. Doesn't that make the ambient air temps too cold? Don't I want to raise the air temp too? How can I do that without raising the ground temp too much? The cold side of the tank is at 73ish. Some people on the forum say ambient temps are important where others are saying the heat pad is enough. Not sure what to do now . .

 

[acpart]

As you can see, different people have different opinions about some things. Personally I'm in the "don't think about ambient temperatures" camp. I think the best thing to do in this case is to choose one option and try it out for awhile and see how your leos do.

Aliza

 

[Olimpia]

Yes, honestly, they're probably fine with an air temp in the 70's. Mine have been thriving like that for a year now. In fact, many of my geckos enjoy just sleeping right in the middle of the tank where there's no heat, out in the open. When they get cold they go back to their heat, and when they've had enough they leave their warm hide.

I'd start to worry about it only when winter sets in and the house is now in the 50's-60's.

 

[Latlaw]

As you can see, different people have different opinions about some things. Personally I'm in the "don't think about ambient temperatures" camp. I think the best thing to do in this case is to choose one option and try it out for awhile and see how your leos do.

Aliza

Thank you Aliza. I think you're right. At this point with my UTH in, Henry and Rosa are doing great. They just finished feasting on Cricket Delight--lol. I suppose if I run into issues with not eating or whatever, I'll re-assess the need to somehow raise the ambient temp without raising the floor temp too high. Not quite sure how I would do this though. I believe I will invest in a decent thermostat so I can set it and not constantly feel I must check the tank temps. I now have them on a rheostat and it seems to be doing the job.

 

[Gregg M]

Honestly, anyone who thinks ambient air temps are not important does not have a clue about reptilian metabolisms and how their thermoregulatory systems work... No offence!!!

You can ask anyone on the forum who kept their geckos by the book and who now keeps them how they should be kept how much of a difference they have seen in their geckos...

High basking temps in the high 90s and ambient temps in the low to mid 80s will keep your geckos feeding year round and in optimal condition... They will be much more active and metabolize their food much faster... They will be in perfect shape..

You can go the route and give them the bare minimum and not pay attention to ambient temps and your gecko will most likely be ok, or you can give them optimal conditions and have your geckos do what nature intended and your geckos will behave, digest food, and thermoregulate like they are supposed to...

 

[robin]

i cant get the ambient temp below about 83 in my facility.. but i am working on something <_<

 

[Latlaw]

Honestly, anyone who thinks ambient air temps are not important does not have a clue about reptilian metabolisms and how their thermoregulatory systems work... No offence!!!

You can ask anyone on the forum who kept their geckos by the book and who now keeps them how they should be kept how much of a difference they have seen in their geckos...

High basking temps in the high 90s and ambient temps in the low to mid 80s will keep your geckos feeding year round and in optimal condition... They will be much more active and metabolize their food much faster... They will be in perfect shape..

You can go the route and give them the bare minimum and not pay attention to ambient temps and your gecko will most likely be ok, or you can give them optimal conditions and have your geckos do what nature intended and your geckos will behave, digest food, and thermoregulate like they are supposed to...

Makes sense to me but how to do this is what I'm having trouble with. If I add a 40 watt red bulb above the warm side, it warms up the bottom too much. I'm using a rheostat now. I wonder if when I get the thermostat this weekend, I can set it to 92 using the probe on the bottom and with the red light above, wouldn't it then keep the floor temp low enough while the light is on so I could heat up the air temp some. My house is now set at 73 and will go down to the 60's in the winter. That air temp seems too cold. Does that make sense that the themostat will regulate the carpet temp so I can keep the red light on without the bottom temp being too high?